Compound Helicopter Configuration Research Articles

Wind-tunnel experimental investigation on rotor-rotor aerodynamic interaction in compound helicopter configuration

In recent years, the compound helicopter configuration, featuring the addition of lateral propellers to a helicopter main rotor, has gained renewed interest for its ability to achieve higher flight speed. The aerodynamic behaviour of compound rotorcraft is dominated by mutual interactions between the rotors and the wakes they generate, which can affect their performance and the handling qualities of the aircraft. In order to study the effects of the rotor-wake and wake-wake interactions, a test rig was developed and an extensive wind-tunnel test campaign was carried out measuring the performance of rotor and propellers under different flight conditions. Hovering flight and forward flight at different advance ratios were considered, as well as crosswind flight under various wind directions. In general, an increase in thrust for both main rotor and propellers is found due to the interaction. In particular, the significant increase in the propeller thrust is attributed to the influence of the main rotor downwash, which impacts edgewise on the propellers. In some specific conditions, a decrease in the propeller's thrust is observed, which might be related to blade-vortex interaction (BVI) effects. To aid in the interpretation of the experimental results, numerical simulations with a mid-fidelity aerodynamic code were also performed.

Effectiveness of the Compound Helicopter Configuration in Rotorcraft Performance Increase

Abstract The article presents the results of calculations applied to compare flight envelopes of varying helicopter configurations. Performance of conventional helicopter with the main and tail rotors, in the case of compound helicopter, can be improved by applying wings and pusher propellers which generate an additional lift and horizontal thrust. The simplified model of a helicopter structure, consisting of a stiff fuselage and the main rotor treated as a stiff disk, is applied for evaluation of the rotorcraft performance and the required range of control system deflections. The more detailed model of deformable main rotor blades, applying the Galerkin method, is used to calculate rotor loads and blade deformations in defined flight states. The calculations of simulated flight states are performed considering data of a hypothetical medium class helicopter with the take-off mass of 6,000kg. In the case of both of the helicopter configurations, the articulated main rotor hub is taken under consideration. According to the Galerkin method, the elastic blade model allows to compute blade deformations as a combination of the blade bending and torsional eigen modes. Introduction of additional wing and pusher propellers allows to increase the range of operational speed over 300 km/h. Results of the simulation are presented as time-runs of rotor loads and blade deformations and in a form of disk distribution plots of rotor parameters. The simulation method can be useful in defining requirements for a high speed rotorcraft.

Performance and Vibration Analyses of Lift-Offset Helicopters

A validation study on the performance and vibration analyses of the XH-59A compound helicopter is conducted to establish techniques for the comprehensive analysis of lift-offset compound helicopters. This study considers the XH-59A lift-offset compound helicopter using a rigid coaxial rotor system as a verification model. CAMRAD II (Comprehensive Analytical Method of Rotorcraft Aerodynamics and Dynamics II), a comprehensive analysis code, is used as a tool for the performance, vibration, and loads analyses. A general free wake model, which is a more sophisticated wake model than other wake models, is used to obtain good results for the comprehensive analysis. Performance analyses of the XH-59A helicopter with and without auxiliary propulsion are conducted in various flight conditions. In addition, vibration analyses of the XH-59A compound helicopter configuration are conducted in the forward flight condition. The present comprehensive analysis results are in good agreement with the flight test and previous analyses. Therefore, techniques for the comprehensive analysis of lift-offset compound helicopters are appropriately established. Furthermore, the rotor lifts are calculated for the XH-59A lift-offset compound helicopter in the forward flight condition to investigate the airloads characteristics of the ABC™ (Advancing Blade Concept) rotor.

