Search

The design and optimization of propellers for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are essential for optimal performance and high efficiency. This study presents a numerical investigation of the aerodynamic performance of coaxial octocopters using openfoam as flow solver. While the aerodynamic performance is affected by many parameters, the current study focuses on four main parameters: the propeller type, the horizontal and vertical separation distances between the propellers, and the ratio between the rotational speeds of the upper propeller and the lower one. To find the minimum number of simulations to be performed within defined limits, and reduce the number of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that cause high computational cost, Taguchi method was employed. In this study, average thrusts were calculated for the preliminary design of the octocopter by examining an isolated single propeller and dual- and quad propellers taking their rotation directions into account. The Taguchi design matrix revealed that for all cases investigated, the propeller type is the most dominant design parameter followed by the velocity ratio of the upper propeller to the lower one (⁠nU/nL⁠) and vertical (z/D) and horizontal (l/D⁠) orientation of coaxial propellers. However, it was shown that l/D and z/D may play a significant role in vortex formation and pressure fluctuations which should be considered as design criteria for coaxial octocopters associated with flow attributes. The results showed that the aerodynamic performance parameters are not dependent on all the selected parameters, and demonstrated that the selected propeller designs improved aerodynamic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing popularity of vertical axis turbines (VATs), researchers are now focusing on their performance improvement. Instead of adopting conventional means of performance improvements such as augmentation techniques and exhaustive parametric design optimization, the bio-inspired turbine designs have become a center of attraction, especially during the last decade. This review article attempts to compile the bio-inspired designs belonging to the VATs. Bio-inspired designs implemented in Savonius, Darrieus, Nautilus, and Seed-inspired turbines are elaborated besides giving a detailed explanation of the corresponding bio-organism and natural phenomenon. How the working principles of bio-organisms emulated in the form of fluid dynamic design are explained thoroughly in this paper. The bio-inspired designs for VATs are then classified pragmatically for the future designs. Research gaps are highlighted for the aspiring researchers, and this is followed by the important strategies and allied challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeroelastic flutter is a dynamically complex phenomenon that has adverse and unstable effects on elastic structures. It is crucial to better predict the phenomenon of flutter within the scope of aircraft structures to improve the design of their wings. This review aims to establish fundamental guidelines for flutter analysis across subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flow regimes, providing a thorough overview of established analytical, numerical, and reduced-order models as applicable to each flow regime. The review will shed light on the limitations and missing components within the previous literature on these flow regimes by highlighting the challenges involved in simulating flutter. In addition, popular methods that employ the aforementioned analyses for optimizing wing structures under the effects of flutter--a subject currently garnering significant research attention--are also discussed. Our discussion offers new perspectives that encourage collaborative effort in the area of computational methods for flutter prediction and optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ducted rotor-only low-pressure axial fans play an integral role in automotive thermal management. The tightly packed under-hood region and down-stream heat-exchanger shape limit the fan diameter. In order to circumvent this limitation, multiple cooling fans of small diameters are tightly packaged and placed in parallel. Currently, there is limited scientific work, that study the aerodynamics of low-pressure axial fans when installed in parallel. This work aims to quantify the aerodynamic performance and the flow-field as a result of installing low-pressure axial fans in parallel through computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Publicly available experimental data from Friedrich-Alexander University is used for the validation of the numerical setup. Three-dimensional, full-annulus, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) analysis has been performed for both a single-fan and two-fans installed in parallel and their respective aerodynamic performance has been compared for the operation condition identified as the best efficiency point in experiments. Only small differences are observed in the overall aerodynamic performance of the two-fans in parallel compared to a single-fan. A circumferential nonuniformity in the form of a local high-pressure zone at the inlet of the fan is observed when the two-fans are placed in parallel. The resulting circumferential nonuniformity is quantified, both in space and time. A strong correlation is found between the pressure fields of the two-fans installed in parallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerodynamics and flowfield of a rectangular semiwing equipped with four four-bladed propellers and a 40%-chord full-span plain trailing-edge flap were investigated by using force balance and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The distributed electric propulsion (DEP) wing was tilted from zero to 90-deg angle of attack. The maximum lift coefficient, lift-curve slope, and stall angle of the DEP wing were found to increase significantly with increasing propeller rotation. The DEP wing also exhibited a gradual stall in contrast to the sudden stall of the baseline wing. The lift coefficient of the DEP wing positioned vertically at 90 deg was also found to be greatly increased with increasing propeller rotation. Regardless of the magnitude of propeller rotation, the general pattern and behavior of the lift curve were consistent. The deployment of the flap led to a further increase in the maximum lift coefficient and lift-curve slope but an earlier stall and an increased drag of the DEP wing as compared to the unflapped wing. The flap deflection also led to a lowered lift coefficient in the poststall angle-of-attack regime as compared to the unflapped DEP wing. Gurney flap was also employed to further increase the lift generation of the DEP wing. The lift augmentation produced by the propeller slipstream was supplemented by the PIV flowfield measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative analytical model is proposed for hydrodynamics of incompressible Newtonian fluids with suspended solid particles. Unlike existing single-phase models that do not distinguish the velocity field of suspended particles from the velocity field of host fluid, the present model accounts for the relative shift between the two velocity fields and assumes that its effect can be largely captured by substituting the inertia term of Navier-Stokes equations with the acceleration field of the mass center of the representative unit cell. The proposed model enjoys a relatively concise mathematical formulation. The oscillating flow of a particle-fluid suspension between two flat plates is studied with the present model, and detailed results are presented for Stokes' second flow problem on the oscillating flow of a suspension half-space induced by an oscillating plate with specific examples of dusty gases and nanofluids. Remarkably, leading-order asymptotic expressions derived by the present model, for the effect of suspended particles on the decay index and wavenumber of the velocity field, are shown to be identical to known results derived based on the widely adopted Saffman model for dusty gases. It is hoped that the present work could offer a relatively simplified and yet reasonably accurate model for hydrodynamic problems of particle-fluid suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a detailed computational study of the flow within a scale model of a gas turbine engine testing facility. At mass flows representative of tests for large, high bypass ratio turbofans, large amplitude low-frequency pressure fluctuations have been observed experimentally at full- and model-scale. These can be so large as to have deleterious effects on downstream facility components. Improved, delayed, detached eddy simulations (IDDES) of the scale model facility are carried out two operating points using OpenFOAM: one where the high amplitude fluctuations occur, and another where they do not. By comparing detailed assessments of the unsteady flow fields for both conditions, the underlying physical mechanism responsible for the problematic pressure fluctuations is identified. The first key finding is that the shape of the chamber housing the engine being tested can result in excitation of a cut-on mode leading to high-pressure amplitudes and propagation. The second key outcome is that the shear layer shedding frequency will only lead to high amplitudes of pressure fluctuation if the excited mode causes periods of high/low pressure that are synchronized around the circular shear layer. An analytical model is derived for predicting whether tonal propagation occurs. Finally, it is found that far downstream flow behavior is mostly determined by the excitation in the test chamber, with minimal downstream dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underlying physics ever behind the aerodynamics of an airfoil in ground effect (GE) are still not fully resolved. In this work, the aerodynamics for an airfoil in GE is investigated computationally for both transitional and turbulent flow regimes. Large eddy simulation (LES) is employed to explore the flow physics around a NACA0012 airfoil in ground vicinity, which is commonly used in wind energy applications. The angle of attack (AoA) is fixed at AoA = 10 deg, while the flight height to chord ratio (h/c) is variable. An analysis is conducted for the aerodynamic forces, i.e., the lift (CL), and the drag (CD). The behavior for the skin fiction drag (CDf) is explored in the light of the flow physics near the ground. In addition, the vortex shedding behavior is estimated at different height (h/c) for the transitional and turbulent flow regimes. At h/c=0.2, the friction drag (CDf) is improved by 9.6% and 16.3% for the transitional and turbulent flow regimes, respectively. The results show that the frequencies for the vortex shedding decline significantly near the ground. This decline is correlated with the larger vortical structures and vortex developing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-speed axial fans must comply with a wide number of standards and normative restrictions, often related to the maximum noise emission levels. Among the noise control techniques in axial fans, skewed fan blades and leading edge serrations have been found to be effective in leading edge noise control, which represents one of the dominant phenomena in axial fan broadband emissions. However, these solutions are usually applied separately, and literature is scarce on systematic studies on the coupling of the two modifications. In this work, a campaign of experimental measurements was conducted on unskewed and forward-skewed axial fan blades with and without leading-edge serrations. The tests were performed in undisturbed inflow conditions. The flow field and the turbulence characteristics were measured using three-dimensional hot-wire anemometry. The suction-side sound radiation of the fans was measured with microphones in an anechoic chamber. In addition, the rotating beamforming method was used to localize the sound sources at the axial fans. It was found that, regardless of the blade skew, the leading edge serrations lead to a reduction of the sound pressure level, whereby the aerodynamic properties of the fan decrease. At the same operating points, which were achieved by adjusting the rotational speed, the sound radiation through the leading edge serrations could be reduced at high-volume flows. This effect was more pronounced with the unskewed rotor, which indicates that the positive effect of the serrations is reduced by the already optimized shape of the forward skewed fan blade. Based on the experimental results, the four geometries were further considered for numerical investigations to understand how the serrations affect the fan operations and the overall aerodynamics of the rotor. All four geometries were simulated with RANS approach at the duty point to derive a flow survey and better understand the dynamics driven by serrations and blade skewing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key requirement to achieve sustainable high-speed flight and efficiency improvements in space access lies in the advanced performance of future propulsive architectures. Such concepts often feature high-speed nozzles, similar to rocket engines, but employ different configurations tailored to their mission. Additionally, they exhibit complex interaction phenomena between high-speed and separated flow regions at the base, which are not yet well understood. This paper presents a numerical investigation on the aerodynamic performance of a representative, novel exhaust system, which employs a high-speed nozzle and a complex-shaped cavity region at the base. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes computations are performed for a number of nozzle pressure ratios (NPRs) and freestream Mach numbers in the range of 2.7 < NPR < 24 and 0.7 < M∞ < 1.2, respectively. The corresponding Reynolds number lies within the range of 1.06×10∞=1.2 and high NPRs, the cavity has a significant effect on the aerodynamic performance, transitioning nozzle operation to underexpanded conditions. This results in approximately 12% higher drag coefficient compared to the noncavity case and shifts the minimum NPR required for positive gross propulsive force to higher values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studies a particle injection rig to understand how its design affects particle impingement and rebound from a target plate. The motivation behind this study is to understand how dust ingestion affects aviation gas-turbine engines. The particles are injected into a constant area duct upstream of the plate, and they exit through a converging nozzle. The major result concerns how particles respond differently to changes in the flow field based on their diameter. Near the plate, small particles follow the flow streamlines which causes them to both significantly slow down and to disperse in all directions. However, large particles move ballistically, so they impact the plate with nearly the same velocity and orientation they had at the duct exit. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are compared to large eddy simulation (LES). While RANS are capable of predicting mean particle impact statistics, they display narrower statistical variation than LES, suggesting that particle dispersion is underpredicted in RANS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a low mass ratio of structure to air, the work-per-cycle approach, or better known as the energy method, will lead to nonconservative results as aerodynamic coupling of modeshapes acts destabilizing. Using the p-k method to solve the aeroelastic stability equation, the effects of various structural aspects are investigated for a two-dimensional compressor cascade in subsonic and transonic flow conditions. The investigated key parameters are frequency separation, mass ratio, and solidity. Furthermore, the effect of a high frequency dependency of the aerodynamic forces is presented. Such phenomena can happen in case of aerodynamic or acoustic resonances. If the resonance peaks are close to the aeroelastic frequency, a discontinuous behavior of the frequency or damping solution can lead to a rapid destabilization of the system, once the aeroelastic frequency moves from one side to the other of the peak. In these regimes, it is crucial to have a high quality representation of the frequency-dependent generalized aerodynamic forces (GAFs) for an accurate prediction of the flutter onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present numerical investigation