CFD Analysis of Helicopter Wakes in Ground Effect

Cavallo, S., Ducci, G., Steil, R. and Barakos, G.N. (2018) CFD Analysis of Helicopter Wakes in Ground Effect. In: 44th European Rotorcraft Forum, Delft, The Netherlands, 18-20 Sep 2018,

Abstract

The paper presents CFD results for the wake of a helicopter flying a low altitude at different advance ratios. The wakes are assessed in terms of topology and velocity magnitudes. The structure of the wake near ground changes rapidly with the advance ratio and its decay appears to be faster than what is suggested by theoretical analyses. The results show clear the potential of modern CFD for use in helicopter safety and highlights the need for detailed surveys of helicopter wakes using full-scale physical experiments.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Barakos, Professor George and Ducci, Mr Gianmarco and Cavallo, Mr Stefano
• Authors: Cavallo, S., Ducci, G., Steil, R., and Barakos, G.N.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Autonomous Systems and Connectivity
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 The Authors
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License