Flow Incidence Angle Research Articles

Aerodynamic analysis of a biradial turbine with movable guide-vanes: Incidence and slip effects on efficiency

The paper presents a numerical study on the aerodynamics of a biradial turbine for wave energy conversion. The turbine is symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation. The two inlet/outlet rotor openings are axially offset from each other facing the radial direction and two rows of radial-flow movable guide-vanes surround the rotor. The existence of a counter-rotating eddy in the relative flow between rotor blades affects both the flow incidence angle at the rotor inlet and the outlet flow angle. A model was used to predict the incidence at the rotor inlet and the slip at the outlet, and the resulting data was employed to redesign the rotor inlet/outlet blade metal angle for the original guide-vane set. Numerical results for the new geometry were compared with data for the original turbine. The rotor and diffuser losses were reduced especially at operating conditions away from the peak efficiency point, resulting in higher average turbine efficiency.

Determination of erosion equation factors of AISI1020 by experimental data

Erosive wear is material removal due to the impingement of granular flow. In the present work, the effects of influencing parameters including flow velocity, incidence angle and grain size on erosive behavior of AISI1020 subjected to a flow of SiC particles has been investigated by employing an erosion wear test machine. The experiments have been performed at the different values of impact angle, flow velocity and particle size. Two tests have been performed for every set of conditions and the average of them has been presented. Results showed that the erosive wear maximizes at the impact angles of 30° and 45°. The flow of small particles resulted in more wear contrast to the large particles. Results also indicated that the influence of flow velocity was higher than the influence of impact angle and particle size. It means that minimizing the flow velocity results in more efficient results to reduce erosion. Moreover, the experimental data were used to determine appropriate coefficients for using in an erosion equation given by literature. New factors gave erosion evaluations which had appropriate accordance with the experimental data.

Wake dynamics of a 3D curved cylinder in oblique flows

Three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed to study the effects of flow direction and flow velocity on the flow regime behind a curved pipe represented by a curved circular cylinder. The cylinder is based on a previous study and consists of a quarter segment of a ring and a horizontal part at the end of the ring. The cylinder was rotated in the computational domain to examine five incident flow angles of 0–180° with 45° intervals at Reynolds numbers of 100 and 500. The detailed wake topologies represented by λ2 criterion were captured using a Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The curved cylinder leads to different flow regimes along the span, which shows the three-dimensionality of the wake field. At a Reynolds number of 100, the shedding was suppressed after flow angle of 135°, and oblique flow was observed at 90°. At a Reynolds number of 500, vortex dislocation was detected at 90° and 135°. These observations are in good agreement with the three-dimensionality of the wake field that arose due to the curved shape.

Effects of different gas flow rates and non-perpendicular incidence angles of argon cold atmospheric-pressure plasma jet on silver thin film treatment

In this study, the influences of variations in the gas flow rate and incidence angles of argon cold atmospheric-pressure plasma jet on the morphology and absorption spectra of silver thin films (60 nm, 80 nm, and 100 nm film thickness) are investigated. To evaluate the surface morphology, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed on the silver thin film surface before and after plasma processing. To analyze the effect of plasma treatment on the grain size, the one-dimensional AFM surface profiles of Ag thin films are approximated using a Gaussian function. The absorbance of Ag thin films is measured in wavelength range of 190–1100 nm utilizing UV–Vis absorption spectrometer. Compared to the gas flow rates 0.5 standard litter per minute (SLM) and 2 SLM, surface treatment of Ag thin film with gas flow rate of 1 SLM increased the valley depth, the peak valley height, and the distance between two deepest valleys remarkably. A sequential argon plasma treatment (2-min plasma treatment perpendicular to surface was followed by 2-min plasma processing with non-perpendicular incidence angle of 60°) offers considerable improvement in the uniformity of grains and also changes shape of grains, especially the peak height (about 44 times higher than untreated sample) and area of grains (almost 136 times greater than untreated sample) which can be applicable for optical sensing technology.

