A computational¯uid dynamics model of a hovering helicopter main rotor is developed to examine air¯ow in the presence of ship structures and side winds. An illustration of the problem is given. The rotor is modelled by modifying the governing N avier±Stokes equations in the region of the disc. The extra terms added to the governing equations apply a downward force to the¯uid; these forces are independent of the¯ow around the rotor and are equal to the helicopter weight.The helicopter rotor model and the ship model are combined to yield one¯ow solution, which, due to the severe non-linearities of the problem, cannot be achieved by superpositio n. The resultant¯ow yields valuable data about the induced velocities at the rotor, which ultima tely determine the control pitch and power required to maintain the hover in a given location. Indeed, the interactions between the rotor downwash and ship air¯ow are known to produce unexpected and adverse¯ight dynamic behaviour of the aircraft.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.