AKTIVER - Active Flow control in compressor components of future Aircraft Engines
The AKTIVER project (Active Flow control in compressor components of future Aircraft Engines) focuses on the research and design of innovative concepts for flow control in aerodynamically highly loaded intakes and compressors of future aircraft engines. The main objective of the project is a potential reduction in the overall length of engines, with a simultaneous increase in efficiency and crosswind resilience. In order to achieve this goal, an energization of the three-dimensional boundary layer in the corresponding components provided by air blow-out, whereby the required compressed air is made available by recirculation via a static pressure gradient within the component. The blown-out air mass flow is additionally controlled by an actuator, which ensures the use of the system over different mission sections in an optimal way.
The analysis of the two engine components is carried out in close cooperation between the chair of Turbomachinery and Flight Propulsion (LTF) which will carried the compressor stage analysis and the Chair of Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics (AER) in charge of the intake analysis. For the compressor stage, the technical aspect lies of the fact that the compressor performance is strongly dominated by flow separations of 2D as well as 3D nature, which occur on the blades specially the endwall regions of rotor and stator rows. This determines the efficiency of compressors, limits of stability and hence the overall engine performance. Therefore, the project is aligned to the main funding policy goal of environmentally friendly aviation within the framework of quiet and efficient engines since the planned efficiency increase in combination with the possibility of engine mass reduction will lead to fuel saving and reduction of pollutant emissions.
The research project is funded by the sixth civil aviation research program (LuFo VI-2) of the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) which supports research and technology projects in civil aviation in Germany.
Aim / Objective
- Develop a detailed numerical and analytical consideration of the potential of the usage of an active control system within the compressor components of the engine for efficiency and operability improvements. A particular emphasis is given in the usage of a suitable actuator as the Active Flow Control system.
- It is expected to achieve an improvement of the compressor performance by the usage of this technology, e.g. lower required number of rotor and stator blades, reduction of losses and improvement of the operating range, higher efficiency per stage and thus more stability