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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L58866/01
Title: DYNAMIC EFFECTS OF MACH NUMBER VARIATION ON HELICOPTER PERFORMANCE PREDICTION
Principal Investigator: Qin, Professor N
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Westland
Department: Sch of Engineering
Organisation: Cranfield University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 January 1998 Ends: 31 December 2000 Value (£): 126,350
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Aerodynamics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
It has been revealed recently that all the current performance codes used in helicopter industries significantly underpredict the vibration loads at high foward speeds. Our current research in unsteady Navier-Stokes simulations for helicopter rotor blades has indicated a strong dynamics effect due to Mach number variations. Communication with helicopter industries and a current literature survey have confirmed the proposer's belief that the lack of dynamic modelling for Mach number variations at transonic speeds is the primary source for the defficiency in the performance codes. This motivates the present proposal of research. It will be based on an existing unsteady Navier-Stokes methodology developed at Cranfield. To obtain information on time delay effects, both steady and unsteady databases will be generated . Similar to the indical methods used for studying dynamics of angle attack variations, an instantaneous change in Mach number will be investigated to extract basic information useful for unsteady aerodynamic modelling. Mach number variation typical for helicopter rotor blades will then be studied in the context of shock strength, shock movement and shock induced separation. An aerodynamic model will be developed, which is to be implemented in a WHL helicopter performance code.
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Organisation Website: http://www.cranfield.ac.uk