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Aerodynamic shape optimisation of hovering rotors using compressible CFD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2016

C. B. Allen  and
T. C. S. Rendall
T. C. S. Rendall*
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
*
thomas.rendall@bristol.ac.uk
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Abstract

Generic wrap-around shape optimisation technology is presented, and is applied to a helicopter rotor in hover, using compressible CFD as the aerodynamic model. An efficient domain element shape parameterisation method is used as the surface control and deformation method, and is linked to a radial basis function global interpolation, to provide direct transfer of domain element movements into deformations of the design surface and the CFD volume mesh. This method is independent of mesh type and size, and optimisation independence from the flow solver is achieved by obtaining sensitivity information for an advanced parallel gradient-based algorithm by finite-difference. The method is applied here to a two-bladed hovering rotor, with transonic tip speed, comparing the effects of global twist parameters and more local planform parameters. Significant torque reductions are achieved in both cases, and it is shown that using only three global twist parameters are extremely effective. Using 63 local and global parameters, large geometric changes are demonstrated, with both induced power and wave drag reduced.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 115 , Issue 1170 , August 2011 , pp. 513 - 519
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2011 

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