• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.210-217
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• 2011

Evolution of tip vortex generated by a model rotor blade which has a symmetric blade section has been investigated by use of the laser doppler anemometry. Swirl and axial velocity components of tip vortex were measured by the phase averaging technique within one revolution of a rotor blade. It was found that tip vortex becomes matured until 27 degrees and diffuses afterwards with diffusing rate becoming slower compared to the case of the asymmetric blade section, but the tip loss was expected to become more substantial. Swirl velocity components were well fit to n=2 model of Vatistas within measured wake ages, showing the self-similarity exists for the swirl velocity components. The axial components were followed with Gaussian profiles, but had much higher peak values than those of the symmetric blade section.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.719-727
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• 2008

A 3-D compressible Navier-Stokes solver using overlapped grids is developed to predict a flow-field around a hovering rotor. The flow solver is verified by a parametric study with the grid spacing of wake grid, spatial accuracy and turbulence model. Computations are performed with different Chimera grid systems. Computational results are compared with the experimental data of Caradonna et al. for both blade loading and the tip vortex behavior. Numerical results show good agreements with experiments for the distribution of surface pressure and tip vortex behavior. Pressure distributions over the blade have marginal differences for different numerical methods, whereas large discrepancies are seen in the prediction of the wake behavior. Results unexpectedly show that the vortex strength from an automated cut-paste Chimera grid is weaker than that from the conventional Chimera grid.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

An aerodynamic shape optimization technique has been developed for helicopter rotor blades in hover based on a continuous adjoint method on unstructured meshes. The Euler flow solver and the continuous adjoint sensitivity analysis were formulated on the rotating frame of reference for hovering rotor blades. In order to handle the repeated evaluation of the design cycle efficiently, the flow and adjoint solvers were parallelized using a domain decomposition strategy. A solution-adaptive mesh refinement technique was adopted for the accurate capturing of the tip vortex. Applications were made for the aerodynamic shape optimization of Caradonna-Tung rotor blades and UH60 rotor blades in hover. The results showed that the present method is an effective tool to determine optimum aerodynamic shapes of rotor blades requiring less torque while maintaining the desired thrust level.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.11-21
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• 2005

A three-dimensional parallel Euler flow solver has been developed for the simulation of unsteady rotor-fuselage interaction aerodynamics on unstructured meshes. In order to handle the relative motion between the rotor and the fuselage, the flow field was divided into two zones, a moving zone rotating with the blades and a stationary zone containing the fuselage. A sliding mesh algorithm was developed for the convection of the flow variables across the cutting boundary between the two zones. A quasi-unsteady mesh adaptation technique was adopted to enhance the spatial accuracy of the solution and to better resolve the wake. A low Mach number pre-conditioning method was implemented to relieve the numerical difficulty associated with the low-speed forward flight. Validations were made by simulating the flows around the Georgia Tech configuration and the ROBIN fuselage. It was shown that the present method is efficient and robust for the prediction of complicated unsteady rotor-fuselage aerodynamic interaction phenomena.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.39-48
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• 2023

In this study, we investigate the effects of slots installed on the tip of a rotor blade on aerodynamic characteristics. The slots weaken the strength and spatial coherence of the tip vortex at early vortex age and accelerate the dissipation of the generated tip vortex. Accordingly, the turbulence intensity of the rotor wake is reduced at both near and far wake, which leads to a reduction in broadband noise. Tonal noise is also reduced by mitigation of tip vortices, but tonal noise reduction is limited to a narrower range of azimuths than broadband noise due to the extinction of tip vortices. In addition, slots reduce both mean thrust and thrust fluctuations. Reduction in thrust fluctuations leads to a reduction in blade loading noise, resulting in a reduction in tonal noise.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.03b
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• pp.25-28
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• 2008

An aerodynamic calculation in hover of KUH main rotor blade is performed using a three-dimensional unstructured hybrid mesh viscous flow solver. The flow solver utilizes a vertex-centered finite-volume scheme that is based on the Roe's flux-difference splitting with an implicit Jacobi/Gauss-Seidel time integration. The eddy viscosity are estimated by the Spalart-Allmaras one-equation turbulence model. A solution-adaptive mesh refinement technique is used for efficient capturing of the tip vortex. Calculations are performed at several operating conditions with varying collective pitch setting for KUH main rotor blade in hover. Good agreements are obtained between the present and other results using HOST and CAMRAD II in overall rotor performance. It is demonstrated that the present vertex-centered flow solver is an efficient and accurate tool for the assessment of rotor performance in hover.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.519-529
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• 2010

In the present study, unsteady calculations have been performed to simulate flows around a UH-60A full configuration including main rotor, fuselage, and tail rotor. A flow solver developed for helicopter aerodynamic analysis was used for the simulation of the complete helicopter in high-speed and low-speed forward flight. Unsteady vibratory loads on the main rotor blades were compared with flight test and other calculated data for the assessment of the present flow solver. Aerodynamic interaction of the three components of the helicopter was investigated by comparing with the results of main-rotor-alone, main rotor and fuselage, and tail-rotor-alone configurations. It was found that the existence of the fuselage has an effect on the normal force distribution of the main rotor by varying downwash distribution on the rotor disc, and tip vortices trailed from the main rotor strongly interact with the tail-rotor.