Comparative Analysis of Extended Vortex Ring and Viscous Vortex Particle Actuator Disk Models for Rotor Inflow Prediction

Abstract:
This paper presents two distinct Lagrangian models developed for efficient rotorcraft inflow prediction: an Extended Vortex Ring Wake (EVRW) model and a Viscous Vortex Particle Method Actuator Disk (VVPM-AD). The EVRW model represents wake vorticity as circular rings with a harmonic distribution of bound circulation, thereby avoiding explicit coordinate-by-coordinate calculations. In contrast, the VVPM-AD discretizes shed vorticity into an independent Lagrangian particle cloud. This formulation naturally captures wake roll-up and viscous effects via a meshless Large Eddy Simulation solver, eliminating the need for empirical core-radius formulations. Validated against experimental data, these separate modeling tracks provide a scalable toolkit that balances computational speed with simulation fidelity.

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