DURIP: Rig for Quantifying High Impact Speed Erosion
Abstract
Funds in the amount of $1,900,372 are requested for the purchase and installation of ahigh-impact-speed-erosion rig for the establishment of a novel experimental capability at Purdue University#s Zucrow Propulsion Laboratory. This facility will be used by researchers from universities, relevant government laboratories and defense contractors to investigate sand particle erosion on modern gas turbine compressor blades.Necessity of the Equipment: Military aircraft, such as CH-53K and V-22, often fly in austere conditions where the intake air for their gas turbine engines is mixed with sand particles impacting on the compressor blades. Repeated particle impact causes erosion on the coating and base metal of the blades, destroying their aerodynamic profiles and thus diminishing engine performance and surge margin. To understand erosion of fielded engines, experiments must be conducted in an environment that simulates the realistic conditions the engine blades experience, which include particle sizes of 3 to 800 µm, at temperatures of 80 # 1,200ºF, at concentrations up to 4,000 mg/m3 and impact speeds of 200 # 550 m/s. Such experiments make it possible to accurately understand existing materials and pre-screen new materials and designs under conditions calibrated to real applications, significantly saving cost and time. Currently, no such facilities exist in the nation.Choice of Equipment: INSpace Sand Impactor (INSpace, LLC, 820 Roberts St, Lafayette, IN 47904). This sand impactor feeds sand particles into the compressed and heated air stream at Purdue#s Zucrow Lab air compressor system for engine tests. Particles of various sizes up to 800-µm can be accelerated over a 35-ft nozzle up to 550 m/s before impacting. The impact events will be imaged at high-speeds. The impactspeed, impact angle, air temperature can be systematically controlled to simulate the erosion conditions at different compressor stages. Significance of the Proposed Equipment: The unique capabilities added by this sand-impact rig makes it possible to conduct experiments under laboratory-controlled conditions, which are calibrated to actual applications, to obtain erosion rate and erosion characteristics, including critical airfoil leading edge shape changes, at low costs. This capability directly fills in a major capability gap currently faced by military aircraft. It also immediately benefits a number of ongoing and potential DoD research projects at Purdue University. Further, it will greatly benefit the education of our next generation defense workforce. This summary is approved for public release.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 08, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412144
Entities
People
- Weinong Chen
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Purdue University
- United States Navy