Hydrodynamic features of three equally spaced, long flexible cylinders undergoing flow-induced vibration

Abstract Three equally spaced flexible cylinders are frequently applied in many engineering fields. The flow-induced vibration (FIV) hydrodynamic features of three such cylinders are not the same as those of an isolated single one and remain unknown. In this paper, the hydrodynamic coefficients for three flexible cylinders subjected to FIV in an equilateral-triangular arrangement with a centre-to-centre spacing of 6 diameters were identified using an inverse analysis method according to the displacement response data obtained from model tests. The lift coefficient, varying drag coefficient and added mass coefficient at the dominant frequency were calculated by decomposing the cross-flow (CF) and in-line (IL) fluctuating forces. Three typical cases of an equilateral-triangular configuration (A, B, and C), which correspond to flow incidence angles of 0 ∘ , 30 ∘ , and 60 ∘ , were studied and discussed (the incidence angle is defined as the angle between the flow orientation and the line linking the centre points of one cylinder and the equilateral-triangular configuration). The hydrodynamic coefficients of the upstream cylinders are insignificantly influenced by the downstream cylinders. In contrast, the wake of the upstream cylinders impose a notable effect on the IL hydrodynamic coefficients of the downstream cylinders. Two robust frequency components ( f v , I L and f v , I L _ 1 ∕ 2 ) were observed in the IL vibrations of the downstream cylinders. The IL hydrodynamic forces at f v , I L have similar features to the classical vortex shedding forces of an isolated flexible cylinder. However, the IL hydrodynamic forces at f v , I L _ 1 ∕ 2 exhibit distinct behaviours that are closely related to the unique response characteristics in the IL direction. In addition, the IL fluctuating force coefficients and varying drag coefficients at f v , I L _ 1 ∕ 2 are relatively small and change slowly with the reduced velocity.

Mathematical modeling of autonomous underwater vehicle propulsion and steering complex operation in oblique (beveled) water flow

The research of nonlinear hydrodynamic characteristics of the propulsion and steering complex (PSC), which influence the accuracy of the plane trajectory motion of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), is carried out. During the underwater vehicle curvilinear motion, its PSC operates in an oblique incident water flow. This leads to a decrease in the PSC thrust force and negatively affects the controlled trajectory motion of the underwater vehicle. The research was conducted for a specific type of AUV for the plane curvilinear motion mode. The mathematical modeling method was chosen as the research method. To this end, the well-known AUV motion mathematical model is supplemented by the control system that simulates (mimics) its trajectory motion. The developed model consists of four main units: an AUV improved model; the vehicle speed setting unit; the nozzle rotation angle control unit; the unit containing the AUV pre-prepared motion trajectories. The research results of the AUV hydrodynamic parameters for several typical trajectories of its motion are presented. The investigated parameters include the following: the required nozzle rotation angle; the vehicle actual motion trajectory; the vehicle velocity; the propeller shaft moment; the propeller thrust force. As a result of the conducted researches, the dependence diagram of the propeller thrust force on the AUV nozzle rotation angle in the speed range from 0.2 m/s to 1 m/s and during the nozzle rotation in the range of up to 35° was constructed. A three-dimensional matrix, which describes the dependence of the propeller thrust force on the incident water flow angle and velocity of the vehicle, was created. The obtained dependence can be used in the synthesis of automatic control systems regulators of AUV plane manoeuvering (shunting) motion of increased accuracy.

Investigation of the Effects of the Incident Flow Angle on Vibration Behavior in Heat Exchanger Tube Bundle

Investigation of the Effects of the Incident Flow Angle on Vibration Behavior in Heat Exchanger Tube Bundle

Dynamic response of three long flexible cylinders subjected to flow-induced vibration (FIV) in an equilateral-triangular configuration

