scholarly journals Design of an Economical Counter Rotating Fan: Comparison of the Calculated and Measured Steady and Unsteady Results

Author(s):  
Timea Lengyel-Kampmann ◽  
Andreas Bischoff ◽  
Robert Meyer ◽  
Eberhard Nicke

Within the framework of the EU funded Project VITAL, SNECMA (Group Safran), as the work package leader, developed a counter rotating low-speed fan-concept for a high bypass ratio engine. The detailed aerodynamic and mechanical optimization of one blading version (CRTF2.b) was carried out at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), by applying one of the newest design methods featuring a multi-objective automatic optimization method based on an Evolutionary Algorithm [1]. The final design goals were high efficiency, a sufficient stall margin and adequate acoustic performances for the given cycle parameters. The fan stage developed was tested in an anechoic test facility at CIAM in Moscow. The test routine included the measurement of the performance map based on total pressure and total temperature measurements at the inlet and the outlet of the test rig and acoustic measurement as well. The unsteady flow field of the low speed Contra-Rotating Turbo Fan has been measured with four hot-wire probes at different axial positions. In the evaluation the measured data are compared with high resolution CFD results. Special emphasis was given to the comparison of the radial distribution of total pressure and total temperature in the bypass channel, the comparison of the measured and the calculated fan maps and to the comparison of the hot-wire measurements with high resolution, unsteady CFD results. The tests and the URANS-results confirmed the design goals.

Author(s):  
Baofeng Tu ◽  
Xinyu Zhang ◽  
Liang Li ◽  
Jun Hu

The compressor is a critical component that determines the aerodynamic stability of an aero-engine. Total pressure inlet distortion decreases the thrust and shrinks the stability margin, thus inducing severe performance degradation or even flameout. Generally, tip air injection is used to reduce the adverse influence of total pressure inlet distortion on the aerodynamic stability. In the present work, an experimental investigation on the effects of tip air injection on the stability of a two-stage low-speed axial compressor with total pressure inlet distortion was carried out. A flat baffle generated the total pressure distortion at the inlet of the compressor. The stall margin of the compressor was reduced significantly by the total pressure distortion. When the dimensionless insertion depth of the flat baffle was 0.45, the stall margin decreased to 11.4%. Under the total pressure inlet distortion, tip air injection effectively improved the distortion resistance capability of the compressor. The circumferential layout of the nozzle played a critical role in the stability expansion effect of tip air injection under the inlet flow condition of the total pressure distortion. The modal wave disturbance was likely to occur in the distortion-affected region (the low-pressure region and the mixing region). Tip air injection did not inhibit the generation of the modal wave but restrained the development of the modal wave into the stall cell. It improved the low-speed compressor’s tolerance to the modal wave and allowed a higher amplitude modal wave to occur.


Author(s):  
Liang Xue ◽  
Jie Liu ◽  
Guilin Wen ◽  
Hongxin Wang

Topology optimization is a pioneering design method that can provide various candidates with high mechanical properties. However, the high-resolution for the optimum structures is highly desired, normally in turn leading to computationally intractable puzzle, especially for the famous Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method. In this paper, an efficient and high-resolution topology optimization method is proposed based on the Super-Resolution Convolutional Neural Network (SRCNN) technique in the framework of SIMP. The SRCNN includes four processes, i.e. refining, path extraction & representation, non-linear mapping, and reconstruction. The high computational efficiency is achieved by a pooling strategy, which can balance the number of finite element analysis (FEA) and the output mesh in optimization process. To further reduce the high computational cost of 3D topology optimization problems, a combined treatment method using 2D SRCNN is built as another speeding-up strategy. A number of typical examples justify that the high-resolution topology optimization method adopting SRCNN has excellent applicability and high efficiency for 2D and 3D problems with arbitrary boundary conditions, any design domain shape, and varied load.


