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Dynamical responses and analysis of rotor-nacelle systems subjected to aerodynamic and base excitations

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Abstract

The whirl flutter in rotor-driven aircraft is a significant aeroelastic instability resulting from the intricate interplay between structural, gyroscopic, and aerodynamic effects, exacerbated by nonlinearities. This phenomenon manifests as oscillatory behaviors within the aircraft's structure, carrying the risk of severe consequences and potential hazards. In this research endeavor, a nonlinear reduced-order model incorporating quasi-steady aerodynamics is employed to comprehensively analyze the behavior of a nacelle-rotor system and gain valuable insights into the dynamics of whirl flutter and its combined effect with external moments due to base excitations. Specifically, the study investigates the impact of external moment disturbances in conjunction with the aerodynamic excitations on the dynamical responses of a rotor-nacelle system, using parameters of a simplified model from previous studies as a basis for analysis. This investigation utilizes a solution methodology that includes linear and nonlinear approaches in order to explore the influences of rotor angular velocity, blade length, the number of blades, and their interplay with external moments applied to pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. The findings demonstrate the importance of considering these factors concerning the concurrent oscillations due to whirl flutter and other external moments with regard to the potential for resonance, quenching, and nonlinear responses in the system’s dynamics.

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Data availability statement

Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

The authors A. Quintana and A. Abdelkefi acknowledge the financial support of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA

    A. Quintana & A. Abdelkefi

  2. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA

    B. E. Saunders

  3. São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus of São João da Boa Vista, São João da Boa Vista, 13876-750, Brazil

    R. Vasconcellos

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  1. A. Quintana
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  4. A. Abdelkefi
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Correspondence to A. Abdelkefi.

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Quintana, A., Saunders, B.E., Vasconcellos, R. et al. Dynamical responses and analysis of rotor-nacelle systems subjected to aerodynamic and base excitations. Nonlinear Dyn 112, 233–258 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11071-023-09074-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11071-023-09074-6

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