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At least 109 records · Page 6

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NASA NTRS1981

Prediction of blade-vortex interaction noise from measured blade pressure

The impulsive nature of noise due to the interaction of a rotor blade with a tip vortex is studied. The time signature of this noise is calculated theoretically based on the measured blade surface pressure fluctuation of an operational load survey rotor in slow descending flight and is compared with the simultaneous microphone measurement. Particularly, the physical understanding of the characteristic features of a waveform is extensively studied in order to understand the generating mechanism and to identify the important parameters. The interaction trajectory of a tip vortex on an acoustic planform is shown to be a very important parameter for the impulsive shape of the noise. The unsteady nature of the pressure distribution at the very leading edge is also important to the pulse shape. The theoretical model using noncompact liner acoustics predicts the general shape of interaction impulse pretty well except for peak amplitude which requires more continuous information along the span at the leading edge.

Nakamura, Y.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Prediction of blade vortex interaction noise from measured blade pressure

The impulsive nature of noise due to the interaction of a rotor blade with a tip vortex is studied. The time signature of this noise is calculated theoretically based on the measured blade surface pressure fluctuation of an operational load survey rotor in slow descending flight and is compared with the simultaneous microphone measurement. Particularly, the physical understanding of the characteristic features of a waveform is extensively studied in order to understand the generating mechanism and to identify the important parameters. The interaction trajectory of a tip vortex on an acoustic planform is shown to be a very important parameter for the impulsive shape of the noise. The unsteady nature of the pressure distribution at the very leading edge is also important to the pulse shape. The theoretical model using noncompact linear acoustics predicts the general shape of interaction impulse pretty well except for peak amplitude which requires more continuous pressure information along the span at the leading edge.

Nakamura, Y.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Generalized wake geometry for a helicopter in forward flight and effect of wake deformation on airloads

An analytical investigation was conducted to develop a first level generalization of the predicted distorted wake geometry of a helicopter rotor in level steady forward flight and to demonstrate the influence of wake deformation on the prediction of rotor airloads. Distortions of the tip vortex relative to the classical undistorted geometry are generalized in terms of vortex age, blade azimuth, advance ratio, thrust coefficient, and number of blades for a representative rotor. A computer module and charts were developed for approximating wake geometry and identifying wake boundaries and locations of blade-vortex passage. Predicted H-34 airloads for several inflow/wake models are compared with data for selected flight conditions. The occurrence of close blade-vortex passages and the high sensitivity of predicted airloads to small deviations of blade to tip vortex distance demonstrate the requirement for improved blade-vortex interaction models. The airload correlations indicate that refined distorted wake methodology has the potential to provide more accurate airload prediction.

Egolf, T. A.↗

NASA NTRS2002

CERT: Center of Excellence in Rotorcraft Technology

The research objectives of this effort are to understand the physical processes that influence the formation of the tip vortex of a rotor in advancing flight, and to develop active and passive means of weakening the tip vortex during conditions when strong blade-vortex-interaction effects are expected. A combined experimental, analytical, and computational effort is being employed. Specifically, the following efforts are being pursued: 1. Analytical evaluation and design of combined elastic tailoring and active material actuators applicable to rotor blade tips. 2. Numerical simulations of active and passive tip devices. 3. LDV Measurement of the near and far wake behind rotors in forward flight.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1987

Euler analysis of the three dimensional flow field of a high-speed propeller: Boundary condition effects

The results of an investigation of the effects of far field boundary conditions on the solution of the three dimensional Euler equations governing the flow field of a high speed single rotation propeller are presented. The results show that the solutions obtained with the nonreflecting boundary conditions are in good agreement with experimental data. The specification of nonreflecting boundary conditions is effective in reducing the dependence of the solution on the location of the far field boundary. Details of the flow field within the blade passage and the tip vortex are presented. The dependence of the computed power coefficient on the blade passage and the tip vortex are presented. The dependence of the computed power coefficient on the blade setting angle is examined.

