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COpy
I
NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FOR AERONAUTICS

TECHNICAL NOTE 2318

FULL-SCALE-TUNNEL INVESTIGATION OF THE STATIC-THRUST

PERFORMANCE OF A COAXIAL HELICOPTER ROTOR

By Ro be rt D. Harrington

Langley Aeronautical Laboratory

,
101
Langley Field, Va.

Washington
March 1951

NA TlONA'tTEcHNleAl
INFORMATION SERVICE
Sprrngfiold, Va. 22151
 NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS

TECHNICAL NOTE 2318

FULL- SCALE-TUNNEL INVESTIGATION OF THE STATIC - THRUST

PERFORMANCE OF A COAXIAL HELICOPTER ROTOR

By Robert D. Harrington

SUMMARY

An investigation to determine the static - thrust performance of a

coaxial helicopter rotor having blades tapered both in plan form and
thickness ratio has been conducted in the Langley full - scale tunnel.
Tests of both the coaxial- rotor and single - rotor configurations were
made for a range of blade - pitch setting and for a range of tip speed
up to 500 feet per second. Several tests were also conducted to
determine the effect of variation in directional control on the hovering
performance of the coaxial rotor.

A comparison of the measured static-thrust performance of the rotor

with that predicted by hovering- performance theory is also presented.
Included to substantiate the comparison with hovering theory are some
previously obtained static-thrust results of another coaxial .rotor of
higher solidity and different blade geometry. The theoretical calcula-
tions for the coaxial configurations are based on the assumption of a
single rotor with a solidity equal to that of the coaxial rotor and are
in good agreement with the measured results.

INTRODUCTION

A general research program to investigate the aerodynamic character-

istics of several different helicopter-rotor configurations is in progress
at the Langley full-scale tunnel. An investigation of a coaxial helicopter
rotor, with blades tapered both in plan form and thic kness r a tio and
representing the case of 100-percent rotor overlap, has recently been
conducted as part of this program. Included in the investigation were
tests to determine the performance and blade-motion characteristics of
the rotor over a range of airspeed. Tests were also made with one rotor
removed in order to determine the relative merits of the coaxial- and
single~rotor configurations.

This paper presents the results of static-thrust measurements for

both the coaxial- and single - rotor configurations along with a comparison
2 NACA TN 2318

of these results with hovering-performance theory. Included to substan-

tiate the comparison with theory are some previously obtained full-scale-
tunnel static-thrust data for a coaxial rotor of higher solidity and with
blades tapered in thickness ratio only.

SYMBOLS

b number of blades

R blade radiUS, feet

r radial distance to blade element, feet

x ratio of blade-element radius to rotor-blade radius (r/R)

t blade section thickness, feet

c blade section chord, feet

equivalent blade chord, feet

rotor solidity (bce/rrR)

p mass density of air, slugs per cubic foot

n rotor angular velocity, radians per second

T rotor thrust, pounds

Q. rotor torque, pound-feet

rotor thrust coefficient

~(nR~2nR2)
rotor torque coefficient
(p(nR~2nR3)
NACA TN 2318 3

2
M rotor figure of merit (°.7 7 2:/
0 C )

profile drag coefficient of rotor-blade section

section lift coefficient of rotor-blade section

a slope of section lift curve against angle of attack in

radians

blade-element angle of attack measured from line of zero

lift, radians (e - ~)

e blade-section pitch angle, radians

inflow angle at blad'e element, radians (tan- l nVr )

v induced inflow velocity at rotor, feet per second

coefficients in power series expressing as function

of ~ (c d o = 00 + olar + 02ar2)

Subscripts:

r root

t tip

a profile

APPARATUS AND TESTS

The helicopter-rotor configuration tested in this investigation

(rotor 1) consisted of two, 25-foot-diamet.er, two-blade rotors. The
rotor drive mechanism consists of a pair of hubs mounted 2.33 feet
(9.5 percent of the rotor diameter) apart on coaxial, dual-rotating drive
shafts. The hubs were attached to their respective drive shafts by a
single horizontal pin which allowed the blades to flap see-saw fashion;
they were, however, rigidly restrained in the plane of rotation. The
rotor configuration was designed to operate at a disk loading of 2.5 pounds
per square foot and a tip speed of 540 feet per second. The values of
the rotor solidity were 0.054 and 0.027 for the coaxial- and single-rotor
configurations, respectively. The rotor blades had NACA four-digit
4 NACA TN 2318

symmetrical airfoil sections and were of all-wood construction. The

blades had a laminated birch spar and mahogany ribs and were covered
with spruce plywood skin .aft of the 22 . 6 percent chord. They were
tapered both in plan form and thickness ratio but were untwisted.
Details of the plan form and thickness ratio of the blades are presented
in figure l(a).

