Simulation of a helicopter in Vortex Ring State through a coupled simulation of multi-body dynamics and aerodynamics

Among all the possible flight configurations of a helicopter, there is one that is particularly unstable and dangerous : The Vortex Ring State. This state appears for flight maneuvers at high descent rate and low forward speed and is characterized by an important thrust loss and an inefficiency of the commands of the rotorcraft. Near the ground, the loss of thrust can be fatal and the Vortex Ring State has been recognized responsible of many rotorcraft accidents in the past few years. Moreover, accurate understanding of the characteristics of the flow in this configuration has not yet been obtained due to its complexity. In this sense, a numerical simulation has been performed through a coupled simulation of multi-body dynamics and aerodynamics. The objective of this simulation lies in the analysis and the visualisations of the physical phenomena behind the different phases of the Vortex Ring State and the dynamics of descent of the helicopter.