aims to understand the effect of the chordwise sweep on the performance of a tandem rotor. In a tandem compressor rotor, diffusion is achieved through two smaller airfoils, which are positioned in a particular fashion to nullify the effect of the boundary layer separation. The forward and aft rotor blades have different blade setting angles from the hub to the tip. Executing a chordwise sweep turns out to be an invalid tandem configuration due to the intersection of the forward and the aft rotor. To overcome this, a certain amount of lean is provided to the aft rotor. Therefore, the configurations selected for the current investigation are blades with a combination of sweep and lean. Two different forward sweep configurations and one backward sweep configuration are investigated. A significant improvement in the stall margin is observed for the forward-swept rotor configuration. However, the stage loading and efficiency of the unswept rotor are found to be higher than the forward-swept rotor case. Forward sweep reduces the tip loading of the forward rotor, which delays the tip stall. Backward sweep appears to be more detrimental in terms of the operating range of the tandem rotor, causing a substantial drop in the stall margin. The performance of the swept and the unswept rotor is compared at the design mass flow and near the stall mass flow rate. The pay-off derived from the chordwise sweep is elucidated with the help of blade loading, tip leakage vortices, blockage, skin friction lines, and various vortex interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study the characteristics of steady autorotation of a tethered autogyro. The phenomenon of autorotation refers to the natural spinning of a rotor in a wind field. We explore the viability of tethered autogyros as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for long-duration and energy efficient hovering applications, such as in monitoring or surveillance. The tether provides mooring and can be used to power the rotor and to transmit wind power to the ground when suitable. This is a novel application of autorotation. It requires a generalized formulation and modeling of autorotation, beyond what is reported in the literature. We adopt a model-based approach where the blade element momentum (BEM) method and catenary mechanics are used to model the aerodynamics and the tether, respectively. The resulting model is highly nonlinear and numerical methods are proposed to solve for the equilibria. The model is validated against existing simulation and experimental results in the literature. It is extended to incorporate new features that are pertinent to our application, such as low rotor speeds, regenerative torque for power generation, combining catenary mechanics with aerodynamics, and varying atmospheric conditions with altitude. We characterize the autorotational equilibria over a range of operating conditions involving multiple independent variables. The analysis reveals an optimal operating range of the tip speed ratio of the autogyro under equilibrium. It also indicates the possibility of power generation in large autogyros stationed at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an investigation of a newly discovered motion instability phenomenon for floating wind turbines, first observed in numerical aero-hydro-servo-elastic simulations. The source of instability is identified as antisymmetric aerodynamic stiffness coupling terms in roll and yaw caused by the turbine thrust force. Analytical expressions for the roll-yaw and yaw-roll stiffness coupling terms are derived, using the actuator disk analogy of the rotor plane. It is demonstrated that a two degrees-of-freedom linear equation of motion without explicit external forcing qualitatively captures the instability. Based on this model, an analytical stability criteria is derived. An intuitive physical explanation of the phenomena is provided, considering the energy flow of the system. An important finding is that dissipative forces, in the form of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic damping, are needed to fully explain the observed instability. It is demonstrated, counterintuitively, that increased damping in yaw reduces the stability margin. This is explained by the fact that dissipative forces result in a phase difference between the harmonic roll and yaw motion in the coupled roll-yaw modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six legacy case problems in fluid dynamics (FD), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and applied aerodynamics applications that were studied during 1988–1996 are presented here. These are examples of my work reflecting the influence of Professor Ghia's teachings in numerical accuracy and truthful validations for CFD and FD in general. Three of the six examples are in the applied missile and projectile FD (aerodynamics) and three are for projectile CFD. Those workpieces were contemporary to the time when the debate on CFD numerical accuracy and uncertainty was in full thrust by the ASME Journal of Fluid Engineering and the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics), among other organizations. The debate was later culminated by the ASME's Journal of Fluid Engineering policy on numerical accuracy initiated in 1986 and revised in 1993 with the published 10 + 10 specific points/criteria, and their applications started to appear actually in journal publications in about 1996–1998. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding particle detachment from surfaces is necessary to better characterize dust generation and entrainment. Previous work has studied the detachment of particles from flat surfaces. This work generalizes this to investigate the aerodynamics of a particle attached to various locations on a model hill. This work serves as a model for dust aerosolization in a tube, as powder is injected into the Venturi dustiness tester (VDT). The particle is represented as a sphere in a parallel plate channel, or, in two dimensions, as a cylinder oriented perpendicular to the flow. The substrate is modified to include a conical hill (3D) or wedge (2D), and the test particle is located at various positions on this hill. The governing incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are solved using the finite volume fluent code. The coefficients of lift and drag are compared with the results on the flat substrate. Enhanced drag and significantly enhanced lift are observed as the test particle is situated near the summit of the hill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many wake-oscillator models applied to study vortex-induced vibration (VIV) are assumed to be excited by ideal wind that is assumed to be uniform flow with constant velocity. However, in the field of wind engineering, the real wind is generally described as being composed of mean wind and fluctuating wind. A wake-oscillator excited by fluctuating wind should be treated as a randomly excited and dissipated multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) nonlinear system. The study of such a system is challenging and so far there is no exact solution available. The present paper aims to carry out the study on the stochastic dynamics of VIV. The stochastic averaging method of quasi-integrable Hamiltonian systems under wideband random excitation is applied to study both the original Hartlen-Currie wake-oscillator model and a modified version excited by fluctuating wind. The probability and statistics of the random response of wake-oscillator in resonant (lock-in) case and in non-resonant case are analytically obtained, and the analytical results are confirmed using numerical simulation of the original system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne salt accelerates the corrosion of steel materials and, thus, must be quantitatively evaluated for the management of steel structures. In Japan, the dry gauze method, which uses a gauze embedded in a wooden frame, is often used to evaluate the amount of airborne salt. However, its collection efficiency for salt particles has not been verified owing to the complex airflows around the device. Therefore, as a first step to clarify the collection efficiency, the authors simulated the flow field around the collection device