The icing characteristic of stage 35 compressor blades and its impact on aerodynamic performance

Abstract

The icing problem in aeroengine is prominent, posing a serious threat to flight safety. There are some limitations in current icing research for aeroengine, which limits the understanding of icing mechanism and potential impact. In this study, a 3D numerical method for air-water two phase flow in rotational situation is developed, and the icing thermodynamic model under the aeroengine environment is established. The study focuses on the icing characteristic of stage 35 compressor under different conditions, as well as the effect of icing shapes on aerodynamic performance. The results indicate that the icing distribution of stage 35 rotor shows obvious 3D characteristic, and the ice amount has an increasing trend with the rise of blade span. Due to the nonuniform distribution of temperature on rotor surface, the rime ice begins to transform into glaze ice from the top of blade when the temperature increases. The quantitative result also finds that the icing has a serious impact on compressor performance, in terms of mass flow, pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency. The flow obstruction caused by the blunt structure at the leading edge is the main reason affecting performance. The research indicates that the icing phenomenon in aeroengine is more complex than that on airfoil, and its threat to performance cannot be ignored in engineering.