Effect of rotor-tip speed on helicopter hovering performance and maximum forward speed
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Thickness Noise of Helicopter Rotors at High Tip Speeds
A new formulation of helicopter rotor thickness, noise for hover and forward flight, is discussed. The parameters required for this formulation are rotor motion, planform and airfoil thickness distribution. A computer program has been developed to calculate the pressure signature due to blade thickness for a helicopter in arbitrary motion. Comparison with high-speed helicopter tests shows good agreement with calculations when the observer is in or near the horizontal plane in which the rotor disc lies. Characteristics of thickness noise are illustrated by numerical examples indicating strongly that the high-speed blade slap may be due primarily to the thickness effect. The methods of Deming and Arnoldi are discussed as the special cases of this technique.
Farassat, F.↗
Far-Field Acoustic Characteristics of Multiple Blade-Vane Configurations for a High Tip Speed Fan, Supplement
The contents of this CD-ROM include: 1) Aero Data; 2) Data Documents (Daily Acoustic Data Logs, Test Documentation, Test Photos); 3) EPNL Data (All Core Tones Removed, All Core Tones Removed and Various Bypass Tones, Core BPF Tone Removed, Core Tones Present); 4) Far-Field Acoustic Data, 5) High Speed Fan Reports; 6) Sound Power Levels (As-Measured PWL, Lossless PWL).
Woodward, Richard P.↗
Acoustic measurements of the X-wing rotor
Noise measurements of a stoppable X-wing rotor system model, tested in the Ames 40- by 80-foot wind tunnel, are summarized. Performance, control system stability, and noise of the model were investigated at various forward speeds, tip speeds, collective blade angles, jet blowing velocities, and model attack angles. The model was tested in the rotating wing helicopter configuration, in the fixed wing configuration, and in wing configurations between the two. Noise data obtained in the helicopter configuration at the two highest tip speeds (Mach 0.44 and 0.47) and at wind tunnel speeds below 140 knots are reported. Test configuration and performance information are included. General acoustic measurements (dB, dBA, and PNdB) at six microphone locations are presented for all conditions under which the background noise was below the model noise. More specific measurements (1/3-octave and blade passage frequency harmonic levels) are presented for selected conditions. Graphs of dBA and 1/3-octave spectra, which show the noise trends as functions of operating condition, are included. The noise depends mainly on the jet blowing velocity. The noise levels were highest at moderate jet blowing velocities, less at the highest velocity, and lowest with no blowing at all.
Mosher, M.↗
An experimental investigation of free-tip response to a jet
The aerodynamic response of passively oscillating tips appended to a model helicopter rotor was investigated during a whirl test. Tip responsiveness was found to meet free-tip rotor requirements. Experimental and analytical estimates of the free-tip aerodynamic spring, mechanical spring, and aerodynamic damping were calculated and compared. The free tips were analytically demonstrated to be operating outside the tip resonant response region at full-scale tip speeds. Further, tip resonance was shown to be independent of tip speed, given the assumption that the tip forcing frequency is linearly dependent upon the rotor rotational speed.
Young, L. A.↗
Radially leaned outlet guide vanes for fan source noise reduction
Two quiet engine program half scale fans one with a subsonic and the other with a supersonic fan tip speed at takeoff were run with 30 degree leaned and radial outlet guide vanes. Acoustic data at takeoff fan speed on the subsonic tip speed fan showed decreases in 200-foot sideline noise of from 1 to 2 PNdb. The supersonic tip speed fan a takeoff fan speed, however, showed noise increases of up 3 PNdb and a decrease in fan efficiency. At approach fan speed, the subsonic tip speed fan showed a noise decrease of 2.3 PNdb at the 200-foot sideline maximum angle and an increase in efficiency. The supersonic tip speed fan showed noise increase of 3.5 PNdb and no change in efficiency. The decrease in fan efficiency and the nature of the noise increase largely high frequency broadband noise lead to the speculation that an aerodynamic problem occurred.