using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In this study, the gauze was modeled as a porous medium to reduce the computational costs. Wind tunnel tests were performed to obtain the pressure loss coefficients of the gauze, which is necessary for the porous media method. Subsequently, particle tracking was performed in the calculated flow field, and the collection efficiency was evaluated under the condition of a filtration efficiency of 100%. The flow fields around the device were accurately reproduced using the porous media model, which considered both the tangential and normal resistances of the gauze. This result suggests that the tangential resistance must be considered in the porous media model when the porosity of an object is small, even if the thickness is small. The dependence of collection efficiency on wind speed and direction was quantitatively evaluated. The results showed that the collection efficiency was greatly affected by the complicated flow field around the device due to the combination of the gauze and wooden frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demands for rotorcraft with increased flight speed, improved operational performance and reduced environmental impact have led to a drive in research and development of alternative concepts. Compound rotorcraft overcome the flight speed limitations of conventional helicopters with additional lifting and propulsive components. Further to operational benefits, these augmentations provide additional flight control parameters, resulting in control redundancy. This work aims to investigate the impact of optimal control strategies for a generic coaxial compound rotorcraft, equipped with turboshaft engines, targeting the minimization of mission fuel burn and gaseous emissions. The direct redundant controls considered are: (a) main rotor speed, (b) propeller speed, and (c) fuselage pitch attitude. A simulation tool for coaxial compound rotorcraft analysis has been developed and coupled to a zero-dimensional engine performance model and a stirred-reactor combustor model. First, experimental and flight test data were used to provide extensive validation of the developed models. A parametric analysis was then carried out to gain insight into the effect of the redundant controls. This was followed by the derivation of a generalized set of optimal redundant control allocations using a surrogate-assisted genetic algorithm. Application of the optimal redundant control allocations during realistic operational scenarios has demonstrated reductions in fuel burn and NOx of up to 6.93% and 8.74%, respectively. The developed method constitutes a rigorous approach to guide the design of control systems for future advanced rotorcraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a complete wind turbine model usually require significant computational resources. It will require much more resources if the fluid-structure interactions (FSIs) between the blade and the flow are considered, and it has been the major challenge in the industry. The aeromechanical analysis of a complete wind turbine model using a high-fidelity CFD method is discussed in this paper. The distinctiveness of this paper is the application of the nonlinear frequency domain solution method to analyze the forced response and flutter instability of the blade as well as to investigate the unsteady flow field across the wind turbine rotor and the tower. This method also enables the aeromechanical simulations of wind turbines for various interblade phase angles in a combination with a phase shift solution method. Extensive validations of the nonlinear frequency domain solution method against the conventional time domain solution method reveal that the proposed frequency domain solution method can reduce the computational cost by one to two orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiative furnaces pose significant thermal inertia and single impinging flames have been observed to cause occurrence of hotspots on the target surface. Multiple burners arranged in suitable array configuration represent one of the plausible solutions for more uniform heat transfer. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have been carried out for multiple swirling impinging flames arranged in a hexagonal array configuration. The turbulence chemistry interactions in the flame field are solved numerically using renormalization group (RNG) based k-e/eddy dissipation model (EDM) framework. Comparison of co-and-counter-swirling configurations has been studied for interactions and spent gas release mechanism. Multiple swirling impinging flames undergo strong interactions resulting in distortions of recirculation zones (RCZ) for all the surrounding except central flame. Co-swirling flames result in development of higher turbulence in the interaction regions as compared to counter-swirl case. Results indicate that some flames in counter-swirl case are underutilized due to the fluid dynamics developed in the system and co-swirling hexagonal array configuration is a better arrangement for effective heating of target surface. Effect of interjet spacing (S/Dh=5, 7, and 9) and separation distance (H/Dh=3, 5, 7, and 9) studied for co-swirl case revealed that peak heat fluxes decreased with increasing interjet spacing and separation distance. Central flame represented a region of low heat flux and this region has been noticed to expand in size for increasing interjet spacings. Suppression of central flame has been observed to be maximum for minimum separation distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-linear hydrostatic and wave forces on floating structures are very important during large amplitude waves. The computer program simdyn is a blended time domain program developed by Marine Dynamics Laboratory at TAMU and is capable of capturing the role of non-linear fluid forces. simdyn has previously been used to demonstrate that nonlinear hydrostatics have become very important in the problem of parametric excitation. In the current work simdyn is coupled with the computer program fast developed by U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for numerical simulation of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs). fast-simdyn is now a tool that is capable of studying large amplitude motions of FOWTs in extreme seas. fast-simdyn was then used to study the classic instability of negative damping that occurs in FOWTs that use conventional land-based control. The development of platform pitch and platform surge instability are studied in relation to different wave and wind scenarios. The intent was to do an analysis to see if the non-linear forces do play a significant role in large amplitude motions induced by negative damping. This study gives an indication of whether the development and application of higher fidelity hydrodynamic modules are justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a 1966 publication, Chi-Yi Wang used the streamfunction in concert with the vorticity equations to develop a methodology for obtaining exact solutions to the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, now known as the extended Beltrami method. In Wang's approach, the vorticity is represented by the sum of a linear function of the streamfunction and an assumed auxiliary function, such that the vorticity equation can be reduced to a quasi-linear partial differential equation, and exact solutions are obtainable for many choices of the auxiliary function. In the present work, a natural extension of Wang's formulation to three-dimensional flows in arbitrary orthogonal curvilinear coordinates has been derived, wherein two auxiliary functions are formed at the outset, with the caveat that the pressure and velocity components may vary in two spatial dimensions. As is the case with two-dimensional extended Beltrami flows, exact solutions are only obtainable when the forms of the auxiliary functions are "simple enough" to render the governing equations solvable. To demonstrate the solutions which may be obtained using the extended formulation, the well-known Kovasznay flow is generalized to a three-dimensional flow. A unique solution in plane polar coordinates is found. An extension to the solution to Burgers vortex has been derived and discussed in the context