Overview of Results Obtained During the 6-Year French-German Project

Abstract

The present paper gives an overview of the CHANCE research project (partly supported by the French DPAC and DGA and the German BMWA) which was started more than 6 years ago between the German and French Aerospace Research Centres DLR and ONERA, the University of Stuttgart and the two National Helicopter Manufacturers, Eurocopter and Eurocopter Deutschland. The objective of the project was to develop and validate CFD tools for computing the aerodynamics of the complete helicopter, accounting for the blade elasticity by coupling with blade dynamics. The validation activity of the flow solvers was achieved through intermediate stages of increasing geometry and flow modelling complexity, starting from an isolated rotor in hover, and concluding with the time-accurate simulation of a complete helicopter configuration in forward-flight. All along the research program the updated versions of the CFD codes were systematically delivered to industry. This approach was chosen to speed up the transfer of capabilities to industry and check early enough that the products meet the expectations for applicability in the industrial environment of Eurocopter.