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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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148 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Helicopter</strong><br />

<strong>The</strong> first full ma<strong>the</strong>matical treatment <strong>of</strong> ground resonance was due to Robert<br />

Coleman and Arnold Feingold who were working at NACA (<strong>the</strong> forerunner <strong>of</strong> NASA).<br />

<strong>The</strong> ma<strong>the</strong>matics turned out to be so complicated that <strong>the</strong> authors had to present <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

results in <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong> charts intended to be practically useful without <strong>the</strong> reader needing<br />

to have advanced ma<strong>the</strong>matical skills. Using <strong>the</strong>se charts, designers were able to<br />

tame ground resonance, but this is not <strong>the</strong> same thing as understanding it. In order<br />

to understand ground resonance it is necessary to consider <strong>the</strong> geometry <strong>of</strong> whirling.<br />

Initially this will be considered for <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor alone.<br />

<strong>The</strong> rotor is assumed to be isolated, and turning without translating. <strong>The</strong>re is no<br />

external force on an isolated system so, according to Newton’s laws, <strong>the</strong> overall centre<br />

<strong>of</strong> mass <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor cannot move. If <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> mass <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hub is whirling, this must<br />

mean that <strong>the</strong> blades toge<strong>the</strong>r must have an effective centre <strong>of</strong> mass that is whirling in<br />

<strong>the</strong> opposite direction. Figure 4.28, which is in rotating co-ordinates, shows <strong>the</strong> orbits<br />

<strong>of</strong> various points on a blade and hub in a forwards whirling system. <strong>The</strong>re will be a<br />

null point on <strong>the</strong> blade between <strong>the</strong> drag hinge and <strong>the</strong> blade CM that is oscillating<br />

radially but not tangentially. Note that <strong>the</strong> motion for a backwards whirling system<br />

can be seen by reversing all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> circles and ellipses.<br />

In whirling, <strong>the</strong> KE <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hub is constantly changing because <strong>the</strong> circular motion<br />

requires a constant change <strong>of</strong> velocity. It follows that <strong>the</strong> ki<strong>net</strong>ic energy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blades<br />

must also be changing constantly. <strong>The</strong> blade KE variation is due to motion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blade<br />

CM plus that due to in-plane rotation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> moment <strong>of</strong> inertia <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blade about <strong>the</strong><br />

null point. Essentially whirling is a continuous interplay <strong>of</strong> blade and hub energy and<br />

in <strong>the</strong> absence <strong>of</strong> friction at <strong>the</strong> hinges and any aerodynamic effect it could continue<br />

indefinitely.<br />

Figure 4.29 is in stationary co-ordinates. Figure 4.29(a) shows an articulated rotor<br />

turning anticlockwise and whirling forwards whereas (b) shows <strong>the</strong> same rotor which is<br />

still turning anticlockwise but which is whirling backwards. Let <strong>the</strong>se rotors be fitted to<br />

a helicopter having a rocking hull resonance. In both cases <strong>the</strong> figure shows <strong>the</strong> blade at<br />

Fig. 4.28 In an isolated whirling rotor, <strong>the</strong> overall ki<strong>net</strong>ic energy must remain constant. Consequently <strong>the</strong>re<br />

must be an energy interchange between <strong>the</strong> blades and <strong>the</strong> hub. If <strong>the</strong> hub is whirling in one direction, <strong>the</strong> blade<br />

CMs must be whirling in <strong>the</strong> opposite direction. <strong>The</strong> loci <strong>of</strong> several points in <strong>the</strong> whirling system are shown.

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