An Overview of Performance Characteristics, Experiences and Trends of Aerospace Engine Bearings Technologies

In this paper, the operating conditions, technical requirements, performance characteristics, design ideas, application experiences and development trends of aerospace engine bearings, including material technology, integration design and reliability, are reviewed. The development history of aerospace engine bearing is recalled briefly at first. Then today＇s material technologies and the high bearing performances of the bearings obtained through the new materials are introduced, which play important roils in the aeroengine bearing developments. The integration design ideas and practices are explained to indicate its significant advantages and importance to the aerospace engine bearings. And the reliability of the shaft-bearing system is pointed out and treated as the key requirement with goals for both engine and bearing. Finally, as it is believed that the correct design comes from practice, the pre-qualification rig testing conducted by FAG Aerospace GmbH ＆ Co. KG is briefly illustrated as an example. All these lead to the development trends of aerospace engine bearings from different aspects.     

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of brazed IN718 ultrathin-walled capillary structure using different particulate reinforced filler alloy

The development of hypersonic precooled combined cycle engine provides a reliable power system for the future intercontinental navigation and reusable space orbital transportation.The compact heat exchanger precooler is the key component of the cooling cycle system, which provides efficient heat management for the hypersonic engine. This investigation mainly focused on the manufacturing process of precooler, and the typical structure of the precooler, ultrathin-walled capillary structure, was fa...     

MATHEMATICAL MODEL AND DIGITAL SIMULATION OF TURBOJET ACCELERATION

The acceleration performance of a turbojet is one of its important characteristics. In terms of control system, the engine is a controlled object. The acceleration performance not only depends on the engine, but also on the controller; therefore both the engine and the controller must be combined in a control system to make research for this performance. This paper presents a mathematical model of the turbojet acceleration control system and digital simulation method. Because the engine acceleration is a large variation transient process, the models of the engine and the controller are described by nonlinear equations. The methods of solving nonlinear equations and iterative techniques of calculating acceleration control system are discussed in this paper. The calculated results, as compared with test results, show that the simulation for this system is satisfactory.     

Design for aircraft engine multi-objective controllers with switching characteristics

The aircraft engine multi-loop control system is described and the switching control theory is introduced to solve the regulating and protecting control problems in this paper. The aircraft engine multi-loop control system is firstly described and the control problems are formulated. Secondly, the theory of the smooth switching control is devoted and a new extended scheme for the smooth switching of a switched control system is introduced. Then, for the key technologies of aero-engines switching control, a design algorithm is presented which can determine which candidate controller should be put in feedback with the plant to achieve a desired performance and the procedure to design the aircraft engine multi-loop control system is detailed. The switching performance objectives and the switching scheme are given and a family of PID controllers and compensators is designed. The simulation shows that using the switching control design method can not only improve the dynamic performance of the aircraft engine control system and reduce the switching times, but also guarantee the stability in some peculiar occasions.     

Research on windmill starting characteristics of MTE-D micro turbine engine

Micro turbine engine (MTE) is an important kind of propulsion system for miniature unmanned aircraft or missiles, because of its better high-speed performance (than propeller propulsion) and higher propulsion efficiency (obviously than rockets). Windmill start is a common air-starting mode used in micro turbine engine. The windmill starting characteristics are important to the practical use of micro turbine engine. In this paper, the windmill starting characteristics research for a 12 cm diameter (MTE-D) micro turbine engine is carried out by experiment and numerical simulation. The characteristic of rotor mechanical losses at low-speed condition is stud- ied, and the engine common working line of windmill starting process is obtained. Based on the engine windmill characteristics, the propane ignition characteristics under different inflow conditions are researched, and the envelope of propane ignition and propane flameout is determined. The experimental research of fuel supply and ignition characteristics is completed, and the envelope of fuel supply and ignition is obtained. The windmill stage, propane ignition stage, fuel ignition stage and acceleration process from idling-speed to 80% full speed of MTE-D micro turbine engine is optimized, and the optimization windmill starting parameters are collected. The successful wind-mill starting experiment under this condition with engine speed up to 80% full speed indicates that these starting parameters are reasonable. All the starting parameters of MTE-D micro turbine engine obtained in this work are dimensionless parameters, and the conclusions obtained in this study have some reference to other micro turbine engines with the similar structural form and starting process.     

