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D. Douglas Boyd, Jr.

Publications and source records attributed to D. Douglas Boyd, Jr..

Effects of Ambient Conditions on Helicopter Harmonic Noise Radiation: Theory and Experiment

The effects of ambient atmospheric conditions, air temperature, and density on rotor harmonic noise radiation are characterized using theoretical models and experimental measurements of helicopter noise collected at three different test sites at elevations ranging from sea level to 7000 ft above sea level. Significant changes in the thickness, loading, and blade–vortex interaction noise levels and radiation directions are observed across the different test sites for an AS350 helicopter flying at the same indicated airspeed and gross weight. However, the radiated noise is shown to scale with ambient pressure when the flight condition of the helicopter is defined in nondimensional terms. Although the effective tip Mach number is identified as the primary governing parameter for thickness noise, the nondimensional weight coefficient also impacts lower harmonic loading noise levels, which contribute strongly to low-frequency harmonic noise radiation both in and out of the plane of the horizon. Strategies for maintaining the same nondimensional rotor operating condition under different ambient conditions are developed using an analytical model of single main rotor helicopter trim and confirmed using a CAMRAD II model of the AS350 helicopter. The ability of the Fundamental Rotorcraft Acoustics Modeling from Experiments (FRAME) technique to generalize noise measurements made under one set of ambient conditions to make accurate noise predictions under other ambient conditions is also validated.

rotorcraft↗

A Computational Model for Rotor-Fuselage Interactional Aerodynamics

A novel unsteady rotor-fuselage interactional aerodynamics model has been developed. This model loosely couples a Generalized Dynamic Wake Theory (GDWT) to a thin-layer Navier-Stokes solution procedure. This coupling is achieved using an unsteady pressure jump boundary condition in the Navier-Stokes model. The new unsteady pressure jump boundary condition models each rotor blade as a moving pressure jump which travels around the rotor azimuth and is applied between two adjacent planes in a cylindrical, non-rotating grid. Comparisons are made between measured and predicted time-averaged and time-accurate rotor inflow ratios. Additional comparisons are made between measured and predicted unsteady surface pressures on the top centerline and sides of the fuselage.

D. Douglas Boyd, Jr.↗

Smart Twisting Active Rotor (STAR) – Pre-Test Predictions

A Mach-scaled model rotor with active twist capability is in preparation for a wind tunnel test in the large lowspeed facility (LLF) of the German-Dutch wind tunnel (DNW) with international participation by DLR, US Army, NASA, ONERA, KARI, Konkuk University, JAXA, Glasgow University and DNW. To get the maximum benefit from the test and most valuable data within the available test time, the tentative test matrix was covered by predictions of the partners, active twist benefits were evaluated, and support was provided to the test team to focus on the key operational conditions.

acoustics↗

A Synthesis Method to Auralize Rotor Noise During Transitional Flight

This paper describes a new capability to synthesize Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicle rotor/propeller loading and thickness noise and broadband self noise for transitional flight auralization. A vehicle smoothly transitioning between flight states is approximated here as transitioning in time through a series of trimmed steady-state flight conditions. To generate information that helps synthesize loading and thickness noise for transitional flight, this paper describes the development of a tool that combines blade loading, motion, and geometry data from a series of separate trimmed flight states. This paper also describes a method to combine broadband self noise acoustic predictions, each representing a separate trimmed flight state, to synthesize broadband self noise for transitional flight. Different flight profiles of the six-passenger NASA UAM Quadrotor reference vehicle demonstrate these capabilities, with each profile specified by a series of trimmed flight states.

Auralization↗