Numerical simulations of the wake and deformations of a flexible rotor blade in a turbulent flow

Abstract

We present, for the first time, the mean deflection evolution of a flexible rotor blade using a coupled model based on Navier–Stokes equations, for the fluid flow, and linear elasticity equations for the blade deformation. Three turbulence models are tested to reach Reynolds numbers as high as 8 104. The absolute tip speed ratios are in the range [0,25]. The numerical results are validated by comparisons with available tip displacements from experiments. For the parameter ranges, above mentioned, the elastic behavior of the flexible rotor is characterized, and the vorticity field is compared with results obtained for a rigid rotor. The effects of the pitch, the tip speed ratio (or frequency), and its sign on the blade deformation are reported. Typically, the blade deforms in the downstream direction, and it is shown that this deformation is a non-monotonic function of the rotation frequency and the pitch angle. Furthermore, it is found that, for particular values of the frequency and pitch angle, the blade is subject to deformations in the upstream direction. It is shown also that the flexible rotor could develop a vortex ring state, but not the rigid one, under the same conditions. It is found that there is a supercritical frequency associated with the apparition of this vortex ring state and this frequency occurs for negative pitches only, for the considered blade. The vorticity field revealed, as well, that the tip vortex changes sign with that of the blade deflection. Finally, we present the effect of the pitch and frequency on the twist angle of the blade and characterize its evolution along the span.