of existing literature. Finally, a new 3D swirling flow solution which is the angular analogue to Kovasznay flow has been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive aero-hydro-structural analysis is conducted for a 5 MW offshore wind turbine system in this study. Soil-structure interaction under complex aero-hydro loading is analyzed to provide a suitable foundation design with high safety. With consideration of the wind turbine size and water depth, the monopile foundation design by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is selected in the current study. Both aerodynamic loading for the 5 MW wind turbine rotor defined by NREL and hydrodynamic loading on the foundation are simulated under different flow conditions using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics methods. Structural dynamic analysis is then carried out to estimate the stress field in the foundation and soil. Results from the comprehensive analysis indicate that the Morison equation is conservative when looking at the stress field in the monopile foundation and underestimates the stress field in soil. A similar analysis strategy can be applied to other types of foundations such as jacket foundations and lead to more economical and reliable designs of foundations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ground effect on the aerodynamics and tip vortex flow of a rectangular wing is investigated experimentally at Re = 2.71 × 105. The results show that there is a large lift increase with reducing ground distance. By contrast, only a small drag increase is observed in ground effect except in close ground proximity for which a great drag increase appears. The tip vortex also moves further outboard and upward with reducing ground distance. Near the ground, there is the presence of a corotating ground vortex (produced by the rolling up of the boundary layer developed on the ground surface), leading to an increased vortex strength. In extreme ground proximity, a counterrotating secondary vortex (SV) (induced by the crossflow of the tip vortex), relative to the tip vortex, appears which causes a reduced vortex strength and a lowered lift-induced drag, as well as a vortex rebound. The impact of ground effect on the vortex flow properties is also discussed. The lift-induced drag, computed based on the crossflow measurements via the Maskell wake integral method, in ground effect is also compared against the inviscid-flow predictions and wind tunnel total drag force measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a novel contribution toward the establishment of a new high-fidelity simulation-based design methodology for stall-regulated horizontal axis wind turbines. The aerodynamic design of these machines is complex, due to the difficulty of reliably predicting stall onset and poststall characteristics. Low-fidelity design methods, widely used in industry, are computationally efficient, but are often affected by significant uncertainty. Conversely, Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can reduce such uncertainty, resulting in lower development costs by reducing the need of field testing of designs not fit for purpose. Here, the compressible CFD research code COSA is used to assess the performance of two alternative designs of a 13-m stall-regulated rotor over a wide range of operating conditions. Validation of the numerical methodology is based on thorough comparisons of novel simulations and measured data of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) phase VI turbine rotor, and one of the two industrial rotor designs. An excellent agreement is found in all cases. All simulations of the two industrial rotors are time-dependent, to capture the unsteadiness associated with stall which occurs at most wind speeds. The two designs are cross-compared, with emphasis on the different stall patterns resulting from particular design choices. The key novelty of this work is the CFD-based assessment of the correlation among turbine power, blade aerodynamics, and blade design variables (airfoil geometry, blade planform, and twist) over most operational wind speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time hybrid testing of floating wind turbines is conducted at model scale. The semisubmersible, triangular platform, similar to the WindFloat platform, is built instead to support two, counter-rotating vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). On account of incongruous scaling issues between the aerodynamic and the hydrodynamic loading, the wind turbines are not constructed at the same scale as the floater support. Instead, remote-controlled plane motors and propellers are used as actuators to mimic only the tangential forces on the wind-turbine blades, which are attached to the physical (floater-support) model. The application of tangential forces on the VAWTs is used to mimic the power production stage of the turbine. A control algorithm is implemented using the wind-turbine generators to optimize the platform heading and hence, the theoretical power absorbed by the wind turbines. This experimental approach only seeks to recreate the aerodynamic force, which contributes to the power production. In doing so, the generator control algorithm can thus be validated. The advantages and drawbacks of this hybrid simulation technique are discussed, including the need for low inertia actuators, which can quickly respond to control signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blade profiles and blade shapes of vertical-axis Savonius wind turbine rotors have undergone a series of changes over the past three decades. Wind turbine aerodynamicists have carried out numerous computational and experimental research to arrive at a suitable rotor blade design configuration so as to harvest maximum energy from the available wind. In most of the studies, the geometric and aerodynamic aspects of the rotor blade design have been reported. Interestingly enough, a couple of review papers got published in the area of Savonius rotors during the last one decade. However, there is not a single piece of literature that gives a comprehensive and a systematic review of Savonius rotor blade profiles and shapes. This paper aims to collate all the research findings related to these blade profiles/shapes and makes an attempt to highlight their features together with future recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of trailing-edge flap (TEF) deflection on the aerodynamic properties and flowfield of a symmetric airfoil over a wavy ground was investigated experimentally. This Technical Brief is a continuation of Lee and Tremblay-Dionne (2018, "Experimental Investigation of the Aerodynamics and Flowfield of a NACA 0015 Airfoil Over a Wavy Ground," ASME J. Fluids Eng., 140(7), p. 071202) in which an unflapped airfoil was employed. Regardless of the flap deflection, the cyclic variation in the sectional lift Cl and pitching moment Cm coefficients over the wavy ground always persists. The Cm also has an opposite trend to Cl. The flap deflection, however, produces an increased maximum and minimum Cl and Cm with a reduced fluctuation compared to their unflapped counterparts. The Cd increase outperforms the Cl increase, leading to a lowered Cl/Cd of the flapped airfoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study is carried out to investigate the unsteady pressure exerted on the surface of a round cylinder in the subcritical Reynolds number range. Results are presented for the surface pressure fluctuations, spanwise coherence, lateral correlation length, and peripheral coherence. Discussions are provided for the dominance of the first three vortex shedding tones at different regions of the cylinder and the size of the flow structures around the cylinder. The dataset provided have shed new light on the unsteady aerodynamic loading acting on cylinders and provides the impetus for further research on the aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of bluff bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid structure interaction (FSI) simulations of the NREL 5 MW wind turbine are performed using a combination of two separate computational codes: abaqus for the finite element analysis (FEA) of turbine structures and STAR-CCM+ for