Nallasamy, M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Euler analysis of the three-dimensional flow field of a high-speed propeller - Boundary condition effects

Nallasamy, M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

An experimental investigation of propeller wakes using a laser Doppler velocimeter

The results of experimental investigations on three single rotation propellers are summarized in this paper. Force measurements showed a definite improvement in efficiency at low advance ratios and in static operation due to use of proplets. Extensive velocity measurements were made using a LDV system. The large amounts of data gathered are presented to reveal clearly the tip vortex streaming back from the propeller. The velocities were also processed using momentum theorem to obtain the thrust and power radial distributions as well as the integrated thrust and power coefficients. The thrust coefficient compared well with force measurements and theoretical prediction from vortex lattice and Goldstein analysis. However, the power coefficient calculated from the momentum analysis was consistently lower than the theoretical or measured values. The measured velocities were also used to compute the vorticity and the trajectory of the tip vortex in the wake behind the propeller.

Sundar, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Model Rotor in Axial Flight

A model rotor was mounted horizontally in the settling chamber of a wind tunnel to obtain performance and wake structure data under low climb conditions. The immediate wake of the rotor was carefully surveyed using 3-component particle image velocimetry to define the velocity and vortical content of the flow, and used in a subsequent study to validate a theory for the separate determination of induced and profile drag. Measurements were obtained for two collective pitch angles intended to render a predominately induced drag state and another with a marked increase in profile drag. A majority of the azimuthally directed vorticity in the wake was found to be concentrated in the tip vortices. However, adjacent layers of inboard vorticity with opposite sense were clearly present. At low collective, the close proximity of the tip vortex from the previous blade caused the wake from the most recent blade passage to be distorted. The deficit velocity component that was directed along the azimuth of the rotor blade was never more that 15 percent of the rotor tip speed, and except for the region of the tip vortex, appeared to have totally disappeared form the wake left by the previous blade.

McAlister, K. W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Effects of a Forward-swept Front Rotor on the Flowfield of a Counterrotation Propeller

The effects of a forward-swept front rotor on the flowfield of a counterrotation model propeller at takeoff conditions at zero degree angle of attack are studied by solving the unsteady three-dimensional Euler equations. The configuration considered is an uneven blade count counterrotation model with twelve forward-swept blades on the fore rotor and ten aft-swept blades on the aft rotor. The flowfield is compared with that of a reference aft-swept counterrotation geometry and Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) measurements. At the operating conditions considered, the forward-swept blade experiences a higher tip loading and produces a stronger tip vortex compared to the aft-swept blade, consistent with the LDV and acoustic measurements. Neither the solution nor the LDV data indicated the formation of a leading edge vortex. The predicted radial distribution of the circumferentially averaged axial velocity at the measurement station agreed very closely with LDV data, while crossflow velocities showed poor agreement. The discrepancy between prediction and LDV data of tangential and radial velocities is due in part to the insufficient mesh resolution in the region between the rotors and in the tip region to track the tip vortex. The vortex is diffused by the time it arrives at the measurement station. The uneven blade count configuration requires the solution to be carried out for six blade passages of the fore rotor and five passages of the aft rotor, thus making grid refinement prohibitive.

Nallasamy, M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

An analytical parametric study of the broadband noise from axial-flow fans

The rotating dipole analysis of Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (1969) is used to predict the far field noise radiation due to various rotor broadband noise mechanisms. Consideration is given to inflow turbulence noise, attached boundary layer/trailing-edge interaction noise, tip-vortex formation noise, and trailing-edge thickness noise. The parametric dependence of broadband noise from unducted axial-flow fans on several critical variables is studied theoretically. The angle of attack of the rotor blades, which is related to the rotor performance, is shown to be important to the trailing-edge noise and to the tip-vortex formation noise.