Kazin, S. B.↗
Study and Sub-System Optimization of Propulsion and Drive Systems for the Large Civil TiltRotor (LCTR2) Rotorcraft
In a series of study tasks conducted as a part of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Rotary Wing Project, Boeing and Rolls-Royce explored propulsion, drive, and rotor system options for the NASA Large Civil Tilt Rotor (LCTR2) concept vehicle. The original objective of this study was to identify engine and drive system configurations to reduce rotor tip speed during cruise conditions and quantify the associated benefits. Previous NASA studies concluded that reducing rotor speed (from 650 fps hover tip speed) during cruise would reduce vehicle gross weight and fuel burn. Initially, rotor cruise speed ratios of 54% of the hover tip speed were of most interest during operation at cruise air speed of 310 ktas. Interim results were previously reported1 for cruise tip speed ratios of 100%, 77%, and 54% of the hover tip speed using engine and/or gearbox features to achieve the reduction. Technology levels from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), through entry-in-service (EIS) dates of 2025 and 2035 were considered to assess the benefits of advanced technology on vehicle gross weight and fuel burn. This technical paper presents the final study results in terms of vehicle sizing and fuel burn as well as Operational and Support (O&S) costs. New vehicle sizing at rotor tip speed reduced to 65% of hover is presented for engine performance with an EIS 2035 fixed geometry variable speed power turbine. LCTR2 is also evaluated for missions range cases of 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 nautical miles and cruise air speeds of 310, 350 and 375 ktas.
Robuck, Mark↗
A Quiet Engine for stilling complaints.
Two experimental Quiet Engines using derated CF6 cores are discussed. One engine has a low-speed fan running at a tip speed of 1160 fps; the other engine has a fan running at the high speed of 1550 fps. The two engines are expected to show the relative advantages of fans operating at low tip speeds with high lift coefficients in comparison with fans operating at high tip speeds with low lift coefficients. Test results obtained with full-scale (6-ft diameter) fans are examined.
Sanders, N. D.↗
The NASA/GE quiet engine 'A.'
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the General Electric Company are jointly developing two low noise propulsion technology demonstrators (Engine 'A' and 'C' incorporating respectively a low tip speed and high tip speed fan) under the Experimental Quiet Engine Program. The acoustic and aerodynamic performance characteristics of Engine 'C' which is currently on test will be reported at a later date. The present paper describes the design, component development and engine evaluation of the 'A' demonstrator. The aerodynamic and acoustic performance obtained on the fan component are discussed. The demonstrator engine acoustic test program is outlined. The effect of inlet geometry and duct acoustic treatment are presented. The static acoustic data are extrapolated to flight and compared with the FAA noise regulations.
Benzakein, M. J.↗
A Comparison of Measured Tone Modes for Two Low Noise Propulsion Fans
The acoustic modes for two low tip speed propulsion fans were measured to examine the effects of fan tip speed, at constant pressure ratio. A continuously rotating microphone method was used that provided the complete modal structure (circumferential and radial order) at the fundamental and second harmonic of the blade passing tone as well as most of the third harmonic modes. The fans are compared in terms of their rotor/stator interaction modal power, and total tone power. It was hoped that the lower tip speed might produce less noise. This was not the case. The higher tip speed fan, at both takeoff and cutback speeds, had lower tone and interaction levels. This could be an indication that the higher aerodynamic loading required to produce the same pressure ratio for the lower tip speed fan resulted in a greater velocity deficit in the blade wakes and thus more noise. Results consistent with expected rotor transmission effects were noted in the inlet modal structures of both fans.
Heidelberg, Laurence J.↗
Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Effect of Angle of Attack and Flapping-Hinge Offset on Periodic Bending Moments and Flapping of a Small Rotor
A two-blade rotor having a diameter of 4 feet and a solidity of 0.037 was tested in the Langley 300-MPH 7- by 10-foot tunnel to obtain information on the effect of certain rotor variables on the blade periodic bending moments and flapping angles during the various stages of transformation between the helicopter and autogiro configuration. Variables studied included collective pitch angle, flapping-hinge offset, rotor angle of attack, and tip-speed ratio. The results show that the blade periodic bending moments generally increase with tip-speed ratio up into the transition region, diminish over a certain range of tip-speed ratio, and increase again at higher tip-speed ratios. Above the transition region, the bending moments increase with collective pitch angle and rotor angle of attack. The absence of a flapping hinge results in a significant amplification of the periodic bending moments, the magnitudes of which increase with tip-speed ratio. When the flapping hinge is used, an increase in flapping-hinge offset results in reduced period bending moments. The aforementioned trends exhibited by the bending moments for changes in the variables are essentially duplicated by the periodic flapping motions. The existence of substantial amounts of blade stall increased both the periodic bending moments and the flapping angles. Harmonic analysis of the bending moments shows significant contributions of the higher harmonics, particularly in the transition region.
