Three-dimensional viscous rotor flow calculations using a viscous-inviscid interaction approach

A three-dimensional viscous-inviscid interaction analysis was developed to predict the performance of rotors in hover and in forward flight at subsonic and transonic tip speeds. The analysis solves the full-potential and boundary-layer equations by finite-difference numerical procedures. Calculations were made for several different model rotor configurations. The results were compared with predictions from a two-dimensional integral method and with experimental data. The comparisons show good agreement between predictions and test data.