A study of fan-distortion interaction within the fan rotor

Author(s):  
Zhihui Li ◽  
Juan Du ◽  
Qianfeng Zhang ◽  
Guofeng Ji ◽  
Hongwu Zhang

Boundary-layer-ingesting fans and compressors in the next-generation turbofan engines require high-performance operations under distorted inflow. The aim of this work is to study the effects of inlet distortions including inlet stagnation pressure and temperature distortion, on the aerodynamic performance of a transonic axial fan. Firstly, the validated full-annulus, unsteady, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic code in conjunction with detached Eddy simulation approach is used here to simulate the fan flows assembly with individual inlet stagnation pressure/temperature distortion. Then, the propagation process of the inlet distortion waves is analyzed to understand how the aerodynamic performance degradation is triggered. The simulation results show that the fan performance is remarkably degraded when the inlet distortion is introduced. The leading-edge spillage, the trailing edge back flow and the “tornado vortex” occur when parts of fan blades encounter the incoming distorted flows. Finally, the responses of fan to the combined inlet stagnation distortion effects are discussed in this paper. It is found that the combined distortion effects can be predicted based on the sum of the performance responses to the individual constituent distortions. Furthermore, the relative location of the constituent distortions shows a non-ignorable influence on the overall fan performance, especially for the intensified inlet distortion.

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Corsini ◽  
Giovanni Delibra ◽  
Anthony G. Sheard

Taking a lead from the humpback whale flukes, characterized by a series of bumps that result in a sinusoidal-like leading edge, this paper reports on a three-dimensional numerical study of sinusoidal leading edges on cambered airfoil profiles. The turbulent flow around the cambered airfoil with the sinusoidal leading edge was computed at different angles of attack with the open source solver OpenFOAM, using two different eddy viscosity models integrated to the wall. The reported research focused on the effects of the modified leading edge in terms of lift-to-drag performance and the influence of camber on such parameters. For these reasons a comparison with a symmetric airfoil is provided. The research was primarily concerned with the elucidation of the fluid flow mechanisms induced by the bumps and the impact of those mechanisms on airfoil performance, on both symmetric and cambered profiles. The bumps on the leading edge influenced the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil, and the lift curves were found to feature an early recovery in post-stall for the symmetric profile with an additional gain in lift for the cambered profile. The bumps drove the fluid dynamic on the suction side of the airfoil, which in turn resulted in the capability to control the separation at the trailing edge in coincidence with the peak of the sinusoid at the leading edge.


Author(s):  
E. J. Gunn ◽  
S. E. Tooze ◽  
C. A. Hall ◽  
Y. Colin

The viability of Boundary Layer Ingesting (BLI) engines for future aircraft propulsion is dependent on the ability to design robust, efficient engine fan systems for operation with continuously distorted inlet flow. A key step in this process is to develop an understanding of the specific mechanisms by which an inlet distortion affects the performance of a fan stage. In this paper, detailed full-annulus experimental measurements of the flow field within a low-speed fan stage operating with a continuous 60-degree inlet stagnation pressure distortion are presented. These results are used to describe the three-dimensional fluid mechanics governing the interaction between the fan and the distortion and to make a quantitative assessment of the impact on loss generation within the fan. A 5.3 percentage point reduction in stage total-to-total efficiency is observed as a result of the inlet distortion. The reduction in performance is shown to be dominated by increased loss generation in the rotor due to off-design incidence values at its leading edge, an effect which occurs throughout the annulus despite the localised nature of the inlet distortion. Increased loss generation in the stator row is also observed due to flow separations that are shown to be caused by whirl angle distortion at rotor exit. By addressing these losses, it should be possible to achieve improved efficiency in BLI fan systems.


