Velocity field above a rotor disk by a new dynamic inflow model

The potential flow equations are converted to ordinary differential equations through a Galerkin approach in which velocity and pressure potential functions are expanded in terms of closed-form solutions to Laplace's equation. Because the method gives differential equations for the flow in terms of a relatively few generalized coordinates that represent modes of the flowfield, the resultant equations can be used effectively in preliminary design, real-time simulations, and dynamic eigenvalue analysis for aeroelasticity. This new theory is more general than the Peters-He dynamic wake model because it has a more rigorous derivation and includes inflow modes previously neglected in the Peters-He model. Results are presented in the frequency domain for simple harmonic motion. The complete velocity field above the disk is obtained by this new methodology, for axial and skewed flows, for various skew angles, and for different pressure distributions and are compared with the Peters-He model and with an exact solution obtained by a convolution integral.