Desensitization of aero-engine performance and stall margin to tip clearance gap increase

The degradation in performance and operating envelope of aero-engines with age and during critical transient operating conditions such as take-off is a well-known phenomenon. It is mainly caused by the increase in size of the tiny gap between the tip of the compressor rotor blades and the shroud, called tip clearance, from wear and/or shroud thermal expansion, which results in a drop of compressor pressure rise, efficiency and safety margin against aerodynamic instabilities. Two recent doctoral projects at École Polytechnique de Montréal carried out with numerical simulations proposed an explanation for this phenomenon in axial compressors and corrective design strategies. The present research aims to validate these findings on a spectrum of realistic axial compressors so that they can be applied to all axial compressors. This research is then extended to centrifugal compressors. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Huu Duc Vo

Student:

Fariba Ajalli

Partner:

Pratt & Whitney Canada

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Aerospace and defense

University:

Program: