Vortex Theory Based

Inflow Models in Hover

Lakshmi N. Sankar
[email protected]
Hover Performance
Prediction Methods
IV. Vortex Theory

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Aerodynamics
BACKGROUND
• Extension of Prandtl’s Lifting Line Theory
• Uses a combination of
• Kutta-Joukowski Theorem
• Biot-Savart Law
• Empirical Prescribed Wake or Free Wake Representation of Tip Vortices and Inner Wake
• Robin Gray proposed the prescribed wake model in 1952.
• Landgrebe generalzied Gray’s model with extensive experimental data.
• Vortex theory was the extensively used in the 1970s and 1980s for rotor
performance calculations, and is slowly giving way to CFD methods.

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Aerodynamics
Background (Continued)
• Vortex theory addresses some of the drawbacks of combined blade
element-momentum theory methods, at high thrust settings (high
CT/σ).
• At these settings, the inflow velocity is affected by the contraction of
the wake.
• Near the tip, there can be an upward directed inflow (rather than
downward directed) due to this contraction, which increases the tip
loading, and alters the tip power consumption.

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Aerodynamics
Kutta-Joukowsky Theorem
Γ : Bound Circulation surrounding
∆T
the airfoil section.

This circulation is physically stored

Ωr ∆Fx As vorticity in the boundary Layer
V+v
over the airfoil

∆T = ρ (Ωr) Γ

∆Fx= ρ (V+v) Γ

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Aerodynamics
Representation of
Bound and Trailing Vorticies
Ω

Since vorticity can not abruptly increase in space, trailing

vortices develop. Some have clockwise rotation,
others have counterclockwise
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Helicopter
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Aerodynamics
Robin Gray’s Conceptual Model

Tip Vortex has a

Contraction that can
be fitted with
Inner wake descends at a near an exponential curve
constant velocity. It descends fit.
faster near the tip than at the
root. © L. Sankar Helicopter
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Aerodynamics
Landgrebe’s Curve Fit for the
Tip Vortex Contraction
Rv
R
Rv = = 0.707 R
2
v 2v

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Aerodynamics
Radial Contraction

Radial position of the tip vortex :

R vortex
= A + (1 − A)e −λψ v
R
A = 0.78
λ = 0.145 + 27CT
ψ v = Vortex Age
= Azimuthal Position of the vortex
Filament measured from the blade

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Aerodynamics
Vertical Descent Rate

Zv

Ψv

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Aerodynamics
Landgrebe’s Curve Fit for
Tip Vortex Descent Rate
zV 2π
= k1ψ V 0 ≤ψV ≤
R b
zV 2π  2π  2π
= k1 + k 2 ψ V −  ψV ≥
R b  b  b
 CT 
k1 = −0.25 + 0.001θ twist, degrees 
σ 
k 2 = − CT − 0.01 CT θ twist, degrees

θtwist,degrees: Blade twist=Tip Pitch angle – Root Pitch Angle

This quantity is usually negative.
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Aerodynamics
Circulation Coupled Wake Model
• Landgrebe’s earlier curve fits (1972) were based on the thrust
coefficient, blade twist (change in the pitch angle between tip and
root, usually negative).
• He subsequently found (1977) that better curve fits are obtained if
the tip vortex trajectory is fitted on the basis of peak bound
circulation, rather than CT/σ.

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Aerodynamics
Tip Vortex Representation in
Computational Analyses
• The tip vortex is a continuous helical structure.
• This continuous structure is broken into piecewise
straight line segments, each representing 15 degrees
to 30 degrees of vortex age.
• The tip vortex strength is assumed to be the
maximum bound circulation. Some calculations
assume it to be 80% of the peak circulation.
• The vortex is assumed to have a small core of an
empirically prescribed radius, to keep induced
velocities finite.

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Aerodynamics
Tip Vortex Representation
Control Points on the Lifting Line where induced flow is calculated
Lifting Line

15
degrees

The x,y,z positions of the

End points of each segment
Are computed using
Landgrebe’s
Prescribed Wake Model

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Aerodynamics
Biot-Savart Law

r2
Control Point


r1
Segment

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Aerodynamics
Biot-Savart Law (Continued)

 
 (r1 + r2 )1 − r1 • r2 

Γ    r r
1 2
Vinduced = r1 × r2
4π 2   2 2 2 2
(
 
(r1r2 ) − (r1 • r2 ) + rc r1 + r2 − 2r1 • r2 )

Core radius used to keep

Denominator from going to zero.

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Aerodynamics
Overview of Vortex Theory Based Computations
(Code supplied)
• Compute inflow using BEM first, using Biot-Savart law during
subsequent iterations.
• Compute radial distribution of Loads.
• Convert these loads into circulation strengths. Compute the
peak circulation strength. This is the strength of the tip vortex.
• Assume a prescribed vortex trajectory.
• Discard the induced velocities from BEM, use induced
velocities from Biot-Savart law.
• Repeat until everything converges. During each iteration,
adjust the blade pitch angle (trim it) if CT computed is too
small or too large, compared to the supplied value.

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Aerodynamics
Free Wake Models
• These models remove the need for empirical
prescription of the tip vortex structure.
• We march in time, starting with an initial guess for
the wake.
• The end points of the segments are allowed to freely
move in space, convected the self-induced velocity at
these end points.
• Their positions are updated at the end of each time
step.

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Aerodynamics
Free Wake Trajectories
(Calculations by Leishman)

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Aerodynamics