Foreign Object Damage (FOD) occurs when foreign hard particles are sucked into aircraft engines during flight, posing a persistent and critical problem due to the inevitability of FOD and its associated consequences.

Extensive research has been conducted to understand, detect, and prevent FOD events. However, further research is still needed to improve the robustness of airfoils to these occurrences through specific design criteria. In collaboration with MTU Aero Engines, this project aims to establish new design criteria to enhance airfoil robustness while maintaining aerodynamic performance. To achieve this goal, multidisciplinary optimizations are being carried out using the optimizer AutoOpti, which is known for its application in turbomachinery. The initial stage of the analysis involves identifying damages occurring to in-service airfoils and pinpointing the areas most likely to be impacted. These areas will be the focus of the optimization. The image below provides an overview of the FODs detected along an in-service airfoil, captured using a white light scanner.

Establishing guidelines for designing more robust airfoils is crucial but restoring the airfoil's integrity is equally important after the damage. The second part of this project investigates the effects of repair blends on the airfoil's aerodynamic performance and structural behavior. A multidisciplinary approach is being adopted to identify optimal blend geometries that enhance the airfoil's performance and durability post-repair.