Flowfield of an S-Shaped Inlet with High Boundary-Layer Ingestion Fraction

Abstract

The efficiency of boundary-layer ingestion (BLI) propulsion systems is closely related to the amount of ingested boundary layer. A high BLI fraction requires low propulsor flow power. In this paper, the internal flow characteristics and performance of an S-shaped inlet with a high BLI, up to 83.8% of the inlet capture height, are explored in detail under a freestream Mach number of 0.75. The results reveal that the middle and lower parts of the aerodynamic interface plane (AIP) section are packed with low-energy flows dominated by a pair of vortices, formed by the coalescence of side and separation vortices. At MAIP=0.46, the side vortex, originating near the first inlet bend, is caused by a spanwise pressure gradient, while the side vortex is connected to the horseshoe vortex at the root of the inlet lip at MAIP=0.33. The vortex coalescence results in a sudden increase in the strength of the vortex core and a stepwise increase in circulation (ΓRx). The flow vortex intensity in the inlet is divided into three stages from the distribution of ΓRx. In addition, a reduction in MAIP increases the intensity of secondary flow along the section, particularly the intensity at the flow separation zone. With increasing MAIP, the swirl intensity decreases, whereas the total pressure distortion index DC60 rises, reaching 0.54, which is beyond the requirement of turbomachinery component flow uniformity.