GenUVP: Input/Output description

V.Riziotis, G. Papadakis, N. Spyropoulos

December 2019

Laboratory of Aerodynamics, Fluids Section, School of Mechanical Engineering, NTUA

web http://www.aerolab.mech.ntua.gr/ e-mail: vasilis@fluid.mech.ntua.gr
GenUVP: Aerodynamic Module. Input/Output description Page 2 of 17
 Table of Contents

Table of Contents...........................................................................................3
1. GeunUVP Aerodynamic Module basic defintions...............................................4
2. GenUVP Aerodynamic Module Input files description........................................6
3. GenUVP Aerodynamic Module Output files description....................................13

GenUVP: Aerodynamic Module. Input/Output description Page 3 of 17

1. GeunUVP basic defintions
A complete simulation configuration (e.g. wind turbine, helicopter) is composed by
a group of individual bodies, each described by a set of input files that define its
geometrical characteristics and kinematics.

The bodies are divided in sections, which in turn are divided into a number of
nodes forming the building block of the body (e.g. airfoils for lifting bodies).

Two consecutive sections define a strip, which is handled as a finite span wing. A
strip is the main aerodynamic entity of the body, on which local aerodynamic loads
are calculated.

4 nodes in anticlockwise direction between two consecutive sections define a panel,

which is an extra aerodynamic entity. A number of panels lie on each strip.

Inside one panel a single control point (collocation point) is located, on which
static pressure (for thin or thick bodies) or strip circulation (for lifting line bodies) is
calculated. As a prerequisite, the control point’s velocity has to be computed.

Wake panels are emitted from the trailing edge nodes of the sections of lifting
bodies. Once they move away from the body, wake panels are converted into
vortex particles.

User has the option to group the bodies (e.g. blades) in blocks (e.g. rotors) in
order to extract the integrated loads of the blocks (e.g. thrust, torque).

Body types declaration

A. Lifting Line Body (INDXBO=2)

 The blade is modeled as a single line.
 Each section has only 2 nodes describing the leading and trailing edge
points of the airfoil, which is therefore degenerated into a flat plate.
 A single panel is formed on each strip.
 The whole strip is modeled by a single control point.
 The control point lies on the reference line of the blade (c/4 in the
chordwise direction) and is chosen to be the intermediate point of two
consecutive sections (regarding the spanwise direction).
 The characteristic value of the control point (system solution) is the
Γ (ρ⃗
circulation of the strip ⃗ U x⃗ Γ =⃗L ).
 Needs use of 2D polars of the airfoils building the blade.
 Emits wake panels which are after selected number of steps are
converted into vortex particles.

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 4 of 17

 B. Thin Body (INDXBO=3)
 The blade is modeled as a lifting surface.
 Each section has more than 2 nodes, following the mean line of the
corresponding airfoil.
 More than 2 panels are formed on each strip.
 One strip is modeled as a group of panels.
 The control points lie on the center of the panels.
 The characteristic value of the control point (system solution) is the
velocity potential jump
 Needs no extra information (e.g. use of airfoil polars which are only
necessary in order to apply viscous corrections).
 Emits wake panels which are after selected number of steps are
converted into vortex particles.

C. Thick Body (INDXBO=4)

 The blade is modeled as a thick body.
 Each section has more than 2 nodes, following the exact shape of the
corresponding airfoil.
 More than 2 panels are formed on each strip.
 One strip is modeled as a group of panels.
 The control points lie on the center of the panels.
 The characteristic value of the control point (system solution) is its
velocity potential value ( ∇ φ=U ⃗ ).
 Needs no extra information (e.g. use of airfoil polars).
 Emits wake panels which are after selected number of steps are
converted into vortex particles.

D. Thick non-lifting Body (INDXBO=5)

 Same configuration as INDXBO=4.
 Emits wake along selected lines where potential jump is considered
non zero.

E. Thick non-lifting Body unstructured (INDXBO=6)

 Same configuration as INDXBO=5
 The body grid is considered to be unstructured.
 This type of thick body may constitute of triangular panels as well
 Emits wake along selected lines where potential jump is considered
non zero.
Needs an extra input file, defining the topology (corner nodes and neighbouring panels) of
each panel.