Another rotor (rotor 2) had been previously tested in the Langley

full-scale tunnel. It was similar in design to rotor 1 except that it
was rigidly restrained in flapping motion as well as in the plane of
rotation. The blades were of all-metal construction, untapered in plan
form, but tapered in thickness ratio. The values of the rotor solidity
were 0.152 and 0.076 for the coaxial- and single-rotor configurations,
respectively, and the rotor spacing was 2.0 feet (8 percent of the rotor
diameter). Details of the plan form and thickness ratio of the blades
of rotor 2 are given in figure l(b).

A photograph of the general ar!angement of the rotor hubs and

drive mechanism of rotor 1 is shown as figure 2. The rotor drive was
through a coaxial 7.4/1 reduction-gear box which turned the upper hub
clockwise and the lower hub counterclockwise as viewed from above.

Rotor-blade pitch could be varied either collectively, differen-

tially collectively, or cyclically. Collective pitch was obtained by
changing the pitch of all the blades equally and in the same direction.
Differential collective pitch control to provide directional control
was applied by changing the pitch of the blades of the upper and lower
rotors in opposite directions. Cyclic pitch control to provide rotor
pitching and rolling control was applied by means of two feathering
bearings mounted perpendicular to the drive shafts, one below each rotor,
and connected by push-pull rods. All the controls were operated remotely
by electric actuators and the control positions were measured by means
of electrical bridge-type control position indicators.

A 266-horsepower motor mounted in a reaction-type dynamometer

supplied the power to drive the rotor. Power input to the rotor was
measured by a strain-gage beam so mounted as to resist the turning
reaction of the motor casing. Rotor speed was measured by a standard
aircraft tachometer.

The rotor and drive-motor combination was supported in a strain-

gage balance which provided a direct measurement of the rotor thrust,
pitching moment, rolling moment, and yawing moment. This balance was
in turn mounted in trunnions which allowed the rotor to pivot about
the center of the gear box so that the shaft angle of attack could be
changed . The complete setup was mounted on the wind-tunnel balance by
means of a diagonally braced 12-inch tube. In order to eliminate
extraneous forces from the data, a free - floating sheet-metal fairing was
NACA TN 2318 5

provided over the supporting members. Figure 3 is a photograph of the

rotor as tested in the Langley full-scale tunnel.

The static-thrust investigation for both rotors was conducted for

a range of rotor tip speed and blade pitch angle at zero shaft angle.
Tests were made for both the coaxial- and single-rotor configurations
in order to determine the relative merits of each. The static-thrust
data were obtained with the longitudinal and lateral feathering controls
neutral. For most of the coaxial tests the yawing moments were trimmed;
however, some data were obtained with various amounts of preset direc-
tional control to determine the effect on rotor performance of unequal
power input to the upper and lower rotors. All thrust data presented
in this paper have been computed from the wind-tunnel-balance data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of full-seale-tunnel tests to determine the static-

thrust performance of a coaxial rotor with blades tapered both in plan
form and thickness ratio (rotor 1) are presented in figures 4 and 5.
The variation of rotor thrust coefficient CT with torque coeffi-
cient CQ for both the coaxial-rotor (a = 0.054) and single-rotor
(a = 0.027) configurations is presented in figure 4. Because of vibra-
tion the maximum tip speed of rotor 1 had to be limited to 500 feet
per second. Data were therefore obtained for the coaxial configuration
at several tip speeds to determine the scale effect on rotor performance.
An appreciable difference in performance believed to be due to scale
effect w~s noted for values of tip speed between 327 feet per second
and 450 feet per second (fig. 4); the difference, however, became
relatively small between 450 feet per second and 500 feet per second.