the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes analysis of flow around the turbine. The main aim of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using two-way coupled FSI simulations to predict the oscillation of the tower, as well as the rotor blades, of a full-scale wind turbine. Although the magnitude of the oscillation of the tower is much smaller than that of the blades, this oscillation is crucial for the assessment of the fatigue life of the tower. In this first part of the paper, the aerodynamic characteristics of the turbine predicted by the two-way coupled FSI simulations are discussed in comparison with those predicted by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations of a rigid turbine. Also, two different computational domains with a cross-sectional size of 2D × 2D and 4D × 4D (where D is the rotor diameter) are employed to investigate the blockage effect. The fatigue life assessment of the turbine is planned to be reported in the second part of the paper in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, an approach for scaling the aerodynamics of advanced seals is presented. Modern advanced seals, such as a self-adaptive gas lubricated face seal, comprise elements that are commonly used in turbomachinery sealing. These are labyrinth seals and mechanical face seals. Parameters influencing the aerodynamical and mechanical behavior of each seals type are known. However, a combined methodology to scale the aerodynamics of the self-adaptive seal which consists of more than one element has not yet been published. The proposed methodology is applied to a model self-adaptive seal, and numerical simulations are performed to prove the validity of the approach. The new methodology ensures the transferability of experimental results at lab scale to engine conditions. Since the new approach allows scaling of self-adaptive seal tests, a new unique test rig will be designed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study aimed at evaluating the influence of Mach number on the base pressure fluctuations of a cylindrical afterbody was performed over a wide range of Mach numbers from subsonic to supersonic speeds. Time-averaged results indicate that the coefficient of base pressure drops with the increase in the freestream Mach number at subsonic speeds and increases at supersonic Mach numbers. The coefficient of root-mean-square of the pressure fluctuations follows a decreasing trend with the increase in the Mach number. Examination of the spectra reveals different mechanisms dominate the pressure fluctuations from the center to the periphery of the base as well as with the change in the Mach number. Analysis of the azimuthal coherence indicates that all the dominant tones in the spectra can be classified either into a symmetric or an antisymmetric mode at subsonic Mach numbers. However, at supersonic Mach numbers, all the dominant tones in the spectra are symmetric in nature. The results from the cross-correlation suggest that two possible mechanisms of recirculation bubble pulsing and convective motions/vortex shedding are driving the dynamics on the base at subsonic Mach numbers. However, at supersonic Mach numbers, only single mechanism of the recirculation bubble pulsing dominates. Moreover, it indicates that the symmetric mode is associated with the dynamics of the recirculation bubble and the antisymmetric mode is related to the convective motions/vortex shedding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ground-effect diffuser has become a major aerodynamic device on open-wheel racing and sports cars. Accordingly, it is widely considered to be indispensable to their aerodynamic performance, largely due to its significant downforce contribution. However, the physics and characteristics that determine how it generates downforce and its application in the auto racing industry require an in-depth analysis to develop an understanding. Furthermore, research that could generate further performance improvement of the diffuser has not been defined and presented. For these reasons, this review attempts to create a systematic understanding of the physics that influence the performance of the ground-effect diffuser. As a means of doing this, the review introduces research data and observations from various relevant studies on this subject. It then investigates advanced diffuser concepts mainly drawn from the race car industry and also proposes a further research direction that would advance the aerodynamic performance of the diffuser. It is concluded that although the diffuser will continue to be paramount in the aerodynamic performance of racing cars, research is needed to identify means to further enhance its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trajectory and penetration of elliptical liquid jets emerged into a low-speed crossflow of air are studied. The jets are introduced to the crossflow at different momentum ratios ranging from 1 to 300. The images are analyzed to obtain the trajectories of the outer boundary of the jets for two different aspect ratios. An empirical correlation is proposed for the present injector geometries and for the range of momentum ratio, Weber, and Reynolds numbers used in this study. Finally, a theoretical model for the trajectory of the liquid column for an initially elliptical liquid emerging into a crossflow is presented, and the associated drag coefficients are obtained for a precise trajectory prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical mechanism for the evolution and decay of Lamb-Oseen vortex pair in ground proximity with an obstacle has been investigated in detail by adopting the large eddy simulation (LES). In the present research, we mainly focus on the vortex evolution and decay mechanism in ground proximity with obstacle, so we chose one fixed height of the obstacle case (h0=0.5b0) to investigate, and the obstacle is placed transversally to the axis of the primary wake to be analyzed. The trajectories of the primary wake-vortex cores and the circulation profiles, as well as the distribution of the tangential velocity on different axial positions, have been specifically captured and analyzed. The "strake," "claw," and "ivory" vortices have been newly found and defined at the initial evolution stage, and they subsequently begin to harshly wind and rotate with the primary vortex. A flow structure with double helix conical shapes of the primary vortex has been found in the obstacle case. The pressure waves along the vortex axis have also been analyzed in detail. The wake-vortex on each side would be pulled in opposite axial directions and eventually pinched off at the upper surface of obstacle. Moreover, it has also been newly found that the trajectories of the wake-vortex in longitudinal directions at different axial distances away from the obstacle will experience two kinds of motion: only descending and rebounding after descending. Results obtained in this study provide a better understanding of mechanisms for the interaction of wake-vortex and the obstacle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supersonic jets at design Mach number of 1.45 issuing from circular 30deg and 60deg double-beveled nozzles have been investigated experimentally and numerically in the present study, with a view to potentially improve mixing behavior. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations of the double-beveled nozzles and a benchmark nonbeveled nozzle were performed at nozzle-pressure-ratios (NPR) between 2.8 and 5.0, and the results are observed to agree well with Schlieren visualizations obtained from a modified Z-type Schlieren system. Double-beveled nozzles are observed to produce shorter potential core lengths, modifications to the first shock cell lengths that are sensitive toward the NPR and jet half-widths that are typically wider and narrower along the trough-to-trough (TT) and peak-to-peak (PP) planes, respectively. Lastly, using double-beveled nozzles leads to significant mass flux ratios at NPR of 5.0, with a larger bevel-angle demonstrating higher entrainment levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a numerical study is carried out to compare the performance of seven turbulence models on a single pitching blade of cycloidal rotor operating in deep dynamic stall regime at moderate Reynolds number. The investigated turbulence models were: (i) kω-shear stress transport (SST), (ii) kω-SST with γ, (iii) transition SST (γ-Reθ), (iv) scale adaptive simulation (SAS), (v) SAS coupled with transition SST, (vi) SAS with γ, and (vii) detached eddy simulation (DES) coupled with transition kω-SST. The wake vortices evolution and shedding analysis are also carried out for the pitching blade. The performance of the investigated turbulence models is evaluated at various critical points on the hysterias loop of lift and drag coefficients. The predictions of the investigated turbulence models are in good agreement at lower angle of attack, i.e., αu ≤ 20deg. The detailed quantitative analysis at critical points showed that the predictions of SAS and transition SST-SAS turbulence models are in better agreement with the experimental results as compared to the other investigated models. The wake vortices analysis and fast Fourier transport analysis showed that the wake vortex characteristics of a pitching blade are significantly different than those for the low amplitude oscillating blade at the higher reduced frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Darrieus type vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) are being used commercially nowadays; however, they still need to improve in terms of performance as they work in an urban environment where the wind speeds are low and the gusts are frequent. The aerodynamic performance of Darrieus turbine is highly affected by the wingtip vortices. This paper attempts at analyzing and comparing the performance of Darrieus with the use of various wingtip devices. Attempts have also been made to find out optimal working parameters by studying the flow through turbines with different tip speed ratios and different inlet wind speeds. A comparative computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was performed on a small-scale, straight-bladed Darrieus rotor vertical axis wind turbine, with a large stationary domain and a small rotating subdomain using sliding mesh technique. Comparison of the performance of end tip device that can be used against a baseline rotor configuration is done, with the aim of identifying the best tip architecture. The main focus lies on building an experimental setup to validate the results obtained with the CFD simulation and to compare the performance with and without wingtip device. VAWTs with wingtip device show very promising results compared to the baseline model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on load mitigation by implementing controllable trailing-edge slotted flaps on the blades of an offshore wind turbine (OWT). The benchmark NREL 5 MW horizontal axis OWT is subjected to coupled stochastic aerodynamic-hydrodynamic analysis for obtaining the responses. The OWT is supported on three different fixed-bottom structures situated in various water depths. Blade element momentum (BEM) theory and Morison's equation are used to compute the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic loads, respectively. Presently, the load reduction obtained by means of the slotted flaps is regulated using an external dynamic link library considering the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. BEM theory is presently modified to account for unsteady effects of flaps along the blade span. The present analysis results show reduction up to 20% in blade and tower loads for the turbine with different support structures on implementing controllable trailing edge flaps (TEFs). This study can form the basis for evaluating the performance of large-scale fixed OWT rotors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to review, summarize, and record long-term experience with development and application of aerodynamic probes with built-in miniature pressure transducers for unsteady pressure measurement and industrial research in turbomachine components. The focus of the first half of the paper is on the work performed at VZLU Prague, Czech Republic (Secs. 3-8). The latest development in unsteady pressure measurement techniques and data reduction methodology suitable for future research in highly loaded, high-speed turbine engine components performed at NASA GRC Cleveland, OH, is reported in Secs. 8-15 of this paper. Excellent reviews of similar activities at ETH Zürich, Switzerland by Kupferschmied, et al. (2000, "Time-Resolved Flow Measurements With Fast-Response Aerodynamic Probes in Turbomachines," Meas. Sci. Technol., 11(7), pp. 1036-1054) and at VKI Rhode-Sain-Genèse, Belgium by Sieverding, et al. (2000, "Measurement Techniques for Unsteady Flows in Turbomachines," Exp. Fluids, 28(4), pp. 285-321) were already reported and are acknowledged here. A short list of reported accomplishments achieved by other researchers at various laboratories is also reported for completeness. The authors apologize to those whose contributions are not reported here. It is just an unfortunate oversight, not an intentional omission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modeling framework to analyze a wind turbine blade subjected to an out-of-plane transformation is presented. The framework combines aerodynamic and mechanical models to support an automated design process. The former combines the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) aerodyn software with a genetic algorithm solver. It defines the theoretical twist angle distribution (TAD) as a function of wind speed. The procedure is repeated for a series of points that form a discrete range of wind speeds. This step establishes the full range of blade transformations. The associated theoretical TAD geometry is subsequently passed to the mechanical model. It creates the TAD geometry in the context of a novel wind turbine blade concept. The blade sections are assumed to be made by additive manufacturing, which enables tunable stiffness. An optimization problem minimizes the difference between the practical and theoretical TAD over the full range of transformations. It does so by selecting the actuator locations and the torsional stiffness ratios of consecutive segments. In the final step, the blade free shape (undeformed position) is found. The model and design support out-of-plane twisting, which can increase energy production and mitigate fatigue loads. The proposed framework is demonstrated through a case study based on energy production. It employs data acquired from the NREL Unsteady Aerodynamics Experiment. A set of blade transformations required to improve the efficiency of a fixed-speed system is examined. The results show up to 3.7% and 2.9% increases in the efficiency at cut-in and rated speeds, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ground-effect diffuser is an upward-sloping section of the underbody of a racing car that enhances aerodynamic performance by increasing the downforce, thus improving tire grip. The downforce generated by a diffuser can be increased by geometric modifications that facilitate passive flow control. Here, we modified a bluff body equipped with a 17deg diffuser ramp surface (the baseline/plane diffuser) to introduce a convex bump near the end of the ramp surface. The flow features, force, and surface pressure measurements determined in wind-tunnel experiments agreed with previous studies but the bump favorably altered the overall diffuser pressure recovery curve by increasing the flow velocity near the diffuser exit. This resulted in a static pressure drop near the diffuser exit followed by an increase to freestream static pressure, thus increasing the downforce across most of the ride heights we tested. We observed a maximum 4.9% increase in downforce when the modified diffuser was compared to the plane diffuser. The downforce increment declined as the ride height was gradually reduced to the low-downforce diffuser flow regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work, a continuation of a series of investigations on the aerodynamics of aggressive interturbine ducts (ITD), is aimed at providing detailed understanding of the flow physics and loss mechanisms in four different ITD geometries. A systematic experimental and computational study was carried out by varying duct outlet-to-inlet area ratios (ARs) and mean rise angles while keeping