Examining the stability derivatives of a compound helicopter

ABSTRACTSome helicopter manufacturers are exploring the compound helicopter design as it could potentially satisfy the new emerging requirements placed on the next generation of rotorcraft. It is well understood that the main benefit of the compound helicopter is its ability to reach speeds that significantly surpass the conventional helicopter. However, it is possible that the introduction of compounding may lead to a vehicle with significantly different flight characteristics when compared to a conventional helicopter. One method to examine the flight dynamics of an aircraft is to create a linearised mathematical model of the aircraft and to investigate the stability derivatives of the vehicle. The aim of this paper is to examine the stability derivatives of a compound helicopter through a comparison with a conventional helicopter. By taking this approach, some stability, handling qualities and design issues associated with the compound helicopter can be identified. The paper features a conventional helicopter and a compound helicopter. The conventional helicopter is a standard design, featuring a main rotor and a tail-rotor. The compound helicopter configuration features both lift and thrust compounding. The wing offloads the main rotor at high speeds, whereas two propellers provide additional propulsive thrust as well as yaw control. The results highlight that the bare airframe compound helicopter would require a larger tailplane surface to ensure acceptable longitudinal handling qualities in forward flight. In addition, without increasing the size of the bare airframe compound helicopter’s vertical fin, the Dutch roll mode satisfies the ADS-33 level 1 handling qualities category for the majority of the flight envelope.

Maneuverability Assessment of a Compound Helicopter Configuration

The compound helicopter design could potentially satisfy the new emerging requirements placed on the next generation of rotorcraft. The main benefit of the compound helicopter is its ability to reach speeds that significantly surpass those of the conventional helicopter. However, it is possible that the compound helicopter design can provide additional benefits in terms of maneuverability. The paper features a conventional helicopter and a compound helicopter. The conventional helicopter features a standard helicopter design with a main rotor providing the propulsive and lifting forces, while a tail rotor, mounted at the rear of the aircraft, provides the yaw control. The compound helicopter configuration features both lift and thrust compounding. The wing offloads the main rotor at high speeds, and two propellers provide additional axial thrust as well as yaw control. This study investigates the maneuverability of these two helicopter configurations using inverse simulation. The results predict that a compound helicopter configuration is capable of attaining greater load factors than its conventional counterpart, when flying a pullup–pushover maneuver. In terms of the accel–decel maneuver, the compound helicopter configuration is capable of completing the maneuver in a shorter time than the conventional helicopter, but at the expense of greater installed engine power. The addition of thrust compounding to the compound helicopter design reduces the pitch attitude required throughout the acceleration stage of the maneuver.

Compound Helicopter: Insight and Optimization

The paper presents an insight into the complex task of design and optimizing a compound helicopter configuration. It introduces the “drag versus power chart” (DP chart) as a tool for separating the rotors, thrusters, wings, and fuselage contributions and understanding their optimal combination in a generic compound configuration. The analysis shows the dependency of the optimal configuration on the efficiencies of the rotors, the thrusters, and the wings, and a way to carefully examine the effect of many design parameters. As such, the analysis may be applied to various configurations including single and coaxial rotor systems. Among other conclusions, it is shown when and why a thruster is absolutely essential for high speed and clarifies the role of the wing in such cases. The paper also supplies a unique optimization process, which is based on a comprehensive and detailed nonlinear free-wake analysis of a compound configuration that includes a thruster and fixed wings. The optimization process is twofold: First, for a global search, a variety of randomly selected configurations are analyzed to determine an initial hover-forward flight Pareto frontier. Then, various types of local analyses are carried out to improve the above frontier. Such successive frontier refinements lead to an improved, detailed, and continuous frontier that may be exploited for a variety of missions. The configurations on the resulting Pareto frontier show design trade-offs between configurations that are more efficient in hover and those that are more efficient in high-speed forward flight.

Performance Analysis of the Slowed-Rotor Compound Helicopter Configuration

Abstract : The calculated performance of a slowed-rotor compound aircraft, particularly at high flight speeds, is examined. Correlation of calculated and measured performance is presented for a NASA Langley high advance ratio test and the McDonnell XV-1 demonstrator to establish the capability to model rotors in such flight conditions. The predicted performance of a slowed-rotor vehicle model based on the CarterCopter Technology Demonstrator is examined in detail. An isolated rotor model and a model of a rotor and wing are considered. Three tip speeds and a range of collective pitch settings are investigated. A tip Mach number of 0.2 and zero collective pitch are found to be the optimum condition to minimize rotor drag. Performance is examined for both sea level and cruise altitude conditions.