Chou, Shau-Tak↗

NASA NTRS2004

Inducer Hydrodynamic Forces in a Cavitating Environment

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a measurement device for sensing and resolving the hydrodynamic loads on fluid machinery. The device - a derivative of the six-component wind tunnel balance - senses the forces and moments on the rotating device through a weakened shaft section instrumented with a series of strain gauges. This rotating balance was designed to directly measure the steady and unsteady hydrodynamic loads on an inducer, thereby defining the amplitude and frequency content associated with operating in various cavitation modes. The rotating balance was calibrated statically using a dead-weight load system in order to generate the 6 x 12 calibration matrix later used to convert measured voltages to engineering units. Structural modeling suggested that the rotating assembly first bending mode would be significantly reduced with the balance s inclusion. This reduction in structural stiffness was later confirmed experimentally with a hammer-impact test. This effect, coupled with the relatively large damping associated with the rotating balance waterproofing material, limited the device s bandwidth to approximately 50 Hertz Other pre-test validations included sensing the test article rotating assembly built-in imbalance for two configurations and directly measuring the assembly mass and buoyancy while submerged under water. Both tests matched predictions and confirmed the device s sensitivity while stationary and rotating. The rotating balance was then demonstrated in a water test of a full-scale Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure liquid oxygen pump inducer. Experimental data was collected a scaled operating conditions at three flow coefficients across a range of cavitation numbers for the single inducer geometry and radial clearance. Two distinct cavitation modes were observed symmetric tip vortex cavitation and alternate-blade cavitation. Although previous experimental tests on the same inducer demonstrated two additional cavitation modes at lower inlet pressures, these conditions proved unreachable with the rotating balance installed due to the intense dynamic environment. The sensed radial load was less influenced by flow coefficient than by cavitation number or cavitation mode although the flow coefficient range was relatively narrow. Transition from symmetric tip vortex to alternate-blade cavitation corresponded to changes in both radial load magnitude and radial load orientation relative to the inducer. Sensed moments indicated that the effective load center moved downstream during this change in cavitation mode. An occurrence of "higher+rdex cavitation" was also detected in both the stationary pressures and the rotating balance data although the frequency of the phenomena was well above the reliable bandwidth of the rotating balance. In summary the experimental tests proved both the concept and device s capability despite the limitations and confirmed that hydrodynamically-induced forces and moments develop in response to the unbalanced pressure field, which is, in turn, a product of the cavitation environment.

Skelley, Stephen E.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Transient airload computer analysis for simulating wind induced impulsive noise conditions of a hovering helicopter rotor

A numerical analysis was developed to determine the airloads on helicopter rotors operating under near-hovering flight conditions capable of producing impulsive noise. A computer program was written in which the solutions for the rotor tip vortex geometry, inflow, aeroelastic response, and airloads are solved in a coupled manner at sequential time steps, with or without the influence of an imposed steady ambient wind or transient gust. The program was developed for future applications in which predicted airloads would be incorporated in an acoustics analysis to attempt to predict and analyze impulsive noise (blade slap). The analysis was applied to a hovering full-scale rotor for which impulsive noise was recorded in the presence of ambient wind. The predicted tip vortex coordinates are in reasonable agreement with the test data, and the blade airload solutions converged to a periodic behavior for an imposed steady ambient wind conditions.

Hall, G. F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Flowfield analysis of modern helicopter rotors in hover by Navier-Stokes method

The viscous, three-dimensional, flowfields of UH60 and BERP rotors are calculated for lifting hover configurations using a Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics method with a view to understand the importance of planform effects on the airloads. In this method, the induced effects of the wake, including the interaction of tip vortices with successive blades, are captured as a part of the overall flowfield solution without prescribing any wake models. Numerical results in the form of surface pressures, hover performance parameters, surface skin friction and tip vortex patterns, and vortex wake trajectory are presented at two thrust conditions for UH60 and BERP rotors. Comparison of results for the UH60 model rotor show good agreement with experiments at moderate thrust conditions. Comparison of results with equivalent rectangular UH60 blade and BERP blade indicates that the BERP blade, with an unconventional planform, gives more thrust at the cost of more power and a reduced figure of merit. The high thrust conditions considered produce severe shock-induced flow separation for UH60 blade, while the BERP blade develops more thrust and minimal separation. The BERP blade produces a tighter tip vortex structure compared with the UH60 blade. These results and the discussion presented bring out the similarities and differences between the two rotors.