the duct length-to-inlet height ratio, Reynolds number, and inlet swirl constant in all four geometries. The flow structures within the ITDs were found to be dominated by the boundary layer separation and counter-rotating vortices in both the casing and hub regions. The duct mean rise angle determined the severity of adverse pressure gradient in the casing's first bend, whereas the duct AR mainly governed the second bend's static pressure rise. The combination of upstream wake flow and the first bend's adverse pressure gradient caused the boundary layer to separate and intensify the strength of counter-rotating vortices. At high mean rise angle, the separation became stronger at the casing's first bend and moved farther upstream. At high ARs, a two-dimensional separation appeared on the casing and resulted in increased loss. Pressure loss penalties increased significantly with increasing duct mean rise angle and AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inlet distortion often occurs under off-design conditions when a flow separates within an intake and this unsteady phenomenon can seriously impact fan performance. Fan-distortion interaction is a highly unsteady aerodynamic process into which high-fidelity simulations can provide detailed insights. However, due to limitations on the computational resource, the use of an eddy resolving method for a fully resolved fan calculation is currently infeasible within industry. To solve this problem, a mixed-fidelity computational fluid dynamics method is proposed. This method uses the large Eddy simulation (LES) approach to resolve the turbulence associated with separation and the immersed boundary method (IBM) with smeared geometry (IBMSG) to model the fan. The method is validated by providing comparisons against the experiment on the Darmstadt Rotor, which shows a good agreement in terms of total pressure distributions. A detailed investigation is then conducted for a subsonic rotor with an annular beam-generating inlet distortion. A number of studies are performed in order to investigate the fan's influence on the distortions. A comparison to the case without a fan shows that the fan has a significant effect in reducing distortions. Three fan locations are examined which reveal that the fan nearer to the inlet tends to have a higher pressure recovery. Three beams with different heights are also tested to generate various degrees of distortion. The results indicate that the fan can suppress the distortions and that the recovery effect is proportional to the degree of inlet distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerodynamic behavior of turbine center frame (TCF) ducts under the presence of high-pressure turbine (HPT) purge flows was experimentally investigated in this two-part paper. While the first part of the paper demonstrated the impact of varying the purge flow rates (PFR) on the loss behavior of two different TCF designs, the second part concentrates on the influence of individual hub and tip purge flows on the main flow evolution and loss generation mechanisms through the TCF ducts. Therefore, measurements were conducted at six different operating conditions in a one and a half stage turbine test setup, featuring four individual purge flows injected through the hub and tip, forward and aft cavities of the HPT rotor. The outcomes of this first-time assessment indicate that a HPT purge flow reduction generally benefits TCF performance. Decreasing one of the rotor case PFRs leads to an improved duct pressure loss. The purge flows from the rotor aft hub and tip cavities are demonstrated to play a particularly important role for improving the duct aerodynamic behavior. In contrast, the forward rotor hub purge flow actually stabilizes the flow in the TCF duct and reducing this purge flow can penalize TCF performance. These particular HPT/TCF interactions should be taken into account whenever high-pressure turbine purge flow reductions are pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This two-part paper deals with the influence of high-pressure turbine (HPT) purge flows on the aerodynamic performance of turbine center frames (TCF). Measurements were carried out in a product-representative one and a half-stage turbine test setup. Four individual purge mass flows differing in flow rate, pressure, and temperature were injected through the hub and tip, forward and aft cavities of the unshrouded HPT rotor. Two TCF designs, equipped with nonturning struts, were tested and compared. In this first part of the paper, the influence of different purge flow rates (PFR) is discussed, while in the second part of the paper, the impact of the individual hub and tip purge flows on the TCF aerodynamics is investigated. The acquired measurement data illustrate that the interaction of the ejected purge flow with the main flow enhances the secondary flow structures through the TCF duct. Depending on the PFR, the radial migration of purge air onto the strut surfaces directly impacts the loss behavior of the duct. The losses associated with the flow close to the struts and in the strut wakes are highly dependent on the relative position between the HPT vane and the strut leading edge (LE), as well as the interaction between vane wake and ejected purge flow. This first-time experimental assessment demonstrates that a reduction in the purge air requirement benefits the engine system performance by lowering the TCF total pressure loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During engine operation, fan casing abradable liners are worn by the blade tip, resulting in the formation of trenches. This paper describes the influence of these trenches on the fan blade tip aerodynamics. A detailed understanding of the fan tip flow features for cropped and trenched clearances is first developed. A parametric model is then used to model trenches in the casing above the blade tip and varying blade tip positions. It is shown that increasing clearance via a trench reduces performance by less than increasing clearance through cropping the blade tip. A response surface method is then used to generate a model that can predict fan efficiency for a given set of clearance and trench parameters. This model can be used to influence fan blade design and understand engine performance degradation in service. It is shown that an efficiency benefit can be achieved by increasing the amount of tip rubbing, leading to a greater portion of the tip clearance sat within the trench. It is shown that the efficiency sensitivity to clearance is biased toward the leading edge (LE) for cropped tips and the trailing edge (TE) for trenches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The centrifugal compressors are widely used in industrial applications. The design, manufacturing, and installation are all critical for the compressor performance. Many studies have been carried out in the past to optimize the compressor performance during compressor design. The manufacturing tolerances and installation errors can cause the performance drop. There are many compressor performance distortions that are not fully understood due to manufacturing and facilities. In this paper, an asymmetrical radial clearance of the impeller due to manufacturing and installation is studied in detail for the performance impacts. The numerical studies and experiments indicated that the asymmetric radial clearance impacts the compressor flow field structure and performance. Experimental results suggested that the manufacturing and installation cause asymmetric radial clearance which decreased the compressor performance in whole operating range. The numerical analysis demonstrated that the impeller asymmetric clearance impacts performance near the design pressure ratio more than other pressure ratios. The numerical studies showed that the maximum clearance location of asymmetric clearance might impact the compressor performance. The proper asymmetricity of diffuser verse the volute may benefit the compressor performance. The excellent compressor performances for centrifugal compressors especially for small centrifugal compressors not only need to have a good aerodynamic design but also need to control manufacturing and installation carefully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]