Numerical simulation of a rotary engine primary compressor impacted by bird

In order to examine the process of a rotary engine primary compressor impacted by bird, a finite element model of a bird impacted on plate is developed with the explicit code PAM-CRASH. The smooth particles hydrodynamic (SPH) method is used to simulate the bird because of the SPH method showing no signs of instability and correctly modeling the breaking-up of the bird into particles. Good agreement between the simulation results and experimental results indicates that the numerical method of bird strike used in the present paper is reasonable. Then a rotary engine primary compressor impacted by three different configurations bird named straight-ended cylinder bird, quadrangular bird, hemispherical-ended bird are investigated using the numerical simulation method. It is found that the whole process of bird strike sustained about 3.5 ms and the bird is slashed by blade during the strike. The geometry configuration of bird affected the displacement and von Mises stress of some blades severely, just because the breaking bird’s mass is affected by the bird’s configuration. In the event of bird striking on the site of"up"some blades may develop plastic deformation and it is very adverse for the safety work of the engine.     

Development of Kabila rocket: A radioisotope heated thermionic plasma rocket engine

A new type of plasma rocket engine, the Kabila rocket, using a radioisotope heated thermionic heating chamber instead of a conventional combustion chamber or catalyst bed is introduced and it achieves specific impulses similar to the ones of conventional solid and bipropellant rockets. Curium-244 is chosen as a radioisotope heat source and a thermal reductive layer is also used to obtain precise thermionic emissions. The self-sufficiency principle is applied by simultaneously heating up the emitting material with the radioisotope decay heat and by powering the different valves of the plasma rocket engine with the same radioisotope decay heat using a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. This rocket engine is then benchmarked against a 1 N hydrazine thruster configuration operated on one of the Pleiades-HR-1 constellation spacecraft. A maximal specific impulse and power saving of respectively 529 s and 32% are achieved with helium as propellant.Its advantages are its power saving capability, high specific impulses and simultaneous ease of storage and restart. It can however be extremely voluminous and potentially hazardous. The Kabila rocket is found to bring great benefits to the existing spacecraft and further research should optimize its geometric characteristics and investigate the physical principals of its operation.     

Feature analysis on US military aircraft engine advanced technology programs

US military aircraft engine advanced technology programs were overviewed and analyzed from light weight gas generator (LWGG) program initiated in 1960s through integrated high performance turbine engine technology (IHPTET) program started in 1980s, then to versatile affordable advanced turbine engine (VAATE) program. Some features and trends were summarized and concluded by literature statistics method, such as teams based on closely corporation among government, industries and academics, goals oriented with national defence strategies and weapon system development requirements, engineering manufacture and development including all relative disciplines and areas, verification measured by technology readiness level, the application extending to military aircraft engine, civilian engine, gas turbine and space vehicle, etc. The experience and lessons obtained can provide reference and guide for technology research and engineering manufacture and development of military aircraft engines in the world.     

Exploration of acceptable operating range for a compression system in a double bypass engine

The variable cycle engine is distinguished by its highly adjustable compression system,whose aerodynamic characteristic is extremely complex. To explore the regulation range of a double bypass engine compression system, a multi-dimensional analysis method is developed, through which the coupling mechanism between the compressor component and the bypass is examined.The operation zones of the compressor components and the bypass system are proposed, and the operation range of the compression syste...     

Flow control of double bypass variable cycle engine in modal transition

To study the change mechanism and the control of the variable cycle engine in the process of modal transition, a variable cycle engine model based on component level characteristics is established. The two-dimensional CFD technology is used to simulate the influence of mode selection valve rotation on the engine flow field, which improves the accuracy of the model. Furthermore, the constant flow control plan is proposed in the modal transition process to reduce the engine installed drag. The con...     

Experimental investigations on the power extraction of a turbine driven by a pulse detonation combustor

In order to grasp the interaction mechanism between the pulse detonation combustor（PDC）and the turbine,the experimental work in this paper investigates the key factors on the power extraction of a turbocharger turbine driven by a PDC.A PDC consisting of an unvalved tube is integrated with a turbocharger turbine which has a nominal mass flow rate of 0.6 kg/s and50000 r/min.The PDC-turbine hybrid engine is operated on gasoline-air mixtures and runs for6＋min to achieve a thermal steady state,and then the engine performance is evaluated under different operating conditions.Results show that the momentum difference per unit area between the turbine inlet and outlet plays an important role in the power extraction,while the pressure peak of the detonation has little effect.The equivalence ratio of fuel and air mixture and the transition structure between PDC and turbine are also important to the power extraction of the turbine.The present work is promising as it suggests that the performance beneft of a PDC-turbine hybrid engine can be realized by increasing the momentum difference per unit area through the optimal design of transition section between the PDC and turbine.     

