Rotorcraft#
Flow360 provides specialized capabilities for rotorcraft aerodynamics simulations, enabling accurate prediction of complex flow phenomena associated with helicopter rotors, propellers, and tiltrotors. This section covers advanced modeling approaches for rotary-wing applications.
Learn how to implement and configure the Blade Element Theory disk model for efficient rotor simulations without resolving individual blades.
Simulate multiple Blade Element Theory (BET) disks for an eVTOL aircraft.
Set up and run a simulation of an isolated propeller using a sliding interface approach.
Explore a detailed DDES simulation of the XV-15 tiltrotor aircraft, demonstrating advanced rotorcraft modeling techniques.
Key Rotorcraft Simulation Concepts#
Blade Element Theory for efficient rotor modeling
Rotating reference frames for detailed blade-resolved simulations
Handling of unsteady rotor aerodynamics
Wake capturing and vortex modeling
Rotor-airframe and rotor-rotor interactions
Performance prediction and optimization
Applications#
Flow360’s rotorcraft simulation capabilities support a wide range of applications:
Hover performance prediction
Forward flight analysis
Blade loading and stress analysis
Rotor wake interactions
Acoustic prediction
Design optimization of rotor systems
Modeling Approaches#
Flow360 supports multiple approaches for rotorcraft simulation:
Blade Element Theory (BET) Disk Model:
Represents the rotor as a disk with distributed forces
Computationally efficient for preliminary design
Suitable for studying rotor wake effects on other components
Fully-Resolved Blade Simulations:
Detailed modeling of individual rotor blades
Captures blade-vortex interactions and detailed flow features
Provides high-fidelity predictions of performance and acoustics