Author(s):  
Chetan S. Mistry ◽  
A. M. Pradeep

This paper explores the effect of speed ratio and axial spacing between high aspect ratio, low speed contra-rotating pair rotors on their aerodynamic performance. The blades were designed with a low hub-tip ratio of 0.35 and an aspect ratio of 3.0. Numerical and experimental studies are carried out on these contra-rotating rotors operating at a Reynolds number of 1.258 × 105 (based on blade chord). The first and second rotors were designed to develop a pressure rise of 1100 Pa and 900 Pa, respectively, for total mass flow rate of 6 kg/s when both operating at a design speed of 2400 rpm. The performance of the fan was evaluated based on variations of total pressure and flow angles at off-design operating conditions. The measurementsof total pressure rise, flow angles etc. are taken upstream of the first rotor and in between the two rotors and downstream of the second rotor. The performance of the contra rotating stage is mainly influenced by the axial spacing between the rotors and speed ratio of both the rotors. The study reveals that the aerodynamics of the contra-rotating stage and stall margin is significantly affected by both the speed ratio as well as the axial spacing between the rotors. It was found that with increasing the speed ratio, the strong suction generated by the second rotor, improves the stage pressure rise and stall margin. Lower axial spacing changes the flow incidence to the second rotor and thereby improves the overall performance of the stage. This however, is accompanied by an increased noise level. The performance is investigated at different speed ratios of the rotors at varying axial spacing. Detailed numerical simulations have been conducted using ANSYS CFX13© using mixing plane approach between rotors. Numerical simulations are compared with experimental results at off-design conditions. These results are validated using the experimental data. Numerical simulations are expected to provide deeper insight into the flow physics of contra-rotating rotors which may be difficult to capture experimentally.


Author(s):  
Liang Xue ◽  
Jie Liu ◽  
Guilin Wen ◽  
Hongxin Wang

AbstractTopology optimization is a pioneer design method that can provide various candidates with high mechanical properties. However, high resolution is desired for optimum structures, but it normally leads to a computationally intractable puzzle, especially for the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) method. In this study, an efficient, high-resolution topology optimization method is developed based on the superresolution convolutional neural network (SRCNN) technique in the framework of SIMP. SRCNN involves four processes, namely, refinement, path extraction and representation, nonlinear mapping, and image reconstruction. High computational efficiency is achieved with a pooling strategy that can balance the number of finite element analyses and the output mesh in the optimization process. A combined treatment method that uses 2D SRCNN is built as another speed-up strategy to reduce the high computational cost and memory requirements for 3D topology optimization problems. Typical examples show that the high-resolution topology optimization method using SRCNN demonstrates excellent applicability and high efficiency when used for 2D and 3D problems with arbitrary boundary conditions, any design domain shape, and varied load.


Author(s):  
T Triantafyllou ◽  
T Nikolaidis ◽  
M Diakostefanis ◽  
P Pilidis

Military aircraft are often subjected to severe flight maneuvers with high angles of attack and angles of sideslip. These flight attitudes induce non-uniformity in flow conditions to their gas turbine engines, which may include distortion of inlet total pressure and total temperature at the aerodynamic interface plane. Operation of the downstream engine’s compression system may suffer reduced aerodynamic performance and stall margin, and increased blade stress levels. The present study presents a methodology of evaluating the effect of inlet flow distortion on the engine’s fan stability. The flow distortion examined was induced to the aerodynamic interface plane by means of changing the aircraft’s flight attitude. The study is based on the steady-state flow results from 27 different flight scenarios that have been simulated in computational fluid dynamics. As a baseline model geometry, an airframe inspired by the General Dynamics/LMAERO F-16 aircraft was chosen, which has been exposed to subsonic incoming airflow with varying direction resembling thus different aircraft flight attitudes. The results are focused on the total pressure distribution on the engine’s (aerodynamic interface plane) face and how this is manifested at the operation of the fan. Based on the results, it was concluded that the distorted conditions cause a shift of the surge line on the fan map, with the amount of shift to be directly related to the severity of these distorted conditions. The most severe flight attitude in terms of total pressure distortion, among the tested ones, caused about 7% surge margin depletion comparing to the undistorted value.


1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 642-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Van Zante ◽  
K. L. Suder ◽  
A. J. Strazisar ◽  
T. H. Okiishi

The aspirating probe originally designed by Epstein and Ng at MIT was modified by replacing the two platinum-coated tungsten hot wires normally used with platinum–iridium alloy wires. The resulting improved unsteady total pressure and total temperature resolution of the modified probe is demonstrated. Flowfield measurements were made downstream of NASA Rotor 37 for a part-speed operating condition to test the performance of the probe. Time-resolved blade-to-blade total temperature and total pressure as calculated from the two platinum–iridium hot-wire voltages are shown. The flowfield measurements are compared with independent measurements of total pressure with high response transducers and total temperature calculated from laser anemometer measurements. Limitations of a more often used unsteady temperature data reduction method, which involves only one aspirating probe hot-wire voltage and a high-response pressure measurement, are discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 119 (1219) ◽  
pp. 1147-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Triantafyllou ◽  
T. Nikolaidis ◽  
M. Diakostefanis ◽  
P. Pilidis