Schemed Power-augmented Flow for Wing-in-ground Effect Craft in Cruise

To provide detailed insight into schemed power-augmented flow for wing-in-ground effect(WIG) craft in view of the concept of cruising with power assistance,this paper presents a numerical study.The engine installed before the wing for power-augmented flow is replaced by a simplified engine model in the simulations,and is considered to be equipped with a thrust vector nozzle.Flow features with different deflected nozzle angles are studied.Comparisons are made on aerodynamics to evaluate performance of power-augmented ram(PAR) modes in cruise.Considerable schemes of power-augmented flow in cruise are described.The air blown from the PAR engine accelerates the flow around wing and a high-speed attached flow near the trailing edge is recorded for certain deflected nozzle angles.This effect takes place and therefore the separation is prevented not only at the trailing edge but also on the whole upper side.The realization of suction varies with PAR modes.It is also found that scheme of blowing air under the wing for PAR engine is aerodynamically not efficient in cruise.The power-augmented flow is extremely complicated.The numerical results give clear depiction of the flow.Optimal scheme of power-augmented flow with respect to the craft in cruise depends on the specific engines and the flight regimes.     

Evolution of turbulent boundary layer over a three-dimensional bump

A bump is typically used in the inlet system of an aircraft engine to compress the incoming airflow and to reduce boundary layer thickness developed over fuselage. In this work, the turbulent flow over a three-dimensional bump is experimentally studied. The bump model is mounted in a closed return wind tunnel operated at the nominal velocity 10 m/s, corresponding to a friction Reynolds number of 2300. The flow field upstream the bump, along the bump centerline and at two different spanwise plane...     

SIMULATION RESEARCH ON THE AFTERBURNING DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

Static and dynamic mathematical models for a new type of engine and its actual hydraulic control system are proposed. A nonlinear mathematical model is used for the engine and afterburner fuel control system. With programs formed on the basis of these models, the static and dynamic close loop characteristics of this engine control system under afterburning condition have been analyzed in detail. Satisfactory results and valuable conclusions have been obtained. The results are useful for solving many practical problems of the engine control system.     

Thrust measurement method verification and analytical studies on a liquid-fueled pulse detonation engine

In order to test the feasibility of a new thrust stand system based on impulse thrust mea- surement method, a liquid-fueled pulse detonation engine （PDE） is designed and built. Thrust per- formance of the engine is obtained by direct thrust measurement with a force transducer and indirect thrust measurement with an eddy current displacement sensor （ECDS）. These two sets of thrust data are compared with each other to verify the accuracy of the thrust performance. Then thrust data measured by the new thrust stand system are compared with the verified thrust data to test its feasibility. The results indicate that thrust data from the force transducer and ECDS system are consistent with each other within the range of measurement error. Though the thrust data from the impulse thrust measurement system is a litter lower than that from the force transducer due to the axial momentum losses of the detonation jet, the impulse thrust measurement method is valid when applied to measure the averaged thrust of PDE. Analytical models of PDE are also discussed in this paper. The analytical thrust performance is higher than the experimental data due to ignoring the losses during the deflagration to detonation transition process. Effect of equivalence ratio on the engine thrust performance is investigated by utilizing the modified analytical model. Thrust reaches maximum at the equivalence ratio of about 1.1.     

