Full-Scale Demonstration of Higher Harmonic Control for Noise and Vibration Reduction on the XV-15 Rotor

Abstract

A higher harmonic control (HHC) investigation was conducted on a full-scale, isolated XV-15 Rotor in helicopter mode in the NASA Ames 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel to independently control noise, vibration, and trim. The higher harmonic blade root pitch was generated using swashplate oscillations. The radiated blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise footprint was measured on a plane beneath the rotor with eight microphones mounted on an acoustic traverse. Test results showed that HHC is highly effective in reducing BVI noise, achieving a 12 dB reduction in peak noise level within the noise footprint. Blade pressure feedback was demonstrated to be a viable method for closed-loop noise control. Perturbations in trim parameters and test conditions had small to moderate effects on noise reduction with HHC. Some noise reduction was achieved with no increase in vibratory hub loads. Increases in control loads due to HHC generally limited further noise reduction. The vibration controller achieved about 50 percent reduction in vibratory hub loads with control loads limiting the HHC amplitude. An automatic trim controller was demonstrated to be robust, reaching all target thrust and flapping schedules under all conditions tested.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA520245

Entities

People

  • Cahit Kitaplioglu
  • Khanh Nguyen
  • Mark Betzina

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Actuators
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Control Systems
  • Data Acquisition
  • Measurement
  • Noise Reduction
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Structural Components
  • Tilt Rotor Aircraft
  • Transducers
  • Urban Areas
  • Wind Tunnel Tests
  • Wind Tunnels
  • Wing Flaps

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Tribology (the study of the boundary interaction between sliding surfaces, lubrication, wear and friction).