Comprehensive Code Modeling Impact on Maximum Thrust, and Beyond, of an Isolated Rotor in Hover: Application of a Free-Wake Method

Kurzfassung

This paper focuses on the prediction of hovering rotor maximum thrust (due to stall limits) and the thrust & power characteristics when the collective control is further increased. The aerodynamic factors that in parts significantly affect the results for maximum thrust computation are now available in modern comprehensive rotor codes: steady or unsteady aerodynamics, steady or dynamic stall, blade tip losses, curvature flow, yaw angle, downwash model, blade-vortex and fuselage-rotor interaction. The downwash model and tip losses are found as most important factors in general.