Variable – fidelity Aerodynamics Analysis of Rotors

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the cost efficiency and solution accuracy to solve of rotor aerodynamics, which is a crucial component of modern aircraft. Particularly with the advancement of eVTOL aircraft, accurate understanding and prediction of complex flows and aerodynamic characteristics around rotors have become increasingly important. To analyze the flow consisting of various complex phenomena including strong vortices, spiral wake, and turbulence, this study applies a range of numerical methods from low to high fidelity. The Reformulated Vortex Particle Method (rVPM) is a gridless approach suitable for quick and simple evaluations. While it can effectively model the flow around rotors, it may have limitations in precisely predicting detailed flow structures and complex interactions. The Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) is a grid-based method that handles transient phenomena and provides moderate accuracy. It captures finer details of the flow by applying turbulence models, but demands more computational resources. Finally, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) offers outstanding accuracy in analyzing complex turbulence and flow structures, albeit at a high computational cost and resolution. By appropriately combining and applying these diverse methods, this study seeks to find an optimal balance between computational load and accuracy in rotor analysis. The results are expected to significantly contribute to future aircraft design and performance optimization through an effective combination of various CFD methodologies, including rVPM, URANS, and LES.