High performance low noise rotorcraft blade aerodynamic design

• US 8,016,566 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Agnihotri, Ashok K., Schillings, John J., Narramore, Jimmy Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): EDGAR, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US11/498,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20100254817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 416/DIG.2, 416/DIG.5
• US Class Current: 416/223.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/467 Aerodynamic features
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/02 Formulas of curves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49332 Propeller making

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers. A cross-section of this blade includes aft camber. The difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to the trailing edge producing the aft camber of the blade. The aft camber generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

Claims

1. A main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a cross-section, wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to a trailing edge of the cross-section, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the maximum, increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, and increases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, and increases negatively to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

2. The blade of claim 1, wherein the aft camber is an integral part of the blade.

3. The blade of claim 1, wherein the aft camber comprises a trailing edge tab extension that is bent down.

4. A main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a cross-section, wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to a trailing edge of the cross-section, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the maximum, increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, increases negatively, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, increases negatively, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

5. The blade of claim 4, wherein the aft camber is an integral part of the blade.

6. The blade of claim 4, wherein the aft camber comprises a trailing edge tab extension that is bent down.

7. A main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a cross-section, wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section sequentially increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a first maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line, decreases to a second maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and the midpoint, and decreases to the trailing edge, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the first maximum, increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, and increases negatively from the second maximum to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, and increases negatively from the second maximum to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

8. The blade of claim 7, wherein the first maximum is greater than the second maximum.

9. The blade of claim 7, wherein the aft camber is an integral part of the blade.

10. The blade of claim 7, wherein the aft camber comprises a trailing edge tab extension that is bent down.

11. A main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a cross-section, wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section sequentially increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a first maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line, decreases to a second maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and the midpoint, and decreases to the trailing edge, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the first maximum, increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, increases negatively from the second maximum, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, increases negatively from the second maximum, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

12. The blade of claim 11, wherein the first maximum is greater than the second maximum.

13. The blade of claim 11, wherein the aft camber is an integral part of the blade.

14. The blade of claim 11, wherein the aft camber comprises a trailing edge tab extension that is bent down.

15. A helicopter system for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a main rotor blade having a cross-section comprising an aft camber; and

a control unit, wherein the main rotor blade generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers and the control unit mitigates an increased pitching moment generated by the aft camber of the main rotor blade,

wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section sequentially increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to a trailing edge of the cross-section, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the maximum, increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, and increases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, and increases negatively to the trailing edge to produce the aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control unit comprises fixed trimmable balancing springs.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the control unit comprises electrically trimmable balancing springs.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the control unit comprises a hydraulic cylinder.

19. A helicopter system for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a main rotor blade having a cross-section comprising an aft camber; and

a control unit, wherein the main rotor blade generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers and the control unit mitigates an increased pitching moment generated by the aft camber of the main rotor blade,

wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section sequentially increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line and decreases to a trailing edge of the cross-section, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the maximum, increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, increases negatively, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, increases negatively, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge to produce the aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

20. A helicopter system for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a main rotor blade having a cross-section comprising an aft camber; and

a control unit, wherein the main rotor blade generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers and the control unit mitigates an increased pitching moment generated by the aft camber of the main rotor blade,

wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section sequentially increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a first maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line, decreases to a second maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and the midpoint, and decreases to the trailing edge, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the first maximum, increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, and increases negatively from the second maximum to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, and increases negatively from second maximum to the trailing edge to produce the aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

21. A helicopter system for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

a main rotor blade having a cross-section comprising an aft camber; and

a control unit, wherein the main rotor blade generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers and the control unit mitigates an increased pitching moment generated by the aft camber of the main rotor blade,

wherein a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section sequentially increases from a leading edge of the cross-section to a first maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line, decreases to a second maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and the midpoint, and decreases to the trailing edge, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the first maximum, increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, increases negatively from the second maximum, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, increases negatively from second maximum, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge to produce the aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

22. A method for designing a cross-section of a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

increasing a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line; and

decreasing the difference to a trailing edge of the cross-section, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the maximum, increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, and increases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, and increases negatively to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

23. A method for designing a cross-section of a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

increasing a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section from a leading edge of the cross-section to a maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line; and

decreasing the difference to a trailing edge of the cross-section, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the maximum, increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, increases negatively, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the maximum, decreases negatively, increases negatively, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

24. A method for designing a cross-section of a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

increasing a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section from a leading edge of the cross-section to a first maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line;

decreasing the difference to a second maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and the midpoint; and

decreasing the difference to the trailing edge, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the first maximum, increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, and increases negatively from the second maximum to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, and increases negatively from second maximum to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.

25. A method for designing a cross-section of a main rotor helicopter blade for generating higher lift with less drag and delaying stall at high Mach numbers comprising:

increasing a difference between a chord line of the cross-section and a camber line of the cross-section from a leading edge of the cross-section to a first maximum between the leading edge and a midpoint of the chord line;

decreasing the difference to a second maximum between a trailing edge of the cross-section and the midpoint; and

decreasing the difference to the trailing edge, wherein a slope of the difference sequentially decreases from the leading edge to the first maximum, increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, increases negatively from the second maximum, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge, and wherein the slope increases negatively from the first maximum, decreases negatively to the second maximum, increases negatively from second maximum, and decreases negatively to the trailing edge to produce an aft camber of the blade that generates higher lift with less drag and delays stall at high Mach numbers.