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 5 of 17

 lifting line Lifting surface
3D panel

Strip- level
Strip- level

Body - level
Basic Panel definitions

2. GenUVP Input files description

Files:
aeroin.inp
filename.def (name selected by user and defined in the input file aeroin.inp)

INDXBO=2,3,4
geom.inp (names selected by user)
profil.inp
polar.inp
bodygrd.inp
refline.inp

INDXBO=5
bodygrd.inp (names selected by user)
topo_wake.inp

INDXBO=6
bodygrd.inp (names selected by user)
topo_body.inp
topo_wake.inp

filename.move

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 6 of 17

aeroin.inp
<blank line> - AERO input file
10.50 ! VELH x (x axis inflow velocity – defined w.r.t global co-ordinate system)
0.00 ! VELH y (y axis inflow velocity – defined w.r.t global co-ordinate system)
0.00 ! VELH z (z axis inflow velocity – defined w.r.t global co-ordinate system)
1.207 ! AIRDEN (air density for analyzed conditions)
340.0 ! SSPEED (speed of sound for analyzed conditions)
<blank line>
0.20 ! EPSF_matrix filaments (m) (filaments core radius for system calculation) (1)
0.50 ! EPSF_deform filaments (m) (filaments core radius for wake convection)(1)
0.50 ! EPSF vortex particles (m) (vortex particles core radius)(1)
0.05 ! Minimum distance of particles from solid boundaries (m) (2)
0.75 ! Initial Solution Coefficient(3)
<blank line>
900 ! Number of Simulations Time Steps
3.5d-02 ! Time step DT (s)
90 ! Number of steps after which wake is switched to VPs (4)
5 ! Number of temporal levels for vp generation (5)
5 ! Number of spatial levels for vp generation (5)
1 ! write wake every (number of steps)
<blank line>
1 ! Total number of blocks (6)
3 ! Total number of bodies (6)
<blank line>
1 blade1.def blade1.move ! number of body filename1(7) filename2(8)
2 blade2.def blade2.move
3 blade3.def blade3.move

(1) A core radius is defined for the wake filaments (EPSF_matrix, EPSF_deform), and wake
vortex particles (VP) (EPSF vortex particles)
Smaller core radius is usually defined for the contribution of the filaments to the system
equations (EPSF_matrix) than for the convection of the filaments (EPSF_deform) in order to
avoid high distortion of the wakes.
The order of magnitude of the core radius for the VPs and the filaments is usually defined on
the basis of the length scales of grid spacing over the corresponding bodies.
(2) The VPs of the wakes are not allowed to cross solid boundaries. The minimum allowed
distance is defined herein. Again same order to magnitude as the grid spacing is
recommended.
(3) For the solution of the non-linear lifting line equations (Lifting Line option for the modeling

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 7 of 17

of the blade only) an initial solution is required. This is internally defined and the
corresponding coefficient is a relaxation applied to this initial solution in order to avoid
divergence during the first time step/iteration of the solution procedure.
(4) The near part of the wake is formed by filaments. The far part of the wake is formed by VPs.
The number of time steps after which the wake is converted to a vortex particle representation
is defined herein.
(5) When the wake is converted from the filament representation to VPs it is possible to merge
a number of wake panels in the spatial and temporal direction into one VP. This is done in
order to save computational time. The number of spatial levels should be an exact divisor of
the blade strips (radial number of wake panels). An example is shown in the figure below.

ls Ω
ve
le
al
ti
pa
fso
er
mb

Num
Γ b er of
Nu

temp
oral le
vels

In the example above

The Number of steps after which wake is switched to VPs = 2

The Number of temporal levels for vp generation = 2

The Number of spatial levels for vp generation = 2

(6) The simulated configuration is formed by a number of bodies which are grouped into
blocks. The grouping into blocks only serves computation of loads because overall loads of a
block are provided as a separate output. For example the blades of the MR or TR can form one
distinct block.
(7) For each body the name of file containing basic definitions is defined.
(8) For each body the name of file containing levels of motion of body is defined.

filename.def
<blank line> !-Blade=1 --- definitions file
2 ! INDXBO (body index, if 2 LL Body) (1)

