Development of an Autogyro Rotor Model with Rotorcraft's ‘Multiblade’ Simulation Approach

Shah, S.A. and Thomson, D.G. (2017) Development of an Autogyro Rotor Model with Rotorcraft's ‘Multiblade’ Simulation Approach. In: International Conference on Engineering, Technologies and Applied Science (ICETAS 2017), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23-25 Jan 2017, (Unpublished)

Abstract

The University of Glasgow has involved in the research study of autogyro’s flight mechanics for more than 15 years. This paper is giving an overview of the mathematical model development of a light autogyro, emphasising on the rotor model that employs one of the existing helicopter modelling approaches developed at Glasgow, the ‘multiblade’ or the ‘rotor-disc’ modelling approach. The method is based on the analytical calculation approach of the rotor loads, in which the elemental load of the blade is analytically integrated over the whole span of the blade and forms an approximation of the rotor ‘disc’ loads as a whole. In this approach, the blade is considered as a simplified aerofoil with an average lift and drag coefficients, without capturing the aerodynamic details of each geometrical point of the blade. Validation of this model is done by comparing the trim simulation results against the existing trim flight test data acquired from the previous research of the same autogyro. There are good agreements between the simulation results and the flight test data for most of the flight parameters, not as precise as the other previously used ‘individual-blade’ model approach, but are acceptable due to the advantage this multiblade approach has as a trade-off between the fast computer processing time and the accuracy of predictions. This autogyro’s multiblade modelling approach is expected to be used in more autogyro applications where the advantages of this approach are required the most.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Unpublished
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Thomson, Dr Douglas
• Authors: Shah, S.A., and Thomson, D.G.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Autonomous Systems and Connectivity
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 The Authors
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with the permission of the publisher.

Related URLs

• Organisation