2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewan J. Gunn ◽  
Sarah E. Tooze ◽  
Cesare A. Hall ◽  
Yann Colin

The viability of boundary layer ingesting (BLI) engines for future aircraft propulsion is dependent on the ability to design robust, efficient engine fan systems for operation with continuously distorted inlet flow. A key step in this process is to develop an understanding of the specific mechanisms by which an inlet distortion affects the performance of a fan stage. In this paper, detailed full-annulus experimental measurements of the flow field within a low-speed fan stage operating with a continuous 60 deg inlet stagnation pressure distortion are presented. These results are used to describe the three-dimensional fluid mechanics governing the interaction between the fan and the distortion and to make a quantitative assessment of the impact on loss generation within the fan. A 5.3 percentage point reduction in stage total-to-total efficiency is observed as a result of the inlet distortion. The reduction in performance is shown to be dominated by increased loss generation in the rotor due to off-design incidence values at its leading edge, an effect that occurs throughout the annulus despite the localized nature of the inlet distortion. Increased loss in the stator row is also observed due to flow separations that are shown to be caused by whirl angle distortion at rotor exit. By addressing these losses, it should be possible to achieve improved efficiency in BLI fan systems.


Author(s):  
Alessandro Corsini ◽  
Andrea Marchegiani ◽  
Franco Rispoli ◽  
Paolo Venturini ◽  
Anthony G. Sheard

Induced draft fans extract coal fired boiler combustion products, including particles of un-burnt coal and ash. As a consequence of the particles, the axial fan blades’ leading edges are subject to erosion. Erosion results in the loss of the blade leading edge aerodynamic profile and a reduction of blade chord and effective camber that together degrade aerodynamic performance. An experimental study demonstrated that while the degradation of aerodynamic performance begins gradually, it collapses as blade erosion reaches a critical limit. This paper presents a numerical study on the evolution of blade leading edge erosion patterns in an axial induced draft fan. The authors calculated particle trajectories using an in-house computational fluid dynamic (CFD) solver coupled with a trajectory predicting solver based on an original finite element interpolation scheme. The numerical study clarifies the influence of flow structure, initial blade geometry, particle size, and concentration on erosion pattern.


Author(s):  
Young-Seok Choi ◽  
Yong-In Kim ◽  
Sung Kim ◽  
Seul-Gi Lee ◽  
Hyeon-Mo Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper describes the numerical optimization of an axial fan focused on the blade and guide vane (GV). For numerical analysis, three-dimensional (3D) steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with the shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model are discretized by the finite volume method (FVM). The objective function is enhancement of aerodynamic performance with specified total pressure. To select the design variables which have main effect to the objective function, 2k factorial design is employed as a method for design of experiment (DOE). In addition, response surface method (RSM) based on the central composite design applied to carry out the single-objective optimization. Effects on the components such as bell mouth and hub cap are considered with previous analysis. The internal flow characteristics between base and optimized model are analyzed and discussed.


Fluids ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Motoyuki Kawase ◽  
Aldo Rona

A proof of concept is provided by computational fluid dynamic simulations of a new recirculating type casing treatment. This treatment aims at extending the stable operating range of highly loaded axial compressors, so to improve the safety of sorties of high-speed, high-performance aircraft powered by high specific thrust engines. This casing treatment, featuring an axisymmetric recirculation channel, is evaluated on the NASA rotor 37 test case by steady and unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations, using the realizable k-ε model. Flow blockage at the recirculation channel outlet was mitigated by chamfering the exit of the recirculation channel inner wall. The channel axial location from the rotor blade tip leading edge was optimized parametrically over the range −4.6% to 47.6% of the rotor tip axial chord c z . Locating the channel at 18.2% c z provided the best stall margin gain of approximately 5.5% compared to the untreated rotor. No rotor adiabatic efficiency was lost by the application of this casing treatment. The investigation into the flow structure with the recirculating channel gave a good insight into how the new casing treatment generates this benefit. The combination of stall margin gain at no rotor adiabatic efficiency loss makes this design attractive for applications to high-speed gas turbine engines.


