AN IMPROVED NAVIER-STOKES FULL-POTENTIAL COUPLED ANALYSIS FOR ROTORS

An existing tightly coupled Navier-Stokes/full-potential rotor code ha s been improved and extended for forward flight rotor cases. The solve r attempts to predict flow fields with the fidelity of a standalone Na vier-Stokes solver but with reduced computer time requirements. The me thod consists of a Navier-Stokes inner region near the blade and wake surrounded by a full-potential outer region. The two regions are coupl ed through boundary conditions. The solver has been applied to a model UH-60A forward flight case. The effects of control positions, blade e lastic deformations, and the far wake were accounted for by using a lo ose coupling with a comprehensive rotor code. Surface pressure compari sons between the present code, a standalone Navier-Stokes solver, and experimental data are presented.