Integration of 3D-CFD Component Simulation Into Overall Engine Performance Analysis for Engine Condition Monitoring Purposes

Abstract

For an efficient detection of single or multiple component damages, the knowledge of their impact on the overall engine performance is crucial. This knowledge can be either built up on measurement data, which is hardly available to non-manufacturers or –maintenance companies, or simulative approaches such as high fidelity component simulation combined with an overall cycle analysis. Due to a high degree of complexity and computational effort, overall system simulations of jet engines are typically performed as 0-dimensional thermodynamic performance analysis, based on scaled generic component maps. The approach of multi-fidelity simulation, allows the replacement of single components within the thermodynamic cycle model by higher-order simulations. Hence, the component behavior becomes directly linked to the actual hardware state of the component model. Hereby the assessment of component deteriorations in an overall system context is enabled and the resulting impact on the overall system can be quantified. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the capabilities of multi fidelity simulation in the context of engine condition monitoring. For this purpose, a 0D-performance model of the IAE-V2527 engine is combined with a CFD model of the appropriate fan component. The CFD model comprises the rotor as well as the outlet guide vane of the bypass and the inlet guide vane of the core section. As an exemplarily component deterioration, the fan blade tip clearance is increased in multiple steps and the impact on the overall engine performance is assessed for typical engine operating conditions. The harmonization between both simulation levels is achieved by means of an improved map scaling approach using an optimization strategy leading to practicable simulation times.

A Fully Coupled Body Force-Engine Performance Methodology For Boundary Layer Ingestion

“…An advantage of this process chain lies in the fact that the updates only affect the aerodynamic model inputs, while the CFD boundary conditions remain unchanged during the whole simulation. This last point constitutes a major difference with respect to previous zooming approaches [21][22][23]25].…”

“…In the literature, a method that couples aerodynamic and engine performance analysis is the so-called zooming approach, mainly aimed at improving the accuracy of individual component representation in overall performance models. This improvement is achieved through CFD calculations of a turbomachinery component, which can range from one-dimensional mean line calculations [17][18][19][20], to 3D CFD simulations [21][22][23], or some intermediate levels such as 2D streamline curvature models [24]. In these contributions, CFD data is used to re-scale component maps in the performance model, hence enhancing the predictions of the latter over a specific engine operation range.…”

Collaborative Aircraft Engine Preliminary Design using a Virtual Engine Platform, Part A: Architecture and Methodology

“…Although the general functionality to execute CFD processes within GTlab has already been demonstrated [22,23], the extension of the interfaces to the detailed engine design including aero-structure coupled simulations is one of the next objectives and will be addressed in the DLR internal projects SimBaCon (Simulation Based Certification) and VirTriP targeting the digitalization of the aircraft engine and stationary gas-turbine sector.…”

“…The advantages of the application of a central data model as infrastructure for the exchange of data during multi-fidelity simulation were demonstrated in Refs. [21][22][23].…”

“…Later during the engine life cycle, the performance model can be used as a digital representation for cycle analysis studies, test verification and condition monitoring (cf. [23,37]).…”