Improvement of Flow Quality in Turbine Engine Test Cells by the Elimination of Bellmouth-Induced Core-Flow Vortices

摘要

With aircraft propulsion systems being required to meet more stringent requirements, test facilities are also required to provide more accurate information on these engines. Hence, a flow quality improvement program was conducted at AEDC to determine the cause of total pressure losses at the bellmouth exit. The initial premise for the cause of the total pressure losses in certain direct connect tests was bellmouth inlet vortics. In addition, a program was conducted to evaluate the use of conical extensions to eliminate any bell-mouth-induced vortices and to develop design duidelines for bellmouth extensions to include such parameters as radial gap, axial gap, and extension angle.