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 8 of 17

For bodies with INDXBO=2,3,4 (blades-wings) we read the input below

<blank line>
2 ! IMODE (1:propeller 2:wind turbine, helicopter rotor) (2)
1 ! Islope (1:2pi slope 2:dCL/da slope) (3)
<blank line>
10.570 ! RAERO Radius where aerodynamically active part of the blade starts
102.88 ! RTIP Radius of the blade tip
<blank line>
21 ! NSECTS (4)
2 ! NODEPS (4)
0 ! IstripSL (5)
0 ! IstripDS (6)
1 ! Number of block blade belongs
9 ! Total number of levels - levels of motion of the corresponding body
<blank line>
geomb.inp ! Geometry definition files (7)
profilb.inp
bodygrdb.inp
reflineb.inp

For bodies with INDXBO=5 we read the input below

<blank line>
21 ! NSECTS (4)
2 ! NODEPS (4)
5 ! Number of block body belongs
6 ! Total number of levels – levels of motion of the corresponding body

tower_grd.inp ! Geometry and wake definition files (7)

tower_topo_wake.inp

For bodies with INDXBO=6 we read the input below

<blank line>
1877 ! NNODEPB (4)
1880 ! NPANB (4)
5 ! Number of block body belongs
6 ! Total number of levels - levels of motion of the corresponding body

tower_grd.inp ! Geometry and wake definition files (7)

tower_topo_body.inp
tower_topo_wake.inp

(1) Index of Body type:

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 9 of 17

 2 – Lifitng Line Body (LL)
3 – Thin Lifting Surface body (Thin)
4 – Thick 3D Panel lifting body (Thick)
5 – Thick Panel non lifting body with structured grid
6 – Thick Panel lifting/non lifting body with unstructured grid

(2) Index defining the type of a lifting body (propeller or helicopter/wind turbine blade/wing)
(3) In Lifting Line modeling the slope of the linear part of the CL curve could be either taken
equal to 2π or equal to the actual slope dCL/da.
(4)
NSECTS = number of sections that the body is divided to

NODEPS = number of nodes for every section (by definition equal to 2 for Lifting Line bodies)

NNODEPB = total number of nodes of the body (if the body is defined on the basis of an unstructured
grid)

NPANB = total number of panels of the body (if the body is defined on the basis of an unstructured grid)

(5) Number of strips after which the dCL/da slope is applied on Lifting Line modeling. For inner
most section the slope is taken equal to 2π
(6) Number of strips after which the dynamic stall model correction is applied
(7) Geometry and wake definition files (see below)

filename.move
<blank line> Blade=1, give data for every level
<blank line> nb=1, lev=9 (Y axis Pitching motion)(1)
<blank line> Rotation
2 ! IMOVEAB type of movement (2)
2 ! NAXISA =1,2,3 axis of rotation (3)
5.600 ! AMOVEAB -1 collective pitch (deg)
1.200 ! AMOVEAB -2 cosine pitch (deg)
-1.200 ! AMOVEAB -3 sine pitch (deg)
1.0000 ! AMOVEAB -4 rotational speed (rad/s)
0.00 ! AMOVEAB -5 initial azimuth (deg)
<blank line> Translation
1 ! IMOVEUB type of movement (2)
2 ! NAXISU =1,2,3 axis of translation (3)
10.070 ! AMOVEUB -1 initial displacement (m)
0. ! AMOVEUB -2 initial velocity (m/s)
0. ! AMOVEUB -3

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 10 of 17

0. ! AMOVEUB -4
0. ! AMOVEUB -5
…
…continues until all levels are defined
…
<blank line>!
<blank line>!- fixed LEVELS
7 ! level of the rotor disk system following the rotating blade (4)
6 ! level of the rotor disk system - non rotating frame (5)
9 ! level of pitch rotation (6)
7 ! level of azimuth rotation (7)

(1) every level of motion consists of a single rotation R k and a single translation Pk – levels
are defined in inverse order starting from level k  N level (see figure below)

Kinematics
yB

r  P1 + R1   P2 + R 2    PN + R N  r  
y
zB

yG

zG

xB

Body - level xG

(2) Type of level. At the moment 2 types have been defined

a) IMOVEAB or IMOVEUB =1 - constant speed level
AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -1: initial angle (deg)/displacement (m)

AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -2: initial angular velocity (rad/s)/ linear velocity (m/s)

b) IMOVEAB or IMOVEUB =2 – cyclic motion x  x 0  x c cos(t  )  x s sin(t  )

AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -1: collective value x 0 (deg/m)

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 11 of 17

 AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -2: cosine value x c (deg/m)

AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -3: sine value x s (deg/m)

AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -4: rotational speed  (rad/s)

