AI Insight
This study uses direct numerical simulations to investigate how particles interact with compressor blades in turbulent flow conditions. The researchers found that particle collisions and deposition occur primarily near the leading edge and pressure side of blades, with the collision patterns strongly influenced by boundary-layer transition and flow separation dynamics. Larger particles impact the blade at higher velocities near the leading edge, making this region most susceptible to erosion, while smaller particles show collision patterns modulated by unsteady vortex shedding on the suction side.
Why it matters
Understanding particle-blade interactions is critical for predicting erosion damage and fouling in gas turbine compressors, which affects engine performance, maintenance costs, and operational lifetime. This work provides detailed insights into how unsteady flow physics influence particle deposition patterns, potentially informing better blade designs and maintenance strategies for engines operating in dusty or contaminated environments.
⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
Abstract: We perform point-particle direct numerical simulations (PP-DNS) of particle-laden flow through a linear compressor cascade subjected to synthetic free-stream turbulence. Monodisperse particles are advanced in a one-way coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian framework with drag-only dynamics. We use PP-DNS collision statistics together with empirical deposition and erosion models to estimate particle deposition and blade erosion. Collision hotspots and regions of predicted deposition are identified near the leading edge and over the pressure side. On the pressure side, for the intermediate Stokes number, the onset of frequent collisions and predicted deposition is spatially associated with elevated boundary-layer intermittency during bypass transition. Nevertheless, for the largest particles, impacts occur farther upstream. On the suction side, sparse collisions and predicted deposition events appear only for the smallest particles and are phase-modulated by separation-induced vortex shedding. Joint distributions of impact velocity and angle show that leading-edge impacts are faster and span wider angles than pressure-side impacts. For the two larger particle sizes, the higher normal impact velocities near the leading edge result in a greater likelihood of rebound than on the pressure side. Therefore, appreciable erosion is predicted primarily near the leading edge under the present conditions. The present results highlight the role of unsteady boundary-layer dynamics in affecting particle-blade interactions in compressor cascades.