The hovering performance of rotor 1 was determined over a range of

thrust coefficient from CT = 0 to CT = 0.00557 for the coaxial rotor
and to CT = 0.00346 for the single rotor at a tip speed of 500 feet
per second. It appears that, within the experimental accuracy, the
profile torque coefficient CQo at CT = 0 of the coaxial arrangement
(0.0000777) was twice that measured separately for either of the single
rotors.

The effect of variation in directional control (differential

collective pitch, positive when added to the lower rotor and subtracted
from the upper rotor) on the static-thrust performance of the rotor
operating at a tip speed of 500 feet per second ,is shown in figure 5.
The maximum available positive differential control setting of 30 30'
(upper _10 45', lower 1 0 45') and maximum negative setting of 1 0 40'
6 NACA TN 2318

(upper 0 0 50', lower -0 0 50') had only slight effect on the rotor
performance; the average was about a 2-percent increase in CQ for a
given value of CT , over the range tested.

The variation of rotor flgure of merit M with the ratio of thrust

coefficient to solidity CT/O for both the coaxial- and single-rotor
configurations (rotor 1) is shown in figure 6 . The maximum figures of
merit were about 0.635 and 0 . 615 for the coaxial and single rotors,
respectively. A comparison of these values with those predicted by
rotor-hovering theory indicates that, within experimental accuracy, the
difference in the figures of merit could be attributed to the difference
in solidity of the coaxial- and single-rotor configurations.

In order to determine whether existing rotor-hovering theory was

adequate to predict the hovering performance of a coaxial rotor based
on a single-rotor analysiS, a theoretical analysis of the hovering
performance of both the coaxial- and single-rotor configurations was
made by using the method described in reference 1. In this analysis
the coaxial rotor was treated as a single four-blade rotor having the
same solidity. The blade section characteristics were represented by
the following formulas:

where °0 is equal to cd o CT = 0 and 01 and 02 are determined

at
from figures 2(b) and 2(c) of reference 2. Two-dimensional semi smooth
airfoil data, representative of the blade thickness ratio and Reynolds
number at the 0.75 radius (x = 0.75) and a lift-curve slope a = 5.73,
were used in the determination of 01 and 02' The calculated value of
CT was corrected for tip loss by assuming that the outer 3 percent of
the blade span had no thrust but had profile drag. (This tip-loss factor
is commonly used in rotor analysis (reference 2).) The results of the
hovering analysis for both the coaxial- and single-rotor configurations
are presented in figure 7. A comparison of these results with the
measured test points indicates that, by assuming a single rotor of
equal solidity, the hovering performance of a coaxial rotor, similar in
blade geometry and rotor spacing to the rotor tested, can be predicted
with the same degree of accuracy as that of a single-rotor configuration.

Some previously obtained full-scale-tunnel hovering-performance

data for another coaxial rotor of similar spacing but entirely different
blade geometry (rotor 2) were also available. Curves of the variation
NACA TN 2318 7

of CT with CQ for both the coaxial- and single-rotor configurations

and a plot showing the effect of variation in directional control on
this coaxial rotor are presented in figures 8 and 9, respectively. These
data indicate the same general trends as those for rotor 1.

The hovering performance of rotor 2, calculated in the same manner

as was previously done for rotor 1, is shown in figure 10, and the same
general agreement between experiment and theory as obtained for rotor 1
is shown.

The analyses made for rotors 1 and 2 indicate that the hovering
performance of coaxial rotors having rotor spacings similar to those
tested (8 percent to 9.5 percent of the rotor diameter) can be .calculated
with the same degree of accuracy as that of a single-rotor configuration
by assuming a single rotor of equal solidity. However, it should be
noted that an accurate knowledge of the zero-lift drag of the rotor
is required for a reliable prediction of hovering performance.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The following remarks are based ·on the results of Langley full-scale-
tunnel static-thrust tests of a coaxial- and a single-rotor helicopter
configuration having blades tapered both in plan form and thickness
ratio.

1. The profile torque coefficient of the coaxial rotor operating

at a tip speed of 500 feet per second was 0.0000777. Within the limits
of experimental accuracy the profile torque coefficient of the single
rotor was about one-half that of the coaxial rotor.

2. Variation in the directional control to the maximum available

limits of 30 30' and _1 0 40' resulted in about a 2-percent increase in
torque coefficient over that of the trimmed rotor.

