Characteristics and mechanisms of turboshaft engine axial compressor casing containment

To investigate the containment characteristics and mechanisms of axial compressor blade and casing in turboshaft engine, experimental and simulation research is conducted on Titanium alloy axial compressor blades and stainless steel simulator casings in this paper. Experiments for four thicknesses (from 0.8 mm to 1.4 mm) of casings are presented on high-speed spin tester. Perforation, ricochet with and without failure of the casings are obtained in test results. Three obvious bulges or dishing region are observed, petaling failure occurs in the first bulge or the third deformation region. Parabolic and elongated dimples are observed at the fracture surface. Finite Element (FE) models with calibrated Johnson-Cook material behavior law are built and analyzed by using explicit dynamic software for a better understanding on the containment behavior. Good agreement is obtained between the experimental observations and numerical predictions. The evolution of the impact force, energy absorption, temperature increase and the cracks’ propagation are analyzed. Three force peaks occur in the impact process. Energy analysis reveals that penetration condition of ricochet with failure leads to most internal energy of the casing.