Prediction of Engine Performance Under Compressor Inlet Flow Distortion Using Streamline Curvature
Traditionally, engine performance has been simulated based on non-dimensional maps for compressors and turbines. Component characteristic maps assume by default a given state of inlet conditions which can not be easily altered in order to simulate two-dimensional or three-dimensional flow phenomena. Inlet flow distortion, for example, is usually simulated by applying empirical correction factors and modifiers to default component characteristics, alternatively, the parallel compressor theory may be applied. The accuracy of the above methods has been rather questionable since they are unable to capture in sufficient fidelity component-level, complex physical processes and analyze them in the context of the whole engine performance. The technique described in this paper integrates a zero-dimensional (non-dimensional) gas turbine modeling and performance simulation system and a two-dimensional, streamline curvature compressor software. The two-dimensional compressor software can fully define the characteristics of a compressor at several operating condition and is subsequently used in the zero-dimensional cycle analysis to provide a more accurate, physics-based estimate of compressor performance under clean and distorted inlet conditions, replacing the default compressor maps. The high-fidelity component communicates with the lower fidelity cycle via a fully automatic and iterative process for the determination of the correct operating point. This study discusses in detail the development, validation and integration of the two-dimensional, streamline curvature compressor software and presents the various loss models used in the code. It also discusses the relative changes in the performance of a two-stage, experimental compressor with different types of radial pressure distortion obtained by running the two-dimensional streamline curvature compressor software independently. Moreover, the performance of a notional engine model, utilizing the coupled, two-dimensional compressor, under distorted conditions is discussed in detail and compared against the engine performance under clean conditions.