3. The maximum figure of merit measured for the coaxial rotor was
0.635 while that for the single rotor was 0.615. Calculations indicate
that this difference is probably due to the difference in solidity of
the two configurations.
8 . NACA TN 2318

4. The hovering performance of coaxial rotors having rotor spacings

of the order of 8 percent to 9 . 5 percent of the rotor diameter can be
predicted with the same degree of accuracy as that of a single rotor
by assuming a single rotor of equal solidity for purpose of calculation.

Langley Aeronautical Laboratory

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
Langley Field, Va., December 28, 1950

REFERENCES

1. Gessow, Alfred: Effect of Rotor-Blade Twist and Plan-Form Taper on

Helicopter Hovering Performance. NACA TN 1542, 1948.

2. Bailey, F. J., Jr.: A Simplified Theoretical Method of Determining

the Characteristics of a Lifting Rotor in Forward Flight.
NACA Rep. 716, 1941 .
NACA TN 2318 9

I I I I / / / / / / / / / / /

j
,c.

: [l" {, .~.~ . _ .-;<'- ,., t

32
r--
14 28
~
\

12 24
"- , l
"-
"- , r--. --............ r--
'" ~ r--... r--- ~r-..
.1 0 20 -......
c:
. U
~ Thickness ratio
~
~
-0
10... ........ '-......
+- ...............
~8 16
Chord ~
u
~ 1\
6 12
-..............
I"-...... \
~
~
~
4 8

2 4

0 140 160
°0 20 40 60 80 100 /20
Rotor blade radius, in. ~
L-68422
(a) Rotor I.
Figure 1.- Variation of rotor blade chord c and thickness
ratio tic with blade radius r.
 NACA TN 2318 11

I I I I I T T

r' .-
.. -
I;l.
~

I
18
Chord

16 32
,
't--,
....
....
14 28
'",t-...
"-
12 24
'" ............
l'-..........
............
10 ~
20
c Thickness ratio~
-0
~
0
~
u
~

8
()

"-
+-

16
'" ~
~
~

6 12

4 8

2 4

° °0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Rotor blade radius, in. ~
L-68423
(b) Rotor 2.
Figure 1.- Concluded .
.------ -~ . -- .--~-~~-
 NACA TN 2318 13

A Upper rotor hub F Longitudinal feathering actuator

B Upper feathering bearing
C Lower rotor hub
D Lower feathering bearing
E Lateral feathering actuator
G Lower rotor collective-pitch
control rod
H Lower rotor slip rings
I Drive motor
J Angle-of-attack arm

Figure 2.- General arrangement of the coaxial helicopter rotor ( ro t or 1)

with the rotor blades removed.
~
L- 65743 .1
- I
 ~
&?
1-'3
~
I\)
W
I-'
CP

Figure 3.- General arrangement of the coaxial helicopter rotor (rotor 1)

as mounted in the Langley full-scale tunnel. I-'
\J1
NACA TN 2318 17

.0.07 •

..0.06
4
~
rr4/
~
/
..0.05
c
~~
V

..0.04 ~ lP
~l,4
. (}}. k{ Configuration nR,ft/sec
I) 1'1
..003 (j

, o Coaxial 0.054 500

..0.02
/. TJ o Coaxial
o Coaxial
.054
.054
450
327
J.. ~l [.), Single lower ..027 5.0.0

.001
r! I ~ Single upper ..027 5.0.0

rep
.0
I ,? ~
.0 .0.0.01 ..00.02 ..0.0.03
.0.0 4 .0.0.05 ,ODD 6 o 00.07 .0.0.08
CQ
Figure 4.-Variation of thrust coefficient Cr and torque
coefficient CQ for a coaxial helicopter rotor (r otor I)
in static thrust; yawing moments trimmed. cr/ct=2.92.

