Rotorcraft/UAM Aeromechanics and Propulsion Modelling

Course structure

This five-day course is presented through lectures, tutorials, and workshops. The course will be delivered by expert Cranfield lecturers, and will also include guest lectures from high-profile industry and government specialists. Electronic copies of all the material presented will be made available to all delegates. The course will also include workshops with live demonstrations and “hands-on” application of state-of-the-art Cranfield tools for rotorcraft performance analysis, engine performance simulation, and UAM sizing and characterisation. A number of worked examples will be undertaken by the delegates. Active participation from the delegates is strongly encouraged. All delegates will receive a Certificate of Attendance upon completion of this course.

What you will learn

On completion of the course, you will be able to: 

• Understand the fundamental performance characteristics of rotorcraft.
• Critically evaluate the underpinning science required to analyse the aero-elastic behaviour of rotorcraft.
• De-compose the operational performance of integrated rotorcraft-engine systems to effects related to the performance of the airframe, rotors, and powerplant.
• Outline the fundamentals elements of rotorcraft/UAM propulsion system electrification including power electronic systems, battery technology, and system integration.
• Appreciate novel rotorcraft/UAM propulsion system technologies including hybrid-electric, advanced cycles, hydrogen, and fuel cell based.
• Appreciate the intertwining physical mechanisms (aerodynamic, thermodynamic, and dynamic) that govern the operational performance and environmental impact of rotorcraft and UAM aircraft.
• Estimate qualitatively the impact of operational parameters such as pressure altitude, ambient temperature, and All-Up-Mass on the performance of combined rotorcraft-powerplant systems.

Core content

Lecture material:

Omni-Disciplinary Evaluation of Integrated Rotorcraft-Engine Propulsion Systems

• Fundamentals of helicopter aeromechanics, flight propulsion, and performance
• Aero-elastic modelling of rotor-craft: Fundamentals of structural dynamics, rotor dynamics, blade aerodynamics, and rotor wake analysis
• Helicopter rotor and fuselage aerodynamic interactions and ground effect
• Gas turbine performance and simulation: Design point and off-design analysis of turboshaft engines
• Environmental impact analysis: Modelling of gaseous emissions through a stirred-reactor modelling approach
• Case study examples: Trim, stability, control, and oscillatory blade loads prediction for civil rotorcraft
• Helicopter-engine integration and performance simulation at engine, aircraft, and mission levels of assessment
• Case study examples: mission analysis for integrated helicopter-engine systems using aero-elastic rotor modelling strategies
• Variable rotor speed and active blade twist technologies: Optimum Scheduling, Mission Analysis, and Environmental Impact
• Helicopter aero-acoustics: Fundamentals, modelling, and noise-based rotor control strategies
• Novel rotor LTO control strategies: Trade-off between NOx emissions and ground noise impact
• Thermo-electric power-plant architectures for rotorcraft

Rotorcraft propulsion system electrification

• Propulsion system electrification: State of the Art, Development Trends, Challenges and Opportunities
• Fundamentals of Power Electronic Systems, and Power Electronic Integration 
• Electric Power System Design: Modelling and Integration 
• Electric Power System Reliability, Protection, and Maintenance 
• Introduction on battery technologies and fuel cells

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) applications: Preliminary design and modelling 

• Propeller modelling for UAM configurations 
• Tilt-rotor aircraft modelling: low-order aerodynamics, trim, control 
• Tilt-rotor – novel propulsion system (hybrid-electric, advanced cycles, hydrogen, fuel cell based) integration at cycle, aircraft and mission levels 
• Preliminary design, performance and gaseous emissions of hybrid-electric UAM rotorcraft (combined with simple and recuperated cycles) 
• Retrofitting a tilt-rotor with hydrogen fuelled-gas turbine and fuel cells 
• Effects of optimum scheduling of variable rotor speed and power management optimization for hybrid-electric tilt-rotor

Cranfield rotorcraft/UAM tool workshop:

Introduction to HEliCopTer Omni-disciplinary Research platform: HECTOR

• On-line rotorcraft modelling and analysis
• Rotor blade structural analysis 
• Natural frequencies, mode shapes, and resonance charts 
• In-flight and wind-tunnel rotor trim simulation 
• Evaluation of aerodynamic and structural rotor blade loads
• Transient rotor response to pilot controls 
• Gas turbine design point and off-design analysis 

Performance prediction of integrated helicopter-engine systems 

• Helicopter-engine performance charts – fuel-flow curves 
• Impact of density altitude and gross-weight 
• Variation of engine performance attributes and gaseous emissions 

UAM Modelling and vehicle analysis workshop:

• Propeller/rotor performance/control (effect of RPM/pitch) 
• Design exercise: hybrid-electric propulsion system tilt-rotor 
• Design exercise: hydrogen retrofitting (GT, tank, fuel system) 
  • Isolate effects of change of fuel at cycle level 
  • Aircraft level assessment for hydrogen-based tilt-rotor

Who should attend

This course is suitable for delegates from both industry and academia. The course is of benefit to rotorcraft engineers, gas turbine engineers, designers, researchers, and/or managers in the rotorcraft industry. The course is also of benefit to MSc, MRes, and PhD students who are conducting research on the field.

Speakers

Cranfield University:

• Dr Ioannis Goulos – Module leader: Senior Lecturer in Propulsion Aerodynamics and Performance Engineering
• Dr Ioannis Roumeliotis – Reader in Gas Turbine Propulsion & Thermal Systems Integration
• Professor Suresh Sampath Professor of Gas Turbine Engineering and Sustainable Propulsion
• Professor Vassilios Pachidis Professor and Head of Centre for Propulsion Engineering
• Dr Bahareh Zaghari – Lecturer in Propulsion Integration
• Professor Daniel Auger Professor of Electrification, Modelling and Control

Industry/government guest speakers:

This short course will include guest lectures from high profile industry and government partners such as Leonardo Helicopters and the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

Concessions

Accommodation options and prices

This course is non-residential. If you would like to book accommodation on campus, please contact Mitchell Hall or Cranfield Management Development Centre directly. Further information about our on campus accommodation can be found here. Alternatively you may wish to make your own arrangements at a nearby hotel.

Location and travel

Cranfield University is situated in Bedfordshire close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The University is located almost midway between the towns of Bedford and Milton Keynes and is conveniently situated between junctions 13 and 14 of the M1.

London Luton, Stansted and Heathrow airports are 30, 90 and 90 minutes respectively by car, offering superb connections to and from just about anywhere in the world. 

For further location and travel details

Location address

Cranfield University
College Road
Cranfield
Bedford 
MK43 0AL