Numerical simulations that are conducted on a transport-type airfoil, NACA 64-210, at a Reynolds number of2.6×106and LWC of 25 g/m³explore the aerodynamic penalties and mechanisms that affect airfoil performance in heavy rain conditions. Our simulation results agree well with the experimental data and show significant aerodynamic penalties for the airfoil in heavy rain. The maximum percentage decrease inCLis reached by 13.2% and the maximum percentage increase inCDby 47.6%. Performance degradation in heavy rain at low angles of attack is emulated by an originally creative boundary-layer-tripped technique near the leading edge. Numerical flow visualization technique is used to show premature boundary-layer separation at high angles of attack and the particulate trajectories at various angles of attack. A mathematic model is established to qualitatively study the water film effect on the airfoil geometric changes. All above efforts indicate that two primary mechanisms are accountable for the airfoil aerodynamic penalties. One is to cause premature boundary-layer transition at low AOA and separation at high AOA. The other occurs at times scales consistent with the water film layer, which is thought to alter the airfoil geometry and increase the mass effectively.

We simulate the onset and evolution of the earliest splashing of an infinite cylindrical liquid drop on a smooth dry solid surface. A tiny splash is observed to be emitted out of the rim of the lamella in the early stage of the impact. We find that the onset time of the splash is primarily dependent on the characteristic timescale, which is defined by the impact velocity as well as the drop radius, with no strong dependence on either the liquid viscosity or surface tension. Three regimes are found to be responsible for different splashing patterns. The outermost ejected droplets keep extending radially at a uniform speed proportional to the impact speed. Finally, we discuss the underlying mechanism which is responsible for the occurrence of the initial drop splash in the study.

Sustained flight operation in the rain conditions is still a challenge to a pilot. This problem can be mainly attributed to the aerodynamic performance degradation of aircraft. In this article, in order to quickly understand the influence of rainfall aiming at the engineering application, an approach to predict helicopter rotor performance degradation in heavy rain encounters is presented. Firstly, we develop a computational fluid dynamics- (CFD-) based method of simulation of the blade airfoil under natural rain scenario and different angles of attack in order to obtain a data-driven basis relating to multiple working conditions of the rotating blades for further analysis. Then, these data are studied using a discretization analysis method of rotor aerodynamics. CFD simulations are conducted, including the case of NACA 0012 airfoil with 10 m chord length, and the case of SC1095 airfoil used in a full-scale rotor of UH-60A helicopter. Prediction of helicopter rotor performance degradation is carried out in a thunderstorm heavy rain with the rain rate of 1500 mm/h using this full-scale rotor. The quantitative results indicate that heavy rain dramatically degrades the rotor performance. The maximum percentage decrease in lift coefficient of this full-scale rotor blade airfoil is reached by 12.75%. The maximum percentage increase in drag coefficient of this full-scale rotor blade airfoil is reached by 26.51%. The maximum percentage decrease in averaging lift-to-drag ratio of this full-scale rotor disk is reached by 26.39%.

The wake generated by the rotor of a helicopter can exert a strong interference effect on the fuselage and the horizontal/vertical tail. The occurrence of icing on the rotor can obviously make this interplay more complex. In the present study, numerical simulation is used to analyze the rotor wake in icing conditions. In order to validate the overall mathematical/numerical method, the results are compared with similar data relating to other tests; then, different simulations are conducted considering helicopter forward flight velocities of 0, 10, 20, 50, and 80 knots and various conditions in terms of air temperature (atmospheric temperature degrading from −12°C to −20°C or from −20°C to −26°C). The results indicate that the rotor aerodynamic performance (i.e., the lift-to-drag ratio distribution of the rotor disc) drops significantly once the rotor undergoes ice accretion. More importantly, the icing exerts a different influence of the wake dynamics depending on the atmospheric conditions. Interestingly, the rime-ice firstly occurs on the inner portion of rotor blades and then diffuses outward along the blade radial direction with the decrease in atmospheric temperature.

This article describes the results of modeling and analysis of a generic internal cargo system using a discretization method of the vector mechanics. The model can be easily incorporated into a tandem helicopter model and is intended for use of simulation and investigating the problems of flight dynamics, control, etc., both in flight operation loading a cargo and flight operation in the process of airdrops. The model is derived by considering the main descriptions of the cargo, including the linear and rotational dynamics, the kinematics, and the forces and moments acting on the helicopter. A simulation method embedded with a numerical trim algorithm is developed for the complete coupling helicopter/cargo nonlinear dynamics system. The simulation application of the model is illustrated, including the case of flight operation loading a cargo by considering three mass configurations of 3000, 4500, and 6000 kg, and the case of flight operation in the process of airdrops at velocities of 0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 knots. Stabilities of the helicopter in the process of airdrops are also analyzed. The major conclusions drawn are: (i) the tandem helicopter has a good attitude maintaining ability in the whole flight velocity envelope when it conducts a flight operation loading a cargo; (ii) in the process of airdrops, the increase in flight velocity will constantly decrease the helicopter pitching attitude and increases the total airdrop time and decreases the backward moving velocity of the cargo, and helicopter flying at a velocity between 80 and 120 knots might be acceptable; (iii) the stabilities of both the longitudinal and lateral periodic modes are continuing to decrease during the backward movement of the cargo.

Insight into the interference effects of the nacelle position can be used to provide some guidance for achieving better aircraft performance in the preliminary design of modern civil aircraft. This paper investigates the through-flow nacelle position effects on aircraft aerodynamic characteristics and nacelle intake performances through numerical simulation. The Common Research Model with different nacelle-pylon installation positions is analyzed and all the five nacelle installation parameters, including spanwise position, penetration, gully depth, pitch angle, and toe angle, are systematically studied. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons between different configurations are conducted and the sensitivity of drag, lift distribution, total pressure recovery, and airflow distortion to nacelle position is obtained. The mechanism of interference effects is also explored. These derived insights can provide some guidance for determining the nacelle position and reduce the cost of subsequent wind tunnel test.