AMOVEAB or AMOVEUB -5: phase  (deg)

(3) Axis of rotation/translation

(4) Level of the rotor disk system following the rotating blade: necessary for the calculation of
block loads in the rotating frame
(5) Level of the rotor disk system - non rotating frame: necessary for the calculation of block
loads in the non rotating block frame
(6) Level defining pitch rotation
(7) Level defining azimuth rotation

geom.inp
<blank line> -- Input geometry for blades-wings
27 !NSPANB Number of lines defined below
r chord(m) twist(deg) xaer(m) zaer(m)
0.0000 0.25000 -5.5000 0.0 0.0
0.0050 0.25000 -5.4910 0.0 0.0
0.0500 0.25000 -5.4090 0.0 0.0
0.1000 0.25000 -5.3180 0.0 0.0
0.1500 0.25000 -5.2270 0.0 0.0
……
Continues up to the tip….
….
Column 1: radius (m)
Column 2: chord (m)
Column 3: twist (deg)
Column 4&5: x,z position of aerodynamic centre wrt. to elastic axis (necessary when
aeroelastic coupling is activated)

profil.inp
<blank line> -- Input profiles of blades-wings
10 ! NSPANB Number of lines defined below
r profil
0.000 "polar_root.inp"
2.959 "polar_mid.inp"
4.400 "polar_tip.inp"

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 12 of 17

Column 1: radius (m)
Column 2: name of the file containing polar characteristics

polar.inp
4 ! Number of different Mach numbers for which polars are defined
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60

100 ! Number of angles for which CL,CD,CM data are provided

AoA1 (CL1 CD1 CM1) (CL2 CD2 CM2) (CL3 CD3 CM3) (CL4 CD4 CM4)
AoA2
........
AoA100

For every angle of attack provide CL,CD,CM data for all Mach numbers

3. GenUVP Output files description

A. Geometrical Visualization
 xgeom.dat Global coordinates of panel nodes at current time step
Column 1: X component [ m ]
Column 2: Y component [ m ]
Column 3: Z component [ m ]

 xblad.dat Global coordinates of the blade’s reference line nodes at current

time step
Column 1: X component [ m ]
Column 2: Y component [ m ]
Column 3: Z component [ m ]

 xcp.dat Global coordinates of control points at current time step

Column 1: X component [ m ]
Column 2: Y component [ m ]
Column 3: Z component [ m ]

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 13 of 17

 B. Wake Visualization

 xwaken.dat Global coordinates of near wake panel nodes (wake panels

attached to the blade)
Column 1: X component [ m ]
Column 2: Y component [ m ]
Column 3: Z component [ m ]

 xwakef.dat Global coordinates of far wake panel nodes (wake panels not
attached to the blade)
Column 1: X component [ m ]
Column 2: Y component [ m ]
Column 3: Z component [ m ]

 xwakevp.dat Global coordinates of vortex particles and their circulation

vector
Column 1: X component of vortex particle global coordinates [ m ]
Column 2: Y component of vortex particle global coordinates [ m ]
Column 3: Z component of vortex particle global coordinates [ m ]
m2
Column 4: X component of vortex particle circulation vector
s[ ]
m2
Column 5: Y component of vortex particle circulation vector
s[ ]
m2
Column 6: Z component of vortex particle circulation vector
s[ ]
C. Panel flow quantities

 vel_pres.dat Characteristic flow quantities of panel control points

Column 1: X component of panel control point local coordinates [ m ]
Column 2: Y component of panel control point local coordinates [ m ]
Column 3: Z component of panel control point local coordinates [ m ]
m
Column 4: Magnitude of velocity of the panel
s[ ]
Column 5: Dimensionless Pressure Coefficient (C P ) of the panel
m
Column 6: Spanwise component of the panel’s tangential velocity
s [ ]
m
Column 7: Chordwise component of the panel’s tangential velocity
s [ ]
The Lifting Line Bodies panels are neglected from this procedure.