Stability and Control Analysis of the Slowed-Rotor Compound Helicopter Configuration

Abstract : Stability and control of rotors at high advance ratio are considered. Stability of teetering, articulated, and gimbaled hub types is considered with a simple flapping blade analysis. Rotor control in autorotation for teetering and articulated hub types is examined in more detail for a compound helicopter (rotor and fixed wing) using the comprehensive analysis CAMRAD II. Autorotation is found to be possible at two distinct trim conditions with different sharing of lift between the rotor and wing. Stability predictions obtained using the analytical rigid flapping blade analysis and a rigid blade CAMRAD II model compare favorably. For the flapping blade analysis, the teetering rotor is found to be the most stable hub type, showing no instabilities up to an advance ratio of 3 and a Lock number of 18. Analysis of the trim controls, lift, power, and blade flapping shows that for small positive collective pitch, trim can be maintained without excessive control input or flapping angles for both teetering and articulated rotors.

The fundamental configuration and design of the compound helicopter

The compound helicopter has much to offer as a means of expanding the flight envelope of rotorcraft. There have been significant amounts of research performed, albeit disjointed, and many flight demonstrator compound helicopters produced and trialled since the end of the Second World War mainly with the aim of increasing the helicopter's maximum forward speed. This paper aims to pool this knowledge, along with relevant developments in other fields, not only to state the current level of understanding of the compound helicopter configuration but also to use it to predict likely configurations and technologies that would be best suited to future compound helicopter designs. From this basis it is suggested that the most likely configuration will be a low wing of minimized area to alleviate retreating blade stall at a minimum hover blockage, with plain flaps for blockage reduction and control of the rotor-wing load share. In terms of propulsion a ducted fan or propeller are deemed most suitable, driven by either an advanced mechanical drive or variable cycle engine. The areas of rotor-wing interaction and advanced rotor design are also noted as subjects of significant interest in the optimal design of a compound helicopter.

The compound helicopter — why have we not succeeded before?

AbstractCompounding offers a way of advancing the performance of the standard helicopter significantly for a moderate increase in complexity through the addition of wings and/or auxiliary propulsion. The compound helicopter configuration has the potential advantages of increased speed, range, agility, productivity and reduced vibration levels over conventional helicopters. Despite several significant efforts, however, no compound helicopter has ever been put into production. This paper looks at three aircraft that came close to being accepted by operators and examines the reasons why they were not ultimately put into production. The cancellation of these projects appeared to be of a political nature rather than technical. Also addressed are the issues that still face prospective designers of compound helicopters and the lessons that can be extracted and applied to modern day efforts to build and sell an aircraft of this configuration.

The compound helicopter configuration and the helicopter speed trap

Explains the origins of rotor aerodynamic limits for helicopters including retreating and advancing blade limits. Examines the compounding of a helicopter for higher forward speed and reports the conclusions of a student project to design a rotorcraft capable of 300 knots and carrying a payload of 30 passengers.

Aerodynamic Interactions Between a Rotor and Wing in Hover

An experimental investigation of rotor/wing aerodynamic interactions in hover is described. The investigation consisted of both a large-scale and a small-scale test. A 0.658-scale V-22 rotor and wing was used in the large-scale test. Wing download, wing surface pressure, rotor performance, and rotor downwash data from the large-scale test are presented. A small-scale experiment was conducted to determine how changes in the rotor/wing geometry affected the aerodynamic interactions. These geometry variations included the distance between the rotor and wing, wing incidence angle, wing flap angle, rotor rotation direction, and configurations both with the rotor axis at the tip of the wing (tilt rotor configuration) and with the rotor axis at the center of the wing (compound helicopter configuration).