Investigation of Helicopter Blade Tip Configuration during Hover Flight Employing Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract

Our research focused on investigating the influence of rotor blade tip geometry on the aerodynamic performance of helicopters during hover flight, with the goal of enhancing overall efficiency. Through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis using the Bell 212 helicopter configuration, we evaluated four different blade tip geometries: rectangular, anhedral, swept, and parabolic. Our study revealed significant insights into the aerodynamic characteristics of each geometry, including pressure distribution and airflow patterns. Crucially, we observed improvements in the thrust coefficient C T and stability, leading to enhanced efficiency, particularly with the optimized blade tip geometry identified through our comparative analysis. These findings offer valuable guidance for designing more efficient helicopter rotors.