McCarty, John Locke↗
Design Study of Propulsion and Drive Systems for the Large Civil TiltRotor (LCTR2) Rotorcraft
Boeing, Rolls Royce, and NASA have worked together to complete a parametric sizing study for NASA's Large Civil Tilt Rotor (LCTR2) concept 2nd iteration. Vehicle gross weight and fuel usage were evaluated as propulsion and drive system characteristics were varied to maximize the benefit of reduced rotor tip speed during cruise conditions. The study examined different combinations of engine and gearbox variability to achieve rotor cruise tip speed reductions down to 54% of the hover tip speed. Previous NASA studies identified that a 54% rotor speed reduction in cruise minimizes vehicle gross weight and fuel burn. The LCTR2 was the study baseline for initial sizing. This study included rotor tip speed ratios (cruise to hover) of 100%, 77% and 54% at different combinations of engine RPM and gearbox speed reductions, which were analyzed to achieve the lightest overall vehicle gross weight (GW) at the chosen rotor tip speed ratio. Different engine and gearbox technology levels are applied ranging from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) engines and gearbox technology to entry-in-service (EIS) dates of 2025 and 2035 to assess the benefits of advanced technology on vehicle gross weight and fuel burn. Interim results were previously reported1. This technical paper extends that work and summarizes the final study results including additional engine and drive system study accomplishments. New vehicle sizing data is presented for engine performance at a single operating speed with a multispeed drive system. Modeling details for LCTR2 vehicle sizing and subject engine and drive sub-systems are presented as well. This study was conducted in support of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Subsonic Rotary Wing Project.
Robuck, Mark↗
The Effect of Compressibility on Eight Full-Scale Propellers Operating in the Take-Off and Climbing Range
Tests were made of eight full-scale propellers of different shape at various tip speeds up to about 1,000 feet per second. The range of blade-angle settings investigated was from 10 degrees to 30 degrees at the 0.75 radius. The results indicate that a loss in propulsive efficiency occurred at tip speeds from 0.5 to 0.7 the velocity of sound for the take-off and climbing conditions. As the tip speed increased beyond these critical values, the loss rapidly increased and amounted, in some instances, to more than 20 percent of the thrust power for tip-speed values of 0.8 the speed of sound. In general, as the blade-angle setting was increased, the loss started to occur at lower tip speeds. The maximum loss for a given tip speed occurred at a blade-angle setting of about 20 degrees for the take-off and 25 degrees for the climbing condition. A simplified method for correcting propellers for the effect of compressibility is given in an appendix.
Biermann, David↗
Experimental quiet engine program
Full-scale low-tip-speed fans, a full-scale high-tip-speed fan, scale model versions of fans, and two full-scale high-bypass-ratio turbofan engines, were designed, fabricated, tested, and evaluated. Turbine noise suppression was investigated. Preliminary design studies of flight propulsion system concepts were used in application studies to determine acoustic-economic tradeoffs. Salient results are as follows: tradeoff evaluation of fan tip speed and blade loading; systematic data on source noise characteristics and suppression effectiveness; documentation of high- and low-fan-speed aerodynamic and acoustic technology; aerodynamic and acoustic evaluation of acoustic treatment configurations, casing tip bleed, serrated and variable pitch rotor blades, leaned outlet guide vanes, slotted tip casings, rotor blade shape modifications, and inlet noise suppression; systematic evaluation of aerodynamic and acoustic effects; flyover noise projections of engine test data; turbine noise suppression technology development; and tradeoff evaluation of preliminary design high-fan-speed and low-fan-speed flight engines.
