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Minimum loss load, twist, and chord distributions for coaxial helicopters in hover

Publication ,  Conference
Giovanetti, EB; Hall, KC
Published in: Journal of the American Helicopter Society
January 1, 2017

This paper presents an approach for determining the optimal (minimum power) geometry of a hovering coaxial rotor using blade element momentum theory, including swirl. The analysis accounts for the presence of a finite number of blades using the Prandtl tip loss factor, the effect of profile drag using experimentally or computationally determined drag polars, and the mutual interference between the two rotors using an empirically determined influence coefficient method. Numerical results show that including the induced swirl in the model decreases the optimal figure of merit and that swirl has a larger impact at higher disk loadings. At the disk loadings typically found on helicopters, the effect of swirl is relatively small, particularly compared to mutual rotor interference or tip losses. Additionally, accounting for swirl affects the optimal rotor design near the blade root, at locations that would often be part of the root cutout of a realistic rotor.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of the American Helicopter Society

DOI

ISSN

0002-8711

Publication Date

January 1, 2017

Volume

62

Issue

1

Related Subject Headings

  • Aerospace & Aeronautics
  • 4017 Mechanical engineering
  • 4012 Fluid mechanics and thermal engineering
  • 4001 Aerospace engineering
  • 0913 Mechanical Engineering
  • 0901 Aerospace Engineering
 

Citation

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Giovanetti, E. B., & Hall, K. C. (2017). Minimum loss load, twist, and chord distributions for coaxial helicopters in hover. In Journal of the American Helicopter Society (Vol. 62). https://doi.org/10.4050/JAHS.62.012001
Giovanetti, E. B., and K. C. Hall. “Minimum loss load, twist, and chord distributions for coaxial helicopters in hover.” In Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 62, 2017. https://doi.org/10.4050/JAHS.62.012001.
Giovanetti EB, Hall KC. Minimum loss load, twist, and chord distributions for coaxial helicopters in hover. In: Journal of the American Helicopter Society. 2017.
Giovanetti, E. B., and K. C. Hall. “Minimum loss load, twist, and chord distributions for coaxial helicopters in hover.” Journal of the American Helicopter Society, vol. 62, no. 1, 2017. Scopus, doi:10.4050/JAHS.62.012001.
Giovanetti EB, Hall KC. Minimum loss load, twist, and chord distributions for coaxial helicopters in hover. Journal of the American Helicopter Society. 2017.

Published In

Journal of the American Helicopter Society

DOI

ISSN

0002-8711

Publication Date

January 1, 2017

Volume

62

Issue

1

Related Subject Headings

  • Aerospace & Aeronautics
  • 4017 Mechanical engineering
  • 4012 Fluid mechanics and thermal engineering
  • 4001 Aerospace engineering
  • 0913 Mechanical Engineering
  • 0901 Aerospace Engineering