Efficiency from Added Control and Root Cut Out in Infinite Blade Rotorcraft

A dynamic inflow based induced power model for a lifting rotor with an infinite number of blades is analyzed to reveal efficiency of a rotorcraft in forward flight. The model starts from first principals to relate the acceleration potential of an actuator disk to pressure on the lifting blade. Peters and He Ref [3] note that this model provides “overall good correlation with recent measurement data” (xix). This model is extended with the addition of harmonic control, radial control, and root cut out (rco). The addition of these three factors reveal ways to approach the minimum induced power as predicted by Glauert