A three-cylinder system with an equilateral-triangular configuration represents one of the most common, basic units of multi-cylinder systems in many engineering fields. In this paper, an experimental investigation of the flow-induced vibration (FIV) of a three-cylinder system in an equilateral-triangular arrangement was conducted in a towing tank to study their response characteristics. Three identical flexible cylinder models with a centre-to-centre distance of 6.0 times the cylinder diameter were towed along the tank to generate a uniform flow. The Reynolds number ranged from approximately 1600 to 16000 depending on the towing velocity, which was in the range of 0.10–1.00 m/s. The time-varying bending strains of the flexible cylinders in the cross-flow (CF) and in-line (IL) directions were measured using strain gauges at different measurement positions. The displacement responses were reconstructed by a modal analysis method based on the acquired strain signals. The experimental results (e.g., displacement amplitudes, response frequencies, dominant modes and motion trajectories of the flexible cylinders) were presented to reveal the FIV response features. Three typical cases of the equilateral-triangular configuration (A, B and C) corresponding to flow incidence angles of 0°, 30°, and 60° were selected and discussed. (The incidence angle is the angle between the flow direction and the line joining the centre of one cylinder to the centre of the equilateral-triangular configuration.) In Cases A and B, the upstream cylinder is insignificantly affected by the downstream cylinders and behaves like an isolated flexible cylinder; meanwhile, the upstream cylinders in Case C vibrate similarly to two side-by-side flexible cylinders with weak mutual interference. Striking departures exist in the IL oscillations of the downstream cylinders due to the notable effects of the upstream cylinders. The phenomenon of mixed modes appears in the IL vibrations of the downstream cylinders. Furthermore, the IL response spectra always contain a robust lower frequency component equal to the dominant frequency in the CF direction. Moreover, eight-, half-moon- and C-shaped vibration figures are comparatively uncommon for the downstream cylinders.

Flood impact on masonry buildings: The effect of flow characteristics and incidence angle

Climate change and the raising number of extreme events, such as severe floods, has increased the attention on their effects on urban systems. Urban floods generate important hydrodynamic loads on building and this work proposes a first systematic study on the actions generated by floods with different characteristics (depth, velocity and incidence angle) on masonry buildings. The study is carried out with experimental tests reproducing a masonry bay with scale 1:10, while the effect of the flow hitting the building has been obtained by moving the building in the water at rest. The pressure generated by the fluid at the four walls of the building was recorded using pressure transducers. It has been found that the overpressure acting on the building depends on the flow characteristics in different manner for the frontal, lateral and rear walls. Further, the incidence angle plays a major role in the generation of a pressure gradient along the impacted wall, and significantly affects both peak frequency and spectral energy. Use of theoretical models suggests that (i) the drag coefficient of the building decreases with the Froude number, and only slightly depends on the incidence angle, and (ii) the blocking effect largely affects the hydrodynamics around the structure.

Predictions of the equilibrium depth and time scale of local scour below a partially buried pipeline under oblique currents and waves

This paper presents experimental results on temporal developments of local scour below a partially buried pipeline under oblique currents/waves. The effects of the flow incident angle (α ≤ 45°, α = 0° denotes that the currents/waves are perpendicular to the pipeline) and the embedment-to-diameter ratio (e/D ≤ 0.5, e/D = 0 denotes no embedment) on the equilibrium depth and time scale of scour were quantitatively investigated. The experimental results indicate that with the increase of the embedment-to-diameter ratio from 0 to 0.5, the equilibrium depth of scour decreases by up to 30 and the time scale increases by approximately 5 times. With the increase of the flow incident angle from 0° to 45°, the equilibrium depth decreases by approximately 25% and the time scale increases by approximately 0.7 times. A uniform empirical relationship between the equilibrium depth for arbitrary conditions (S, i.e., for α > 0° or e/D > 0) and that for a conventional case (S0, for α = 0° and e/D = 0) is newly proposed for both current and wave conditions based on theoretical derivation and curve fitting to the experimental data, where S0 can be easily predicted from existing empirical formulae. The correlation analysis indicates that the experimental results of the equilibrium depth can be well represented by the newly proposed formula. For predicting the time scale of scour process, a theoretical approach based on the erosion rate of sediment, which was originally proposed for a conventional case, is expanded to arbitrary conditions. It is indicated that the time scales of scour obtained from the theoretical approach are well coincident with the experimental values. Finally, an empirical relationship between the time scale for arbitrary conditions (T) and that for a conventional case (T0) was established based on the theoretical derivation. The newly proposed empirical formula is found to provide satisfactory predictions of the time scale compared with the present experimental results and those published.

