Studies of a ducted rotor with exit vane controls

An aeroelastic model of a ducted rotor with exit control vanes is developed. The control vanes at the duct exit can generate side forces and control moments for vehicle maneuver. However, the lifting vanes underneath the rotor disk affect the rotor induced inflow. The current studies focus on the impact of exit vane control systems on rotor dynamics. The results indicate that vane aerodynamic lift can change the rotor induced inflow distribution by ±5-10% of baseline uniform induced inflow in hover. This variation of inflow distribution causes blade flapping responses and induces rotor hub roll and pitch moments. The induced hub moment is about 20% of the control moment generated by exit vanes, however, the induced hub moment and the vane control moment work against each other. The parametric studies are conducted to evaluate the vane control effectiveness. A unique vane configuration, called "partially chocked" vanes, is also explored and the simulation demonstrates its potential for vehicle collective and cyclic controls.