Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Jet Engine Test Facilities

This thesis investigates the application of CFD techniques to the aerodynamic analysis of a U-shaped JETC. Investigations were carried out to determine the flow patterns present at a number of locations within the structure of a full U-shaped JETC. The CFD solutions produced in these investigations used recommendations from the literature in the set-up of the CFD solver, and provided the computational component towards problem-specific validation of the CFD techniques used. A structured series of CFD-aided investigation and design processes were then performed. These processes were based around a series of analyses that evaluated the influence of a number of cell parameters in terms of cell airflow efficiency and velocity distortion. Four cell components; the inlet and exhaust stack baffle arrangements, the turning-vanes, the rear of the working section and augmenter entrance, and the lower exhaust stack, including the BB, were investigated in individual analyses. Throughout the investigations the value of CFD as a design tool was constantly assessed. Overall, the findings suggest that aerodynamic optimisation of the baffle arrangements would provide the greatest gains to cell airflow efficiency. As some cells contain as many as three baffle arrangements, the potential increases made to cell airflow capacity are sizable. Through implementing the findings of the baffle arrangement investigations, static pressure loss across the five-row baseline arrangement was reduced by 79%. For low levels of velocity distortion in the upstream region of the working section, the need to design the inlet stack baffles in the turning-vane arrangement was highlighted. Mid-baffle vane alignment, consistent flow channels, and sufficiently low chord to gap ratios should be incorporated into a turning-vane design to maximise flow uniformity. The need for the baffle and vane components to combine with the geometry of the cell to limit adverse pressure gradients was found as a requirement to minimise inner corner separation, and the downstream threat it creates to a safe testing environment. CFD proved to be a valuable analysis tool throughout the investigations performed in this thesis. The number of design iterations analysed, and the detail of data that could be extracted, significantly exceeded what could have been achieved through an isolated experimental testing programme