Numerical Analysis of Bi-directional Impulse Turbine Performance for Thermoacoustic Power Generators

As a new type of acoustoelectric conversion method, bi-directional impulse turbine provides great potential for developing large scale and economic thermoacoustic power generators. In this paper, the performance of bi-directional impulse turbine with fixed guide vanes has been studied via 2D CFD modelling by commercial software Fluent. Firstly, the effects of blade structure and gas flow incident angles on the shaft power and efficiency have been investigated. Then the performance of the turbine has been studied under both steady and oscillating flow. Additionally, flow field features for the turbine in oscillating flow were presented for a better understanding. The results show that optimal flow incident angle for shaft power and efficiency are 20° and 70° respectively which indicates the difficulties in turbine design. The angles of the fluid including the gas flow incident angle and the blade angle are the most important parameter for turbine performance. The shaft power of rotor blades is more sensitive to the blade angle around the optimal incident angle region while the efficiency is not. The optimum flow coefficient is 2-3for maximum efficiency both in steady flow and oscillating flow. Increasing of the incoming flow oscillation frequency decrease the efficiency of the turbine. This loss mainly due to increased flow hysteresis effect which make the flow angle deviate from the design more.

Nanostructured Ti1-xCux thin films with tailored electrical and morphological anisotropy

Inclined, zigzag and spiral Ti1-xCux films were co-sputtered by the Glancing Angle Deposition technique. Two distinct titanium (Ti) and copper (Cu) targets were used and the films were grown with a particle flow incidence angle α of 80°. The thin films had Cu contents ranging from 36 to 76 ± 5 at. %. The effect of increasing Cu incorporation on the electrical anisotropy, as well as the effect of columnar architecture variations on the morphological, structural and electrical properties of the films was evaluated and correlated with the particular their architectures.Main results show well-defined and highly inclined columns (with an average column angle β = 45° ± 5°) for all sputtering conditions. Quasi-amorphous thin films were obtained with low Cu contents (36 at. %), while crystalline Cu (111) + Ti3Cu (114) bi-component structures were achieved at high Cu concentrations (76 at. %). No permanent oxidation of the films was detected after a two-cycle RT-200 °C-RT (RT – room temperature) annealing in air. The two-dimensional representation of the resistivity anisotropy of the columnar and 2 zigzags films is shaped as an elongated ellipse along the xx direction, with a variation of the effective anisotropy, Aeff, at 200 °C from 1.4 to 2.9. The samples prepared with 2 spirals and the same Cu content (36 at. %) exhibit an isotropic behavior, with an Aeff value at 200 °C of 1.1. The overall results demonstrate the possibility to tune the thin films' morphology and electrical characteristics in order to obtain a set of properties that are suitable for the development of high performance materials, such as the case of resistance temperature detectors.

The effects of unsteady change in wind direction on the airflow over the helicopter platform of a polar icebreaker

The effects of the unsteady change of the wind direction on the airwake over the helicopter platform of a Canadian Coast Guard polar icebreaker were studied experimentally. By application of particle image velocimetry on a scaled model of the icebreaker, quantitative flow field data were obtained for several rates of change in the wind direction. This study was conducted in a water channel that featured a simulated atmospheric boundary layer as inflow condition. The rate of change in the incidence angle, α˙, varied in the range −0.25 ≤ α˙L/U ≤ 0.25, where L and U are the characteristic length and velocity, respectively. In addition to the time-averaged velocity fields, the turbulence intensity was evaluated to investigate the unsteadiness of the flow. Increasing the rate of change of the incidence angle of the incoming flow resulted in an increase of the turbulent intensity for all considered nominal incidence angles of the inflow. A notable exception to this trend was observed at α = 60°, where the direction of the inflow change had a pronounced effect on the structure of the flow over the helicopter deck. Thus, negative values of α˙L/U resulted in the wake of the superstructure not affecting the flow over the helicopter platform.