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 14 of 17

 D. System Solution
 sol_pan.dat Velocity potential of the panel
Column 1: X component of panel control point local coordinates [ m ]
Column 2: Y component of panel control point local coordinates [ m ]
Column 3: Z component of panel control point local coordinates [ m ]
m2
Column 4: Potential value of the panel
[ ]
s

The Lifting Line Bodies panels are neglected from this procedure.

 sol_ll.dat Circulation of the lifting line bodies strips

Column 1: X component of strip control point local coordinates [ m ]
Column 2: Y component of strip control point local coordinates [ m ]
Column 3: Z component of strip control point local coordinates [ m ]
m2
Column 4: Circulation of the strip
[ ]
s

E. Aerodynamic Loads
 striplXX_YY.dat (lifting bodies) Aerodynamic outputs for blade XX at strip YY
Column 1: Time [ s ]
Column 2: Blade’s azimuth angle [ deg ]
Column 3: Blade’s pitch angle [ deg ]
Column 4: Radius of control point [ m ]
Column 5: Angle of attack [ deg ]
m
Column 6: Magnitude of effective velocity [ ] s
Column 7: Mach number [ – ]
Column 8: Potential C L [ – ]
Column 9: Potential C D [ – ]
Column 10: Potential C N [ – ]
Column 11: Potential C T [ – ]
Column 12: Static C L [ – ]
Column 13: Static C D [ – ]
Column 14: Static C N [ – ]
Column 15: Static C T [ – ]
Column 16: Static Cm [ – ]
Column 17: Dynamic Stall C L [ – ]
Column 18: Dynamic Stall C D [ – ]
Column 19: Dynamic Stall C N [ – ]
Column 20: Dynamic Stall C T [ – ]
Column 21: Dynamic Stall Cm [ – ]

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 15 of 17

 FZ N
Column 22: Potential [ ]
striplengt h m
(Flapwise Force)

FX N
Column 23: Potential [ ]
striplengt h m
(Edgewise Force)

MY Nm
Column 24: Potential [ ]
striplengt h m
(Pitching Moment)

FZ N
Column 25: Static [ ]
striplengt h m
FX N
Column 26: Static [ ]
striplengt h m
MY Nm
Column 27: Static [ ]
striplengt h m
FZ N
Column 28: Dynamic Stall [ ]
striplengt h m
FX N
Column 29: Dynamic Stall [ ]
striplengt h m
MY Nm
Column 30: Dynamic Stall [ ]
striplengt h m
Column 31: Angle of attack under no wake velocity induction [ deg ]
Column 32: Twist angle [ deg ]
m
Column 33: X component of wake induced velocity
s [ ]
m
Column 34: Y component of wake induced velocity
s [ ]
m
Column 35: Z component of wake induced velocity
s [ ]
m
Column 36:Circulation
s[ ]
 striplXX_YY.dat (non-lifting bodies) Aerodynamic outputs for blade XX at
strip YY
Column 1: Time [ s ]
FZ N
Column 2: Potential [ ]
striplengt h m
(Flapwise Force)

FX N
Column 3: Potential [ ]
striplengt h m
(Edgewise Force)

MY Nm
Column 4: Potential [ ]
striplengt h m
(Pitching Moment)

FZ N
Column 5: Static [ ]
striplengt h m
FX N
Column 6: Static [ ]
striplengt h m

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 16 of 17

 MY Nm
Column 7: Static
striplengt h m [ ]
FZ N
Column 8: Dynamic Stall
striplengt h m [ ]
FX N
Column 9: Dynamic Stall
str iplengt h m [ ]
MY Nm
Column 10: Dynamic Stall
striplengt h m [ ]
 loads_aer.dat Aerodynamic outputs for blocks
Column 1: Time [ s ]
Column 2: Potential F X [ N ] (Opposite to flight direction)
Column 3: Potential F Y [ N ] (Starboard direction)
Column 4: Potential F Z [ N ] (Opposite to gravity)
Column 5: Potential M X [ N ]
Column 6: Potential M Y [ N ]
Column 7: Potential M Z [ N ]
Column 8: Static F X [ N ]
Column 9: Static F Y [ N ]
Column 10: Static F Z [ N ]
Column 11: Static M X [ N ]
Column 12: Static M Y [ N ]
Column 13: Static M Z [ N ]
Column 14: Dynamic Stall F X [ N ]
Column 15: Dynamic Stall F Y [ N ]
Column 16: Dynamic Stall F Z [ N ]
Column 17: Dynamic Stall M X [ N ]
Column 18: Dynamic Stall M Y [ N ]
Column 19: Dynamic Stall M Z [ N ]

Columns 2÷ 19 are repeated for each block.

GenUVP: Input/Output description Page 17 of 17