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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/S49810/01
Title: Unsteady Aerodynamic Modelling Tools for Rotary-Wing Aerodynamic and Aeroelastic Optimisation
Principal Investigator: Allen, Professor CB
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Aerospace Engineering
Organisation: University of Bristol
Scheme: Advanced Fellowship (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 March 2004 Ends: 28 February 2009 Value (£): 243,834
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Aerodynamics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
28 May 2003 Engineering Advanced Fellowships Interview Panel Deferred
02 May 2003 Engineering Fellowships Sift Panel 2003 Deferred
Summary on Grant Application Form
The objective of the research proposed here is to develop and validate a suite of efficient modelling tools capable of high fidelity aeroelastic simulation and identification of unsteady responses of manoeuvring rotary-wing aircraft, and propeller blades. Simulation of such flows requires coupling structural models with unsteady CFD codes, plus a flight control system, to produce aero(servo)elastic simulation tools. The development of such codes to account for rotor disk, fuselage and tail rotor, or propeller disk, engine nacelle and wing interactions, to provide state-of-the-art simulation tools is the first major contribution of this research. However, time-accurate aeroelastic simulation is seldom used in the primary design loop due to the huge run-time and memory requirements. For example, to compute the trim angles of a rotor disk in forward flight may require tens of unsteady simulations for each forward flight speed, and this is impractical. Hence, the second major contribution of this research is seen as the development of reduced order system identification methods which lead to prediction tools useable in industry. These prediction tools can then be used intelligently in an optimisation loop to consider, for example, maximising structural performance and fatigue life, optimising the rotor blade trim in forward flight, or reducing the likelihood of stall flutter in propeller blades.
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Organisation Website: http://www.bris.ac.uk