Download Investigation Comparing Mid-Fidelity Techniques Against High-Fidelity Computations

Mid-fidelity computational techniques have long been sought after in the engineering community to expedite the generation of high-quality engineering data. As digital engineering gains prominence, the demand for faster computational methods continues to grow. Within the rotorcraft community, actuator line and immersed boundary methods play a crucial role as mid-fidelity tools for modeling full helicopters. This study investigates the efficacy of mid-fidelity immersed boundary and actuator line methods using the HPCMP CREATETM-AV Helios ROAM model in predicting the fuselage download of the ROBIN wind tunnel model. Predictions from these methods are compared against both high-fidelity computations and available wind tunnel data. The study also examines the impact of combining mid-fidelity and high-fidelity elements on the results and the time required for solution. The findings indicate that employing mid-fidelity rotor and fuselage models yields sufficiently accurate trends in fuselage download across various advance ratios and thrust levels. Additionally, combining a mid-fidelity rotor with a high-fidelity fuselage offers a favorable balance between download accuracy and simulation efficiency.