Aerodynamic Design Modification for Utility Helicopters
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 4
Abstract
Wind tunnel testing and accompanying numerical analyses are the essential methods to improve and optimize the aerodynamic design of helicopters. The focus is on improving the aerodynamic performance and the handling qualities. Of special interest is the parasitic drag as a major factor for the power consumption and the wake flow caused by the rotor head, which can interact with the helicopter tail and influence stability. For this purpose, design modifications and their influence on the aerodynamic characteristics of the helicopter as well as on the flow field are investigated. The design modifications are evaluated by force and moment measurements, stereo particle image velocimetry, and high fidelity computational analysis. This allows us to compare the different investigation methods and design configurations to each other. The investigations are performed on the Kopter AW09, a 2.8-t-class single engine utility helicopter. Design modifications of the upper fuselage are considered for the presented investigations.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions. The helicopter geometry is confidential, but the geometry of the helicopter configurations is shown in a figure to illustrate the shape and the differences between the configurations. Also, the absolute force values/coefficients are confidential. The force coefficients are represented without the assignment of values. But the differences of the force coefficents between the configurations can still be observed and analyzed.
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Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 4 • July 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 22, 2022
Accepted: Jan 11, 2023
Published online: Mar 27, 2023
Published in print: Jul 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Aug 27, 2023
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