paper for one flight Mach number and angle of attack setting. More importantly, this research effort established the necessary methodology and technology required towards a full, two-dimensional engine cycle analysis at an affordable computational resource in the very short term. NOMENCLATURE AbbreviationsAoA angle-of-attack BPR bypass ratio CFD computational fluid dynamics CMF corrected mass flow DLL dynamic link library ETA isentropic efficiency GT gross thrust LES large-eddy simulation LBR low by-pass ratio OPR overall pressure ratio ABSTRACT In commercially available gas turbine performance simulation tools, individual engine components are typically represented with nondimensional maps of experimental or default data. In those cases where actual component characteristics are not available and default characteristics are used instead, conventional tools can deviate substantially at off-design and transient conditions. Similarly, when real component characteristics are available, conventional engine cycle simulation tools can not predict the performance of the engine at other than nominal conditions satisfactorily, or account for the impact of changes in component geometry.This study looked into the full integration of two-dimensional streamline curvature component models with a low fidelity cycle program. Firstly, the obtained engine performance was compared against the one calculated based on default component characteristics. As a second case study, a range of flight Mach numbers and angles of attack were examined together with the effect of three different intake lip geometries on the performance of a notional, two-spool, lowbypass ratio, military engine. Two-dimensional models were used in the engine cycle analysis to provide a more accurate, physics-and geometry-based estimate of intake and fan performances.The analysis carried out by this study demonstrated relative changes in the predicted engine performance larger than 1%. For briefness, representative results are presented and discussed in this THE AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL
Two-dimensional compressor flow simulation software has always been a very valuable tool in compressor preliminary design studies, as well as in compressor performance assessment, operating under uniform and non-uniform inlet conditions. In this context, a new streamline curvature (SLC) software has been developed capable of analyzing the flow inside a compressor in two dimensions. The software was developed to provide great flexibility, in the sense that it can be used as: a) A performance prediction tool for compressors of a known design, b) A development tool to assess the changes in performance of a known compressor after implementing small geometry changes, c) A design tool to verify and refine the outcome of a preliminary compressor design analysis, d) A teaching tool to provide the student with an insight of the two-dimensional flow field inside a compressor and how this could be effectively predicted using the SLC method, combined with various algorithms and loss models, e) A 2-D compressor model that can be integrated into a conventional 0-D gas turbine engine cycle simulation code for the investigation of the influence of non-uniform radial pressure profiles on whole engine performance. Apart from describing in detail the design, structure and execution of the SLC software, this paper also stresses the importance of developing robust, well thought-out software and highlights the main areas a potential programmer should focus on in order to achieve this. This manuscript highlights briefly the programming features incorporated into the development of software before continuing to explain the internal workings of individual algorithms. The paper reviews in detail the set of equations used for the prediction of the meridional flow field. Numerical aspects of the application procedure of the full radial equilibrium equation are examined. The loss models incorporated for subsonic and supersonic flow are presented for design and off design operating conditions. Deviation angle rules are presented, together with the parameters for quantifying the diffusion process. Moreover, the methods used for the prediction of surge and choke are discussed in detail. Finally, the end wall boundary layer displacement thickness calculation is discussed briefly, in conjunction with the blockage factor computation. The code has been validated against experimental results which are presented in this paper together with the strong and weak points of this first version of the software and the potential for future development.
Background . This study focuses on a simulation strategy that will allow the performance characteristics of an isolated gas turbine engine component, resolved from a detailed, high-fidelity analysis, to be transferred to an engine system analysis carried out at a lower level of resolution. This work will enable component-level, complex physical processes to be captured and analyzed in the context of the whole engine performance, at an affordable computing resource and time. Approach. The technique described in this paper utilizes an object-oriented, zero-dimensional (0D) gas turbine modeling and performance simulation system and a high-fidelity, three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) component model. The work investigates relative changes in the simulated engine performance after coupling the 3D CFD component to the 0D engine analysis system. For the purposes of this preliminary investigation, the high-fidelity component communicates with the lower fidelity cycle via an iterative, semi-manual process for the determination of the correct operating point. This technique has the potential to become fully automated, can be applied to all engine components, and does not involve the generation of a component characteristic map. Results. This paper demonstrates the potentials of the “fully integrated” approach to component zooming by using a 3D CFD intake model of a high bypass ratio turbofan as a case study. The CFD model is based on the geometry of the intake of the CFM56-5B2 engine. The high-fidelity model can fully define the characteristic of the intake at several operating condition and is subsequently used in the 0D cycle analysis to provide a more accurate, physics-based estimate of intake performance (i.e., pressure recovery) and hence, engine performance, replacing the default, empirical values. A detailed comparison between the baseline engine performance (empirical pressure recovery) and the engine performance obtained after using the coupled, high-fidelity component is presented in this paper. The analysis carried out by this study demonstrates relative changes in the simulated engine performance larger than 1%. Conclusions. This investigation proves the value of the simulation strategy followed in this paper and completely justifies (i) the extra computational effort required for a more automatic link between the high-fidelity component and the 0D cycle, and (ii) the extra time and effort that is usually required to create and run a 3D CFD engine component, especially in those cases where more accurate, high-fidelity engine performance simulation is required.
Traditionally, engine performance has been simulated based on nondimensional maps for compressors and turbines. Component characteristic maps assume by default a given state of inlet conditions that cannot be easily altered in order to simulate two- 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 over the years 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 (nondimensional) gas turbine modelling and performance simulation system and a two-dimensional, streamline curvature compressor software. The two-dimensional compressor software can fully define the characteristics of any compressor at several operating conditions 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, two-dimensional compressor component communicates with the lower fidelity cycle via a fully automatic and iterative process for the determination of the correct operating point. This manuscript firstly gives a brief overview of the development, validation, and integration of the two-dimensional, streamline curvature compressor software with the low-fidelity cycle 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. In the cases examined, the analysis carried out by this study demonstrated relative changes in the simulated engine performance larger than 1%. This analysis proves the potential of the simulation strategy presented in this paper to investigate relevant physical processes occurring in an engine component in more detail, and to assess the effects of various isolated flow phenomena on overall engine performance in a timely and affordable manner. Moreover, in contrast to commercial computational fluid dynamics tools, this simulation strategy allows in-house empiricism and expertise to be incorporated in the flow-field calculations in the form of deviation and loss models.
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