Performance improvement of a compound helicopter rotor head by aerodynamic design optimisation of a blade-sleeve fairing

ABSTRACTWithin the present publication, the rotor head of a compound helicopter known as Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft (RACER) is investigated. In particular, the aerodynamic design optimisation of the RACER blade-sleeve fairings (BSFs) is conducted. For this purpose, an isolated rotor head is generated featuring a full-fairing beanie, the BSF and a truncated rotor blade (RB). Moreover, a single RB is investigated at two different azimuthal rotor positions, which correspond to the advancing and the retreating RB case. For this purpose, an averaged circumferential velocity is determined in the blade-sleeve region and superposed with the RACER cruise speed in order to estimate the prevailing flow conditions. The automated aerodynamic design optimisation is performed by means of a previously developed optimisation tool chain. A global multi-objective genetic optimisation algorithm is applied for the given problem. During preliminary work, a 2D aerodynamic design optimisation of selected blade-sleeve sections was conducted. These optimised aerofoils represent the design variables for the current optimisation problem. The shape modification of the 3D fairing is realised by exchanging specific aerofoils at certain spanwise sections.

Optimisation of electric arc model parameters based on simplex annealing and genetic algorithms

This paper presents the method for obtaining the coefficients of the dynamic Cassie-Mayr electric arc model by means of annealing and genetic optimisation algorithms. The extraction of the coefficients can be obtained by means of the iterative fitting process based on e.g. multiple measurements results. However, this requires a significant effort and can generate significant costs. The approach presented in this paper relies solely on simulations. The methodology used herein consists in finding the match to the maximum produced TRV generated during high-voltage shunt reactor current breaking, for ideal switch and conductance based Cassie-Mayr circuit breaker models. This is done for a given chopping current value assigned to the ideal switch which is used as a target. The arc model coefficients are obtained by means of the optimisation process for various values of the desired chopping current level to be reflected by the Cassie-Mayr conductance-based electric arc model. As a result, an advanced conductance based model can be used for assessment of switching overvoltage. Genetic and simplex annealing algorithms have been selected for optimisation. The models as well as the optimisation process were conducted in EMTP-ATP software using its built-in functionalities. The article presents the error assessment and sample traces.