Conceptual Helicopter Design

Helicopter design will depend on:

Aerodynamics
Structural Dynamics
Aeroelasticity
Materials
Weight
Flight Dynamics
Design starts with:
Potential customer specifications (civil)
Mission requirements (military)

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 1

 Conceptual Helicopter Design
Design technology for the civilian market is
driven by:
Reduced acquisition
Reduced operating costs
Increased safety
Reduced cabin noise
Increased passenger comfort
Better mechanical reliability and maintainability
Reduced external noise

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 2

 Conceptual Helicopter Design
On the other hand design technology for the
military market is driven by:
Operational flexibility and adaptability
Long operational life
Upgradeable components
Vulnerability and Survivability
Emphasis is being placed on the dual use of
military and civilian technology. This has
benefits for the customer and manufacturer

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 3

 Conceptual Helicopter Design
Dual use of military and civilian technology

EC 135 Civil

EC 635 Military
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 4
 Conceptual Helicopter Design
The general design requirements will include
Hover capability
Maximum payload
Range/Endurance
Cruise or maximum level flight speed
Climb Performance
Hot and High performance and other environmental
issues
Manoeuvrability and agility

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 5

 Conceptual Helicopter Design
The general design requirements will be
constrain by:
Maximum main rotor disk loading
Maximum physical size
One engine inoperative performance
Autorotative capability
Noise issues
Maintenance issues
Crashworthiness
Radar cross section and detectability (Vulnerability)
Civil/Military Certification
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 6
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 7
 Conceptual Helicopter Design
The objective will be:
Smallest Helicopter

Lightest Helicopter

Least expensive

All with the minimum cost (design)

Simple analytical models

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 8

 Design of the Main Rotor
The Main Rotor is the most important component
of the helicopter.

Small improvements in the Main Rotor efficiency

can potentially result in significant increases in:
Aircraft payload
Manoeuvre margins
Forward flight speeds

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 9

 Design of the Main Rotor
The preliminary design of the Main Rotor must
take into consideration:
General sizing
Rotor diameter
Disk Loading
Tip Speed
Blade Planform
Chord
Solidity
Blade twist
Airfoil Sections

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 10

 Main Rotor Diameter
Large diameter required by:
Autorotational capabilities
Hover performance

Advantages of a large rotor:

Lower disk loadings
Lower average induced velocities
Lower induced power requirements

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 11

 Main Rotor Diameter
From the modified momentum theory we have
obtained
P CP CPi CP 0 CT CP 0
R R R
T CT CT 2 C
T

CT 2 Cd 0
1

R

2 8 CT

And the CT for the best PL (minimum P/L)

1 Cd 0
2
3

CT
Best PL
2
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 12
 Main Rotor Diameter
The disk loading for minimum power loading is:
2 Cd
2
3

DL R
T 1 W
0

A 2 A
We can then obtain the optimum radius for
maximizing the power loading.

T W 1 W
DL 2 R or R
R DL 2 DL

Single rotor Dual rotor

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 13
 Main Rotor Diameter
We have also seen that the PL is proportional to:

PL actual
T FM
P DL

So the rotor should operate a maximum FM

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 14

 Main Rotor Diameter
Other factors influence the rotor diameter:

An aircraft operating in unprepared runway must

have low induced velocity, therefore limited disk
loading (high rotor diameter)

Large diameter also means higher inertia, better

autorotative characteristics

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 15

 Main Rotor Diameter
The rotor diameter will be constrained by:
Overall helicopter size
Storage
Transport
Weight
Cost
Gearbox torque limit
Speed
Manoeuvrability
Static droop of the blades
Normally the radius is kept smaller than 12m
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 16
 Main Rotor Diameter

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 17

 Main Rotor Diameter

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 18

 Disk Loading
We can therefore conclude that for the low disk
loading the advantages are:
Low induced velocities
Low autorotative rate of descent
Low power required in hover
Advantages of high disk loading:
Compact size
Low empty weight
Low hub drag in forward flight

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 19

 Tip Speed
A high tip speed is necessary for:
Decreases the AOA of the retreating blade

High kinetic energy

Reduces design weight

The rotor torque is lower (Since P=Q)

Lighter gear box
Lighter transmission

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 20

 Tip Speed
High tip speed also means:

Compressibility effects

Noise (rapidly increasing with tip mach number)

Low tip speed: noise resulting from steady and harmonic
loading is dominant
High tip speed noise cause by the blade thickness effects
becomes important

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 21

 Tip Speed

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 22

 Tip Speed

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 23

 Rotor Solidity
Definition:
Ratio between the blade area with the rotor area. For
a rectangular blade:

N b cR N b c

R 2
R
Typical values:
From 0.08 to 0.12

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 24

 Rotor Solidity
The average lift coefficient is defined to give the
same lift coefficient when the blade is operating at
the same local lift coefficient (optimum rotor):
1 1
CT r Cl dr 6 C L
1 2 1 2 1
2 0 2 0 r C L dr
CT
Or CL 6

Typically C L is found to be on the range of 0.4 to
0.7.
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 25
 Rotor Solidity
Certification requires that load factors (1.15g)
and bank angles (30) must be demonstrated
without rotor stalling.
Therefore the selection of rotor solidity must
have into consideration the blade stall limits.
Rotor designs for high speed or high
manoeuvrability helicopters must have a high
solidity for a given diameter and tip speed.