Cornell, W. G.↗
On high frequency broadband noise from model helicopter rotors
An experimental investigation was carried out to study high frequency broadband noise (HFBN) from model helicopter rotors at a range of tip Mach numbers up to 0.40. The type of HFBN in the present case was due to boundary layer self noise (BLSN). The effects of rotor advance ratio, tip speed, blade tip geometry, and free stream turbulence on the intensity and spectrum of BLSN have been investigated. Saturation or fall-off of the peak sound pressure level was observed as the tip Mach number was varied from 0.20 to 0.40. This result is different from measurements on square tip blades reported earlier by Aravamudan, Lee and Harris (1979). An explanation of this difference along with a discussion of the effects of blade tip geometry on BLSN are provided.
Humbad, N. G.↗
A survey of propfan noise propagation at cruise
Acoustic measurements collected during the Propfan Test Assessment (PTA) program in 1989 had demonstrated that cruising Propfans have undesirably high far-field noise level. This study attempts to investigate the source of these noise disturbances generated by a single-rotating propeller with supersonic tip speed. Various atmospheric and propagation effects responsible for shaping the far-field acoustics will be examined. A methodology for analyzing Propfan propagation noise is proposed based on the theory of geometrical acoustics. This approach allows acoustic rays to be traced into the far-field via Snell's law. Amplitude variation along the rays are evaluated by applying the Blokhintzev energy invariant principle. Additional terms are appended to the energy invariant principle to account for propagation and atmospheric effects. A FORTRAN program is written to analyze the rays emitted from a helicoidal source path traced by supersonic helical speed blade tip. Earlier papers by Myers and Farassat have demonstrated the presence of Mach envelopes that lead to formation of caustics. Linear geometric acoustics is used to ascertain the existence of these nonlinear caustics in the far-field. The importance of caustics to Propfan noise generation is then studied.
Sim, Ben WEL-C.↗
Revolutionary Concepts for Helicopter Noise Reduction: SILENT Program
As part of a NASA initiative to reduce helicopter main rotor noise, a Phase 1 study has been performed of candidate noise reduction concepts. Both conventional and novel design technologies have been analyzed that reduce the community impact of helicopter operations. In this study the noise reduction potential and design implications are assessed for conventional means of noise reduction, e.g., tip speed reduction, tip shapes and airfoil tailoring, and for two innovative design concepts: modulated blade spacing and x-force control. Main rotor designs that incorporate modulated blade spacing are shown to have reduced peak noise levels in most flight operations. X-force control alters the helicopter's force balance whereby the miss distance between main rotor blades and shed vortices can be controlled. This control provides a high potential to mitigate BVI noise radiation. Each concept is evaluated using best practice design and analysis methods, achieving the study's aim to significantly reduce noise with minimal performance degradation and no vibration increase. It is concluded that a SILENT main rotor design, incorporating the modulated blade spacing concept, offers significantly reduced noise levels and the potential of a breakthrough in how a helicopter's sound is perceived and judged. The SILENT rotor represents a definite advancement in the state-of-the-art and is selected as the design concept for demonstration in Phase 2. A Phase 2 Implementation Plan is developed for whirl cage and wind tunnel evaluations of a scaled model SILENT rotor.
Edwards, Bryan↗
Coaxial Rotor Flow Phenomena in Forward Flight
Coaxial rotors are nding use in advanced rotorcraft concepts. Combined with lift offset rotor technology, they offer a solution to the problems of dynamic stall and re-verse ow that often limit single rotor edgewise forward ight speeds. Lower tip speed means reduced high-speed impulsive noise. The need for an anti-torque tail rotor is eliminated, a major boon during operation in conned areas. However, the operation of two counter-rotating ro-tors in close proximity generates many possibilities for aerodynamic interactions between rotor blades, blades and vortices, and between vortices. The parameter de-sign space is very large, and requires efcient computations as well as basic experiments to explore important physics to determine performance, loads, and acoustics. Computations are done on the classic HarringtonDingeldein rotor test case from the 1950s using the ROTUNS Navier Stokes code. Two regimes are explored: very low advance ratio as a perturbation from hover, and high advance ratio. Flow eld properties from RotUNS are used with 2-D OVERFLOW computations to capture blade crossing effects including those of higher subsonic Mach numbers. Bladeblade and bladevortex intersection events are captured using a MatLab-based predictor.
Flow Phenomena↗