Preceding page blank

18 NACA TN 2318

/
.006 f--t----I--...l...----l---4--.---l------l-----+--+----jL...-.jf.---l-----l----+--+---l
Yaw-trimmed data V
~~--~~~~--~~--~~
from figure 4 /
.00 5 1---t---t---.-------r----r-~-r-l674---+----4-+--+--+--+--+----l
:,

CT
/
. 002 ~~~--m
/ J--+-~-~~
,
.00 31---+--t--+--~~-+--l
j)

o
Upper rotor
Lower rotor
Differential f - -
collective
pitch
_10 45 1 -
10 45
1
-

.001 ~+-----+l/--+---+-+-----+--l
- o
Upper rotor
Lower rotor
0 0 50
1

_0 0 50 1
-

/
I
DOOI .0002 .0003 .0004 .0005 .0006 .0007 .0008
CQ
Figure 5.-Effect of variation in directional control on the
static -thrust performance of a coaxial helicopter rotor
(rotor I); yawi ng moments untrimmed. cr/ct = 2.92.
nR = 500 ftlsee.
 ~
1.0 (")
:x>
f-3
!21
I\)
W
t-'
CP
.8

Goaxial-r\_
~
.6
v-- ~ ~ i

M V
/ ~ n -----
Single
I- upper or lower
.4
/ j/
.2 I ~
W
v

00
V .02 .04 .06 .08 .10
~
.12
I

.14
Grier
Figure 6. -Variation of rotor figure of merit M and thrust
coefficient-solidity ratio Grier for a coaxial and single
rotor helicopte r (rotor I) in stat ic thru st. cr l Ct =2.92. ~
t-'

~-- - - -------- ..-

20 NACA TN 2318

.007

I~
.006
\/
.005
Hovering theory -
W
b/
0/
004
~~
~
V
4
.003
I~V
.002
~V Configuration (J nR, fUsec f---

J..
r§.j 0 Coaxial 0054 500 I---

.001 If I 6
~
Single lower
Si ngle upper
.027
.027
500
500 I---

W~
o0 2
1 bool .0002 .0003 .0004 0005 .0006
~
o0 07 0008
Co
Figure 7 - Comparison of the theoretical and experimental
stat ic -thrust perfor mance of a coax ial hel icopter rotor
(rotor I) with blades tapered both in plan form and
thickness ratio. cr/ct =2.92 .
NACA TN 2318 21

.009
pa
v
/
.00 8
V
/'
V
.00 7
l§5
/
.00 6
~
V I?
.005
V/
V 1/
"'"
.004
V [?
V J
~ /

,
.003
) V Configuration (J fiR, ftlsec
t--
p
.002
f lIP
ti
o Coaxial
[) Coaxial
0.152
.1 52
392
3 27 t--
o Single lower .076 262 t--
)- f!, Single lower .076 392
.00 I )I
I I
~
o0 .0001 .0002 .0003 .0004
.0005 .0006 .0007 0008 .0009 .00 10
CQ
Figure 8 .- Variation of thrust coeffic ient CT and torque coefficient CQ for a
coaxial helicopter rotor (rotor 2) in static thrust; yawing moments t r immed .
crlet"- I.
22 NACA TN 2318

.008

.007

.006
Yaw- trimmed data /
from figure 4 ;)6
.005
1/
.004
/0
~ Differential

,
collective
j. ~ pitch
.003
~ 0
Upper rotor
Lower rotor
_1°
1°
.002
[ 0 Upper rotor 1°
8
Lower rotor _1°
.001
I
~
.0o01 0002 000 3 0004 .0005 0006 0007 .oL08 .0009 DCI o
CQ
Figure 9.- Effect of variation in directional control on the static -thrust
performance of a coaxial helicopter rotor (rotor 2); yawing moments
untrimmed. c r/ct=1. !lR=327 ftlsec.
 NACA TN 2 318 23

.009
8Jv
/'
V
.008 [7
/'

.00 7
Hovering theory- ~ V
'\ bY
/
[

9-
/
.006
V
/ 9
VV / V
(

.005 /"
/"0. / /
p/ 0
/
.004 q
V V
.003
fi /
~
() /
/ Configuration (]" S2R, ftlsec '-----

) ;;PI o Coa xial 0.152 392 -

ft -;
.002
o Coax ial .152 327
o Single lower .0 76 262 -

.00 I
1: / A. Sinale lower .076 392
f I I
/ { ~
o 0 .0001 .0002 .0003 .0004 0005 0006 0007 .0008 .0009 .001o
CQ
Figure 10. - Comparison of the theoretical and exper i mental static - thrust performa nce
of a coax ial helicopter rotor (rotor 2) with blades tapered in t hick nes s ra ti o
only. cr/ct=l .

NACA-Langley - 3-12 - 51 - 775

,