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 26

 Rotor Solidity
To avoid using a high solidity we can choose an
airfoil with a high maximum lift coefficient that
would allow a lower tip speed.

Remember all other factors remain constant.

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 27

 Rotor Solidity

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 28

 Rotor Solidity
Lower solidity means lower profile power
But lower solidity also means:
Reduced blade lifting area
Increases the blade loading coefficient
Increases the local and mean blade lift coefficient

Therefore decreasing the solidity also decreases

the stall margins.

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 29

 Rotor Solidity
Since the onset of stall sets the performance
limits for a rotor its is important to have a big
stall margin :
Allow for manoeuvres
Allow for gusts in turbulent air

A highly manoeuvrable combat helicopter will

require a larger stall margin than a civilian
transport

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 30

 Rotor Solidity
The onset of stall in the retreating blade also
limits the rotor performance

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 31

 Rotor Solidity

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 32

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 33
 Number of blades
The selection of the number of blades is based
more on dynamic issued than on aerodynamic
issues.

Following the experimental study performed by

several investigators the conclusion was reached
that the hover performance is primarily affected
by the rotor solidity and only secondarily by
the number of blades Nb.

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 34

 Number of blades
For a high number of blades:

Lower vibration levels

Lower induced tip looses
The effect on induced power for large aspect ratio blade is
small

Weaker tip vortex (for the same thrust)

Reducing the airloads of potential BVI

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 35

 Number of blades
Reducing the number of blades:

Lower weight
Smaller hubs
Lower weight
Lower drag
Better maintainability
Less number of BVI

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 36

 Number of blades
Typically a light weight helicopter will have 2
blades

A heavy lift helicopter will have 4, 5 even 7 or 8

blades

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 37

 Blade Twist
Using the BEMT we have seen that negative
(nose down) pitch can redistribute the lift over
the blade and help reduce the induced power.
Proper use of the
blade twist can
therefore improve
the FM in hover.

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 38

 Blade Twist
In forward flight blades with high nose down
blade twist may suffer some performance loss:

Reduced AOA on the

tip of the advancing
blade
Reduced or even
negative lift
Loss of rotor thrust
and propulsive force

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 39

 Blade Twist
Existing helicopter have a negative linear blade
twist of 8 to 15
The twist range is a compromise between
maximizing the hover FM and maintaining good
forward flight performance
Some manufacturers used a non-linear or double
linear twist here the effective twist near the tip is
reduced or even reversed

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 40

 Blade Planform

We have already seen that small amounts of taper

over the blade tip can help improve the FM in
hover:

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 41

 Blade Planform
Minimum Pi requires =const. (uniform inflow)
Minimum P0 requires = (min Cd/Cl)= 1
Then for minimum induce power = tip/r and
each blade element must operate at 1
Cl Cl
dCT tip r dr 1r dr
2 2

2 r 2
With (BEMT) dCT=42rdr then: rCl 1

8
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 42
 Blade Planform
We have seen that the minimum induced power
requires a uniform inflow. Therefore the previous
equation is constant over the disk.
Lets assume that 1 is the same for all airfoils
along the blade and is independent of Re and M
From the equation since 1 =const and we now
that =const then r must be constant too.
Nb
r const cr
R
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 43
 Blade Planform
The previous situation is achieved when
ctip tip
cr or r
r r

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 44

 Blade Planform

However for the benefit is lost for higher taper

ratios since the tip will be operating at smaller
chord Reynolds number and therefore at higher
profile drag coefficients.

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 45

 Blade tip shape
The tip of the blades play a very important role
in the aerodynamic performance of the rotor
The blade tip encounter
The highest dynamic pressure
The highest mach number
The strong trailed tip vortex

It is very important then to have a properly

design blade tip
Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 46
 Blade tip shape

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 47

 Blade tip shape
Anhedral
Can improve the rotor FM
Sweeping the leading edge
Reduces de Mach number normal to the leading edge
Higher velocities can be achieved before the
compressibility effects increases the profile power
Effects the Tip vortex formation
Vortex strength
Vortex trailed location

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 48

 Blade tip shape
Sweep angle
Constant
Progressively varying
Keep low (<20)
No inertial coupling in the blade dynamics introduced by an
aft centre of gravity
No aerodynamic coupling caused by an rearward centre of
pressure

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 49

 Blade tip shape
Progressively sweep angle
Choose a sweep angle that is just sufficient to
maintain a constant incident Mach number
perpendicular to the leading edge:
The normal velocity to the leading edge Un:
U n Rr sin cos

Helicopters / Filipe Szolnoky Cunha Conceptual Helicopter Design Slide 50