Coupled Lagrangian impingement spray model for doublet impinging injectors under liquid rocket engine operating conditions

To predict the effect of the liquid rocket engine combustion chamber conditions on the impingement spray, the conventional uncoupled spray model for impinging injectors is extended by considering the coupling of the jet impingement process and the ambient gas field. The new coupled model consists of the plain-orifice sub-model, the jet-jet impingement sub-model and the droplet collision sub-model. The parameters of the child droplet are determined with the jet-jet impingement sub-model using correlations about the liquid jet parameters and the chamber conditions.The overall model is benchmarked under various impingement angles, jet momentum and offcenter ratios. Agreement with the published experimental data validates the ability of the model to predict the key spray characteristics, such as the mass flux and mixture ratio distributions in quiescent air. Besides, impinging sprays under changing ambient pressure and non-uniform gas flow are investigated to explore the effect of liquid rocket engine chamber conditions. First, a transient impingement spray during engine start-up phase is simulated with prescribed pressure profile. The minimum average droplet diameter is achieved when the orifices work in cavitation state, and is about 30% smaller than the steady single phase state. Second, the effect of non-uniform gas flow produces off-center impingement and the rotated spray fan by 38°. The proposed model suggests more reasonable impingement spray characteristics than the uncoupled one and can be used as the first step in the complex simulation of coupling impingement spray and combustion in liquid rocket engines.     

Blade containment evaluation of civil aircraft engines

The potential hazard resulting from uncontained turbine engine rotor blade failure has always been the long-term concern of each aero engine manufacturer, and to fully contain the failed blades under critical operating conditions is also one of the most important considerations to meet the rotor integrity requirements. Usually, there are many factors involving the engine containment capability which need to be reviewed during the engine design phases, such as case thickness, rotor support structure, blade weight and shape, etc. However, the premier method to demonstrate the engine containment capability is the fan blade-off test and margin of safety (MS) analysis. Based on a concrete engine model, this paper aims to explain the key points of aero engine containment requirements in FAR Part 33, and introduces the implementation of MS analysis and fan blade-off test in the engine airworthiness certification. Through the introduction, it would be greatly helpful to the industrial community to evaluate the engine containment capability and prepare the final test demonstration in engine certification procedure.     

Augmented flight dynamics model for pilot workload evaluation in tilt-rotor aircraft optimal landing procedure after one engine failure

An augmented flight dynamics model is developed to extend the existing flight dynamics model of tilt-rotor aircraft for optimal landing procedure analysis in the event of one engine failure.Compared with the existing flight dynamics model, the augmented model involves with more pilot control information in cockpit and is validated against the flight test data. Based on the augmented flight dynamics model, the optimal landing procedure of XV-15 tilt-rotor aircraft after one engine failure is formulated into a Nonlinear Optimal Control Problem(NOCP), solved by collocation and numerical optimization method. The time histories of pilot controls in cockpit during the optimal landing procedure are obtained for the evaluation of pilot workload. An evaluation method which can synthetically quantify the pilot workload in time and frequency domains is proposed with metrics of aggressiveness and cutoff frequencies of pilot controls. The scale of the pilot workload is compared with those of the shipboard landing procedures, bob-up/bob-down and dash/quickstop maneuvers of UH-60 helicopter. The results show that the aggressiveness of pilot collective and longitudinal controls for the tilt-rotor aircraft optimal landing procedure after one engine failure are higher than those for UH-60 helicopter shipboard landing procedures up to the condition of sea state 4, while the pilot cutoff frequency of collective control is lower than that of the bob-up/bob-down maneuver but the pilot cutoff frequency of longitudinal control is higher than that of the dash/quick-stop maneuver. The evaluated pilot workload level is between Cooper–Harper HQR Level 2 and Level 3.     

Effect of mixing section configurations on combustion efflciency of Mg-CO2 Martian ramjet

Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the mixing section configurations on the Mg-CO₂ Martian ramjet combustion efficiency. It was carried out at a mainstream mass flow rate of 110 g/s and a temperature of 810 K. The chamber pressure was measured under different configurations and Oxidizer to Fuel(O/F) ratios. Results showed that the engine achieved self-sustaining combustion and worked stably during experiments. The pre-combustion chamber is needed to increase the co...     

Research on the Algorithm of Avionic Device Fault Diagnosis Based on Fuzzy Expert System

Based on the fuzzy expert system fault diagnosis theory, the knowledge base architecture and inference engine algorithm are put forward for avionic device fault diagnosis. The knowledge base is constructed by fault query network, of which the basic element is the test-diagnosis fault unit. Every underlying fault cause’s membership degree is calculated using fuzzy product inference algorithm, and the fault answer best selection algorithm is developed, to which the deep knowledge is applied. Using some examples, the proposed algorithm is analyzed for its capability of synthesis diagnosis and its improvement compared to greater membership degree first principle.