CFD Predictions of Rotor-Fuselage Interactions Using Laminar-Turbulent Transition Modeling

Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) rotor hover predictions are obtained using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Laminar-turbulent transitional modeling predictions are made with the OVERFLOW 2.2 compressible flow solver on structured, overset grids. Solutions are generated based on a tip Mach number of 0.58 for varying collective pitch angles. In addition to isolated rotor predictions, results are generated for rotor-fuselage interactions using the PSP rotor and Rotor Body Interaction (ROBIN) fuselage. Hover performance is assessed and compared to available measurements obtained in the NASA Langley Research Center Rotor Test Cell (RTC). Grid generation techniques and computational methods for both cases are described. Rotor flow field behavior and transition locations are discussed for both cases along with the impact of transition modeling.