Effects of Planform Geometry on Hover Performance of a 2-Meter-Diameter Model of a Four-Bladed Rotor,
Abstract
Hover tests were conducted on three small-scale rotors to evaluate the effect of blade planform taper on rotor hover performance. Tests were conducted on a rectangular swept-tip configuration, on a configuration with a 3-to-1 taper over the outboard 20 percent of the span, and on a configuration with a 5-to-1 taper over the outboard 20 percent of the blade span. The investigation covered a range of thrust coefficients from 0 to 0.0075 and a range of tip speeds from 300 to 600 ft/sec. The test showed that both tapered configurations had better performance than the swept-tip rectangular configuration and that the 3-to-1 taper configuration was better than the 5-to-1 taper configuration. The test results were compared with predictions made with a prescribed-wake analysis, a momentum analysis, and a simplified free-wake analysis. Keywords: Helicopter rotor blades; Rotor hover performance, and Tapered rotor blades.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA166662
Entities
People
- Arthur E. Phelps
- Susan L. Althoff
Organizations
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration