Half-plow vortex generators for rotor blades for reducing blade-vortex interaction noise
US5788191A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 18, 1995 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 18, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64C27/463
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment for a helicopter main rotor assembly, a half-plow vortex generator is mounted in combination with the upper aerodynamic surface of each main rotor blade and is operative to generate a primary corotating vortex of sufficient strength to interact with and accelerate the dissipation of the tip vortex generated by the same main rotor blade, thereby reducing blade-vortex interaction noise radiating from the helicopter main rotor assembly. The half-plow vortex generator has a right triangular planform configuration defined by a length, a width, and an apex angle. The three-dimensional configuration of the vortex generator is further defined by an apex height. The apex height is the primary determinant of the strength of the generated primary corotating vortex and is defined in terms of the thickness of the main rotor blade at the local chord where the vortex generator is mounted. The apex height may be approximately equal to the local thickness, but preferably has a magnitude within the range of about one-eighth to about three-quarters of the local thickness. The length, width, and apex angle are secondary determinants of the strength of the primary corotating vortex ge…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.