Numerical Analysis of RPM effect on Dynamic Stall Phenomena on Helicopter Rotor at High Thrust Forward Flight

Dynamic stall is a highly complex phenomenon characterized by unsteady massive separated flow. It limits the flight envelope of helicopters by generating vibrations and large dynamic loads which can lead to fatigue and structural failure of blades. Dynamic stall involves several mechanisms which make the numerical prediction of stall difficult and the understanding of the phenomenon still incomplete. A loose coupling methodology between a Computational Fluid Dynamics and a Comprehensive Analysis codes is used to simulate the problem. Three stalled flight conditions have been selected in the wind tunnel 7A rotor test data to investigate the RPM effect on the dynamic stall onset and the related mechanisms. The lower the RPM, the more severe the stall is. A double stall has been observed on the lowest RPM case. The coupled simulations are in satisfactory agreement with experiment and are used to identify the mechanisms leading to stall. Simulations indicate that the blade-vortex interaction is an important factor in triggering the different stall events in these configurations.