Rotor-Airwake Aerodynamic Coupling in Real-Time Simulation Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Topic No.: N103-195 Topic Title: Rotor-Airwake Aerodynamic Coupling in Real-Time Simulation Proposal No.: N103-195-0008 Firm: VorCat, Inc. 14 Freas court North Potomac, Maryland 20878-2586 Contact: Jacob Krispin Phone: (240) 498-6150 Web Site: www.vorcat.com Abstract: This SBIR Phase I project addresses the problem of accurately predicting interactions between helicopter rotor downwash and environmental turbulence encountered during shipboard landing and/or hovering in confined spaces. Anticipating the effect of ship wake on rotor aerodynamics is critical for accurate real time dynamic simulation of helicopter hovering and landing on ships at sea. Such complex flows are poorly served by traditional grid-based methodologies that tend to be overly diffusive and require elaborate means for accommodating high Reynolds number effects. In contrast, the hybrid VorCat scheme is non-diffusive and by its minimal, localized need for a mesh, better situated for such complex flow applications. The proposed study aims to exploit the opportunities presented by VorCat to construct accurate and reliable means for correcting current CFD solutions incorporated in dynamics simulators so as to encompass coupling between rotor downwash and shipboard turbulence. Achieving the capabilities proposed here can be expected to significantly raise interest in VorCat among companies and DOD agencies faced with complex applications including those with rotor flows and wakes thereby improving the overall marketability of the VorCat approach. With the expertise acquired in this project, even more ambitious applications of VorCat code can be anticipated in the future. Benefits: The successful solution of the coupled rotor-airwake flow field will allow us to expand the market niche of our technology so that Vorcat will become attractive to customers whose primary applications involve rotor/wake and general wake flows that play critical role in the analysis of flight safety. Rotor wake effects are important in other commercial applications as well, e.g., wind turbine placement in wind farms, hydro turbines operation under sea currents, among others. Return