Author(s):  
Liping Xu

The aerodynamic sources of the forward tone noise of transonic civil fans are analysed. The leading edge shockwave near the rotor tip section is identified as the main source of tone noise. By comparing the tone noise levels of the same fan operating at two different working lines, numerical calculations show that on the lower working line, the main passage shockwave is swallowed and locked into the blade passage, and the fan blades act as a shield to prevent the strong passage shock wave from propagating upstream. The calculations show that, by running the fan at a lower working line, up to 6 db abatement in the blade passing frequency (BPF) tone can be achieved through shielding the shockwave. With three dimensional CFD it is possible to design swept rotors which have desired shockwave structures near the tip region. Fan rotors with different swept leading edges have been designed to study this effect and comparisons in aerodynamics performances as well as the tone noise levels are made. It is predicted that in a swept rotor the leading edge shock strength can be further weakened and up to 5db further reduction in tone noise is possible. With a more secure shockwave shielding, a forward swept rotor has the combination of better aerodynamic performance and better noise abatement feature. The design and test results of a three dimensional fan rotor LNR2, featuring localised forward swept rotor are presented. Rig test results show that although the noise reduction through shock shielding has been demonstrated, the aerodynamics and noise are complicated by the problems specific to such localised forward swept fan.


Author(s):  
D. Bouchard ◽  
A. Asghar ◽  
J. Hardes ◽  
R. Edwards ◽  
W. D. E. Allan ◽  
...  

This paper addresses the issue of aerodynamic performance of a novel 3D leading edge modification to a reference vane. An analysis of tubercles found in nature and some engineering applications was used to synthesize new leading edge geometry. Three variations of the reference low pressure turbine vane were obtained by changing the characteristic parameters of the tubercles. Shock structure, surface flow visualization and total pressure measurements were made through experiments in a cascade rig, as well as through computational fluid dynamics. The tests were carried out at design zero incidence and off-design ±10-deg and ±5-deg incidences. The performance of the new 3D leading edge geometries was compared against the reference vane. Some leading edge tubercle configurations were effective at decreasing total pressure losses at positive inlet incidence angles. Numerical results supplemented experimental results.


2015 ◽  
Vol 656-657 ◽  
pp. 664-669
Author(s):  
Sheng Fu ◽  
Xiao Fan Du ◽  
Kan Luo ◽  
Yong Gang Xu

In this paper, a new fault diagnosis method is proposed based on CFD technology in order to research the fault mechanism of mine axial fan. The method combined RANS equation and Realizable k-turbulence model realizes the three dimensional aerodynamic performance analysis of the fan impeller. Three-dimensional impeller model of axial fan was set up in three conditions which including normal, crack and blade loose, and comparing the turbulence characteristic of the three models. The research provides the theoretical basis for the fault mechanism of blade failure, and it has important reference value for fault diagnosis method based on CFD of mine axial fan.


Author(s):  
Peng Sun ◽  
Jingjun Zhong ◽  
Guotai Feng

The performance and stability of a fan in clean and distorted inlet flow can be improved through the use of bowed stator blades. Measurements between the blade rows in transonic and supersonic flow are too complex to provide any useful insights, so 3D flow simulations are required. In this paper, a time-accurate three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver of the unsteady flow field in a transonic fan is carried out using “Fluent-parallel” in a parallel supercomputer. Two sets of simulations are performed. The first simulation focuses on a better understanding of inlet total pressure distortion effects on a transonic fan. The second set of numerical simulation aims at studying the improvements of fan performance made by bowed stator blades. Three aspects are contained in this paper. The first is about the distortion effects on characteristics of the fan stage with straight stator. The effects of bowed stator on fan performance with inlet distortion are demonstrated secondly. One hand bowed stator increases the loss in rotor. On the other hand, it reduces the flow loss in stator. Finally, the patterns of flow loss caused by total pressure distortion with straight/bowed stator are compared. The scale of vortex in stator induced by inlet total pressure distortion is weakened by bowed blades, which decreases the stator loss.


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