Extension of a discontinuous Galerkin finite element method to viscous rotor flow simulations

Heavy vibratory loading of rotorcraft is relevant for many operational aspects of helicopters, such as the structural life span of (rotating) components, op- erational availability, the pilot’s comfort, and the ef- fectiveness of weapon targeting systems. A precise understanding of the source of these vibrational loads has important consequences in these application ar- eas. Moreover, in order to exploit the full poten- tial offered by new vibration reduction technologies, current analysis tools need to be improved with re- spect to the level of physical modeling of flow phe- nomena which contribute to the vibratory loads. In this paper, a computational fluid dynamics tool for rotorcraft simulations based on first-principles flow physics is extended to enable the simulation of vis- cous flows. Viscous effects play a significant role in the aerodynamics of helicopter rotors in high-speed flight. The new model is applied to three-dimensional vortex flow and laminar dynamic stall. The applica- tions clearly demonstrate the capability of the new model to perform on deforming and adaptive meshes. This capability is essential for rotor simulations to accomodate the blade motions and to enhance vor- tex resolution.