Srinivasan, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Wind tunnel simulation of full scale vortices

An experimental investigation has been conducted to determine the important scaling parameters for the flow in the core region of a vortex generated by a rectangular wing tip. The effect of an unconventional planform, the ogee tip, on the tip vortex is also determined. For rectangular planform wings, the measured vortex core diameter to chord ratios, peak tangential velocity ratios, and axial velocity ratios are shown to be functions only of wing lift coefficient and elapsed time from vortex formation, and appear to be independent of both Mach number and Reynolds number. The peak tangential velocities in the diffuse vortex generated by the ogee tip are only 25 percent of those in the vortex generated by the rectangular wing.

Rorke, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Progress report on wing-trailing-vortex studies

Effect of wing-tip vortex wakes generated by large jet transport aircraft on smaller airplanes

Benner, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Measurement of Vortex Strength and Core Diameter in the Wake of a Hovering Rotor

Detailed hot wire measurements have been acquired in the tip vortex of a three-bladed model tilt rotor in hover. Testing was conducted at a rotor tip speed of 752 ft/sec, a Reynolds number (based on blade tip chord) of 1.77 x 10(exp 6), for thrust coefficients up to 0.0160. A figure shows the hot wire mounted above the inverted rotor at the Outside Aerodynamic Rotor Facility (OARF) at NASA Ames Research Center. Strobed shadowgraph flow visualization was used to define the vortex trajectory as an aid in hot wire positioning. Considerable variations in tip vortex structure with time were observed, even from the same blade, under essentially uniform test conditions. The only velocity signatures analyzed were those corresponding to passage of the probe directly through the center of the vortex. These time histories were ensemble averaged after compensating for jitter in the vortex arrival time at the probe, thereby retaining the core structure with minimal smearing. An example of a mean velocity signature, after ensemble averaging, is shown. The mean velocity signature was analyzed under the assumption of constant (unknown) translation speed of the vortex filament past the fixed probe. The translation speed of the vortex is deduced and the vortex strength and core diameter inferred. The results were highly unexpected. The indicated vortex strength is seen to decrease rapidly after first blade passage. In addition, the core radius is seen to decrease with increasing wake age, not increase as might be expected from simple diffusion.

Wadcock, Alan J.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Evaluating the Aerodynamic Impact of Circumferentially Grooved Fan Casing Treatments with Integrated Acoustic Liners on a Turbofan Rotor

NASA is investigating the potential of integrating acoustic liners into fan cases to reduce fan noise, while maintaining the fans aerodynamic performance. An experiment was conducted to quantify the aerodynamic impact of circumferentially grooved fan cases with integrated acoustic liners on a 1.5 pressure ratio turbofan rotor. In order to improve the ability to measure small performance changes, fan performance calculations were updated to include real gas effects including the effect of humidity. For all fan cases tested, the measured difference in fan isentropic efficiency was found to be less than the measurement repeatability for a torque-based efficiency calculation (approx. = 0.2%), however, an unintended tip clearance difference between configurations makes it difficult to determine if circumferentially grooved fan cases degraded fan performance. Fan exit turbulence measurements showed a 1.5% reduction in total turbulence intensity between hardwall and circumferentially grooved fan cases in the tip vortex region, which is attributed to a disruption in the formation of the tip leakage vortex. This decrease in fan exit turbulence could potentially lead to a 1-2dB reduction in broadband rotor-stator interaction noise. Reduced aerodynamic performance losses associated with over-the-rotor liners could enable further fan noise reduction.

turbofan↗

NASA NTRS1982

Alleviation of the subsonic pitch-up of delta wings

A 'pylon vortex generator' concept has been proposed for alleviating the subsonic pitch-up instability of highly swept supersonic-cruise wings. Fixed at a part-span location, this leading-edge device utilizes the lateral velocity component in the flow approaching the swept leading edge to generate a streamwise vortex, opposite in sense to the tip vortex. The vortex-induced downwash outboard of the device serves to control the leading-edge stall development in the wing-tip regions. Wind-tunnel results on 60-deg and 74-deg flat-plate delta wings are presented to illustrate the operation of the pylon vortex generator in modifying the spanwise leading-edge separation characteristics resulting in effective alleviation of the pitch-up.

Rao, D. M.↗