Application of the Actuator Line Method Coupled with the Lattice Boltzmann Method for Prediction of eVTOL Downwash/Outwash

Abstract:
This study develops an efficient framework coupling the Lattice Boltzmann Method with the Actuator Line Method to evaluate the unsteady downwash/outwash of eVTOL aircraft. By incorporating a modified Prandtl loss function with geometric smearing correction, the framework accurately predicts velocity profiles and preserves unsteady vortices at lower computational costs than conventional RANS-based simulations. Analyzing three distinct eVTOL configurations sized for identical payload missions reveals that higher disk loading and multi-rotor interactions generate highly asymmetric, localized jet-like outwash structures, contrasting with the symmetric ground-level footprint of single rotor designs. Utilizing a 95th percentile velocity metric, transient peak hazards breach the regulated vertiport Safety Area boundary, extending up to 1.65 times the prescribed baseline limit. These findings demonstrate that time-averaged metrics underestimate physical hazards, highlighting the necessity for future guidelines to mandate configuration specific evaluations utilizing high-resolution unsteady flow data and robust statistical processing.

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