A Turboshaft Engine Test Stand for Particle Ingestion Research
Abstract
Performer will develop a test stand for a turboshaft engine for particle engine ingestion research. The test stand will enable cutting edge research into the safe and efficient operation of gas turbine engines in harsh environments frequently encountered in Department of Defense missions. Past research in this field has been largely focused on rig testing, results from which are difficult to translate to an engine. This choice is largely driven by the high cost of engine testing since the test engine is susceptible to damage beyond repair. The facility proposed mitigates the high cost of an engine facility in two primary ways: a)The selection of engine: We propose to develop this facility using a Rolls-Royce Model 250 turboshaft engine. This is a widely produced engine that will be relatively inexpensive to replace after test campaigns, by using off-the-shelf, used engines.b)Cost shared equipment by Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce has agreed to an in-kind contribution of key equipment required to develop and operate this facility in addition to the technical input necessary to do so. A key sub-system to be developed is the particle delivery system which will be capable of high fidelity temporal and spatial control over particle delivery. The test stand thus developed will also be capable of a full teardown and rebuild of the engine during the course of an incremental particle exposure campaign. Additionally, the engine will be modified to add optical access ports after the compressor stage to deploy previously developed diagnostic techniques for measuring particle size, distribution, and concentration at the compressor exit. These data would immediately enable the development of empirical models for compressor-induced particle break-up as a function of particle size and distribution, while further serving as a validation bed for physics-based CFD models. The facility is expected to have a direct and significant impact on existing research as well as in fostering new research topics. Some expected areas of new development are: i)Basic Sciences: Particle chemistry and aerodynamics.ii)Engine applied research: Deposition mitigation strategies for various sub-systemsiii)Instrumentation: Direct and indirect detection of particles and particle induced damage This test stand is proposed to be developed at the Advanced Propulsion and Power Laboratory at Virginia Tech. This site will ensure that a large number of student researchers are exposed to the facility and the technologies developed through this grant.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 17, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012538
Entities
People
- Wing Fai Ng
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- Virginia Tech