Case studies

A SINGLE STAGE AXIAL COMPRESSOR : CME2

The first test case (figure 1) is the CME2 axial compressor test bench operated at Arts et Metiers in Lille, France. It is equipped with an single stage axial flow compressor whose maximum power is 250 kW and maximum rotational speed of 6330 rpm. The nominal flow rate is 10.5 kg/s. It composed of a 30 blades rotor and 40 outlet guide vanes stator.

Thanks to his robustness the compressor can operates in stalled conditions with no risk for the machine itself or its environment which makes it a privileged tool for the study of instability occurring in compressors operating at partial flow rates. It is equipped with 50 unsteady pressures measurements location for the characterisation of unsteady flow at the casing. A transparent window covering several blade and outlet guide vane passages can also be installed to allow optical measurements such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV).

Very recently, 40 actuators were installed on the casing for flow control purpose. Each actuator can generate continuous or pulsed jets, up to 200 m/s thanks to a secondary compressing system.

This machine is used in ACONIT project to understand the physics of flow control to be able to specify the characteristics of an optimized control system. To do so, advanced measurements (unsteady pressure coupled with PIV) will be performed on the test bench. They will be analyzed jointly with high fidelity CFD calculations of the same configurations.

A JET ENGINE TEST BENCH : LARZAC 04

The Institute of Jet Propulsion of the Bundeswehr University Munich operates a full-scale engine test facility for aero engines up to 50kN of thrust and relevant test vehicles. A secondary air system can provide high pressure supply up to 15 bar from a reservoir of 7,5 m³ and dedicated filling station.

A Larzac 04 turbofan jet engine with high instrumentation density for performance evaluation and fan aerodynamics, in special, is already available. Due to its unmixed nozzle design, the engine is equipped with a dedicated bypass cold stream throttle. This device enables the operator for distinct interaction with the fan with minimized influence on the core engine. Therefore, it is possible to measure throttle lines and compressor maps at a very good repeatability.

The institute has a long tradition and strong expertise in involvements in research on compressor stabilization and stall detection and can therefore contribute substantially to the project proposal. All relevant infrastructure as data acquisition, control installations, surveillance systems and measurement techniques are available for the research objective under consideration in the project.