Visualization of a helicopter rotor hub wake

David Reich; Kyle Sinding; Sven Schmitz

doi:10.1007/s00348-018-2571-7

Visualization of a helicopter rotor hub wake

David Reich, Kyle Sinding, Sven Schmitz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on a 1:17 model-scale helicopter rotor hub in the Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory 12-inch diameter Water Tunnel. Qualitative methods were used to investigate the interaction between the rotor hub and a canonical engine pylon upper surface. Oil paint visualization showed flow separation on the engine pylon and a high degree of interaction between the hub and pylon flows. Fluorescent dye injection revealed significant differences in the unsteady flow character between advancing and retreating sides of the rotor hub. Stereo particle image velocimetry was used in the wake of an isolated hub configuration to quantify the spatial and phase-dependent variations in wake velocity, revealing a wake bias towards the advancing side and, unexpectedly, a phase-averaged unsteadiness bias towards the retreating side. In general, a previously unavailable broad view of the rotor hub flowfield was obtained.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	116
Journal	Experiments in Fluids
Volume	59
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-018-2571-7
State	Published - Jul 1 2018

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Computational Mechanics
Mechanics of Materials
General Physics and Astronomy
Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

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10.1007/s00348-018-2571-7

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title = "Visualization of a helicopter rotor hub wake",

abstract = "Experiments were conducted on a 1:17 model-scale helicopter rotor hub in the Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory 12-inch diameter Water Tunnel. Qualitative methods were used to investigate the interaction between the rotor hub and a canonical engine pylon upper surface. Oil paint visualization showed flow separation on the engine pylon and a high degree of interaction between the hub and pylon flows. Fluorescent dye injection revealed significant differences in the unsteady flow character between advancing and retreating sides of the rotor hub. Stereo particle image velocimetry was used in the wake of an isolated hub configuration to quantify the spatial and phase-dependent variations in wake velocity, revealing a wake bias towards the advancing side and, unexpectedly, a phase-averaged unsteadiness bias towards the retreating side. In general, a previously unavailable broad view of the rotor hub flowfield was obtained.",

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AB - Experiments were conducted on a 1:17 model-scale helicopter rotor hub in the Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory 12-inch diameter Water Tunnel. Qualitative methods were used to investigate the interaction between the rotor hub and a canonical engine pylon upper surface. Oil paint visualization showed flow separation on the engine pylon and a high degree of interaction between the hub and pylon flows. Fluorescent dye injection revealed significant differences in the unsteady flow character between advancing and retreating sides of the rotor hub. Stereo particle image velocimetry was used in the wake of an isolated hub configuration to quantify the spatial and phase-dependent variations in wake velocity, revealing a wake bias towards the advancing side and, unexpectedly, a phase-averaged unsteadiness bias towards the retreating side. In general, a previously unavailable broad view of the rotor hub flowfield was obtained.

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Visualization of a helicopter rotor hub wake

Abstract

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