Modelling of Rotor Wake using Viscous Vortex Particle Method

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the modeling of rotor wake velocities, in a simplistic manner, using the Viscous Vortex Particle Method (VVPM). The study aims to accurately simulate wind velocities in the wake of helicopter rotors while comparing the VVPM with other established methods such as Momentum theory, Blade element theory, and the Free wake method. The VVPM is particularly promising due to its ability to simulate the interaction of rotor blade vorticities with a natural and efficient approach. The method employs a grid-free Lagrangian formulation, eliminating artificial numerical dissipation in the solution. To demonstrate the efficacy of the method, a Python code has been developed, enabling the visualisation of wake velocities for basic scenarios.