AbstractMilitary aircrafts are often subjected to severe flight maneuvers with high Angles-of -Attack (AOA) and Angles of Sideslip (AOSS). These flight attitudes induce non-uniform in flow conditions to their gas turbine engines which may include distortion of inlet total pressure and total temperature at the Aerodynamic Interface Plane (AIP). Operation of the downstream compression system with distorted inflow typically results in reduced aerodynamic performance, reduced stall margin, and increased blade stress levels. In the present study the steady state total pressure distortion induced to the Aerodynamic Interface Plane due to the aircraft’s flight attitude have been estimated in terms of distortion descriptors. The distorted conditions at the interface between the intake and the engine have been predicted by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), where 33 different aircraft flight attitudes have been tested. Based on the obtained results the effect of Angle-of-Attack (AOA) and Angle of Side Slip (AOSS) on the distortion descriptors have been studied. The results showed that the distortion effect becomes more pronounced whenever this specific airframe configuration is exposed to incoming flow with an AOSS. Among the tested cases, the greatest total pressure defect at the AIP in terms of difference from the average value and of circumferential extent was calculated for the flight attitudes of 0·35M flight with 0° AOA and 8° AOSS and 0·35M fight with 16° AOA and 16° AOSS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 7784
Author(s):  
Shuiqing Zhou ◽  
Ke Yang ◽  
Weitao Zhang ◽  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Chihu Wang ◽  
...  

The multi-blade centrifugal fan is commonly used in modern building ventilation and air-conditioning system. However, it does not readily satisfy the increasing demand for energy saving, high efficiency or noise reduction. Its performance is inherently limited by the geometrical structure of single circular arc blades. Q35-type multi-blade centrifugal fan studied as an example by combining the disturbance CST function to parameterize the blades. The optimization parameter change range is confirmed, and test samples are extracted before establishing an RBF proxy model. The NSGA-II algorithm is incorporated, and multi-objective optimization is performed with flow rate and total pressure efficiency as optimization goals. The results show that the fan performance is effectively improved. At the design working point, the air volume of the multi-blade centrifugal fan increases by 1.4 m³/min; at the same time, the total pressure efficiency increases by 3.1%, and the noise is reduced by 1.12 dB, applying the proposed design. The obtained higher fan efficiency can effectively improve performance of the whole ventilation and air-conditioning system. This novel optimization method also has relatively few parameters, which makes it potentially valuable for designing multi-wing centrifugal and other types of fans, providing a new idea for energy saving and emission reduction design of fan.


2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 842-851
Author(s):  
S. J. Payne ◽  
A. J. W. Moxon

The aspirating probe has recently been successfully used to measure entropy within a turbomachine; however, it was found that its sensitivity to total pressure and total temperature fluctuations was significantly altered at high frequencies. If the aspirating probe is to be used to measure unsteady flow fields accurately, these high-frequency effects must be better understood. The analysis of this behavior presented here shows that there are three effects that must be considered: the frequency response of the hot wires, the presence of Mach number fluctuations inside the probe, and the change in heat transfer from the hot wires at high frequencies. A theoretical analysis of the first effect has provided a correction factor that can be used for any hot wire, dependent solely on the baseline heat transfer ratio, the overheat ratio, and the time constant of the hot wires. The second and third effects have been examined numerically, since no theoretical solution is known to exist. The Mach number fluctuations are found to be well predicted by a simple one-dimensional solver and to show a variation of ±2.4% in Mach number at the hot-wire plane for the geometry and flow field considered here. The variation in heat transfer with frequency is found to be negligible at high overheat ratios, but significant at overheat ratios below ∼0.4. Coefficients that determine how the measured total pressure and total temperature depend on the actual total pressure, total temperature, and Mach number have been derived, and these show significant variation with the values of the two overheat ratios. Using synthetic data, based on previous experimental data, the effects on the probe measurement accuracy are analyzed. This shows that the amplitudes of total pressure and total temperature are reduced. At widely spaced overheat ratios, the amplitudes are reduced by similar amounts, but at smaller spacing the reductions become dissimilar, resulting in highly erroneous entropy∕R measurements. High-frequency effects thus have a significant effect on the performance of the aspirating probe and should be carefully considered when using it in a highly unsteady flow field.


Author(s):  
Dale E. Van Zante ◽  
Kenneth L. Suder ◽  
Anthony J. Strazisar ◽  
Theodore H. Okiishi

The aspirating probe originally designed by Epstein and Ng at MIT was modified by replacing the two platinum coated tungsten hot wires normally used with platinum iridium alloy wires. The resulting improved unsteady total pressure and total temperature resolution of the modified probe is demonstrated. Flowfield measurements were made downstream of NASA Rotor 37 for a part speed operating condition to test the performance of the probe. Time resolved blade-to-blade total temperature and total pressure as calculated from the two platinum iridium hot wire voltages are shown. The flowfield measurements are compared with independent measurements of total pressure with high response transducers and total temperature calculated from laser anemometer measurements. Limitations of a more often used unsteady temperature data reduction method which involves only one aspirating probe hot wire voltage and a high-response pressure measurement are discussed.


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