5 research outputs found
Helicopter Fuselage Drag ā Combined Computational Fluid Dynamics and Experimental Studies
In this paper, wind tunnel experiments are combined with Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) aiming to analyze the aerodynamics of
realistic fuselage conĀ¦gurations. A development model of the ANSAT
aircraft and an early model of the AKTAI light helicopter were employed.
Both models were tested at the subsonic wind tunnel of KNRTU-KAI
for a range of Reynolds numbers and pitch and yaw angles. The force
balance measurements were complemented by particle image velocimetry
(PIV) investigations for the cases where the experimental force measurements
showed substantial unsteadiness. The CFD results were found to
be in fair agreement with the test data and revealed some Ā§ow separation
at the rear of the fuselages. Once conĀ¦dence on the CFD method was
established, further modiĀ¦cations were introduced to the ANSAT-like
fuselage model to demonstrate drag reduction via small shape changes
Analytical and experimental study of the integral aerodynamic characteristics of low-speed wind turbines
This paper proposes a new wind turbine concept suitable for low-speed winds. The design is studied using a combination of wind-tunnel experimentation and aerodynamic theory. After processing the experimental results, and after comparison with theory, the optimal conditions for the operation of the turbine are identified. Experimental and theoretical results suggest that the design offers a realistic alternative to conventional horizontal axis wind turbines. In addition, the proposed turbine has good power efficiency at low wind speeds, and is suitable for deployment in areas not yet favoured by wind farm developers