Study on Influencing Factors of Helicopter Brownout Evolution Based on CFD-DEM

Abstract

The gas-solid two-phase flow model is constructed based on the Euler-Lagrangian framework. The SST k−ω two-equation turbulence model and the soft ball model are coupled by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a discrete element model (DEM). Brownout is then simulated by the above method with sliding mesh. As the calculation examples show, the simulations and experiments of the Lynx rotor and the Caradonna–Tung rotor are compared. The coupling method is verified through calculation of the rotor lift coefficient, blade section pressure coefficient and tip vortex shedding position. The results show that when the helicopter is hovering at a height of 0.52R from the ground, it will cause brownout and the pilot’s vision will be obscured by sand. When the hovering height is 1R, the phenomenon of brownout is not serious. The movement speed of most sand dust is about 12 m/s, and the height of the sand dust from the ground will gradually increase over time. Large particles of sand are more difficult to be entrained into the air than the small particles, and the particles with a radius of 50 um are basically accumulated on the ground. Moreover, the slotted-Tip rotor has an effect on restraining brownout.

Keywords

• helicopter
• brownout
• computational fluid dynamics
• discrete element
• gas-solid two-phase flow