A new passive control technique for the suppression of vortex-induced motion in deep-draft semisubmersibles

The control of vortex-induced motion (VIM) of deep-draft semisubmersibles has recently emerged as a serious concern in offshore semisubmersible platforms subjected to high ocean currents. With the increased draft of semisubmersibles, the coherent wake vortex fields behind the multi-column platforms become quite significant, which increase the impact of the coupled fluid-structure dynamics on the platform motion. In particular, the effective mitigation of the synchronization of wake vortices in a deep-draft semisubmersible is important for the reliable station-keeping and to extend the fatigue life of risers and mooring systems. The present study aims at the development of a passive control technique for the vortex synchronization of deep-draft semisubmersibles (DDS) via continuous cross-sectional twisting of the rounded square column along the spanwise direction. The computations are performed using a hybrid URAN-LES turbulence model based on the finite volume method. A validation study of the numerical results is performed with the available experimental data for the stationary and vibrating configurations of deep-draft semisubmersible. To begin, we first examine the VIM performance of a single column of the semisubmersible with a twisted angle of 45 °. We next examine the design of twisted column to understand its effect on the vorticity dynamics and the VIM response characteristics. In comparison to the untwisted square-column configuration, the twisted column produces the reduction in the transverse (sway) VIM amplitude up to 90% at the peak lock-in condition. The streamwise (surge) amplitude for the twisted-column semisubmersible is also found to be reduced by approximately 1/3 of the amplitude of the square-column counterpart. The twisted surface on the column results in a continuous spanwise (column-wise) variation of the shear-layer separation points. The three-dimensional (3D) variation of separation lines and the pressure distribution along the twisted and the square columns are analyzed to understand the underlying mechanism of the VIM suppression. We find that the modification of vortex shedding due to the variation in the separation line along the twisted column significantly influences the mean and fluctuating hydrodynamic forces. We extend the twisted column concept to the deep-draft semisubmersibles and demonstrate its effectiveness to produce a remarkable degree of VIM suppression. We explore the effects of the orientation of twisted columns and the incidence angle of the oncoming flow and present the 3D wake vortex structures and the motion histories of the DDS configuration.

Acoustic signature of flow instabilities in radial compressors

Rotating stall and surge are flow instabilities contributing to the acoustic noise generated in centrifugal compressors at low mass flow rates. Their acoustic generation mechanisms are exposed employing compressible Large Eddy Simulations (LES). The LES data are used for calculating the dominant acoustic sources emerging at low mass flow rates. They give the inhomogeneous character of the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) wave equation. The blade loading term associated with the unsteady pressure loads developed on solid surfaces (dipole in character) is found to be the major contributor to the aerodynamically generated noise at low mass flow rates. The acoustic source due to the velocity variations and compressibility effects (quadrupole in character) as well as the acoustic source caused by the displacement of the fluid due to the accelerations of the solid surfaces (monopole in character) were found to be not as dominant. We show that the acoustic source associated with surge is generated by the pressure oscillation, which is governed by the tip leakage flow. The vortical structures of rotating stall are interacting with the impeller. These manipulate the flow incidence angles and cause thereby unsteady blade loading towards the discharge. A low-pressure sink between 4 and 6 o'clock causes a halving of the perturbation frequencies at low mass flow rates operating conditions. From two point space-time cross correlation analysis based on circumferential velocity in the diffuser it was found that the rotating stall cell propagation speed increases locally in the low pressure zone under the volute tongue. It was also found that rotating stall can coexist with surge operating condition, but the feature is then seen to operate over a broader frequency interval.

ZnS FILM PROPERTIES MODIFICATION USING OBLIQUE ANGLE DEPOSITION TECHNIQUE

In this study, zinc sulfide thin films were deposited on glass substrates at room temperature by vacuum thermal evaporation using oblique angle deposition technique. The samples were prepared at different incident vapor flow angles 0∘, 65∘, and 85∘. The samples were studied using various characterization techniques. The film crystallinity was found very sensitive to the growth angle. Atomic force microscope images of the samples were used to investigate their morphology and surface roughness. The images of samples obtained by the field emission scanning electron microscopy technique showed that the produced samples had columnar structures with columns tilting toward the incident vapor flow direction. Optical constants were calculated by using the data obtained from UV–Vis analysis.

Numerical Investigation on Aeroelastic Behavior of Composite Material Plate Excited by Pulsed Air Jet

Nowadays, carbon fiber composite material is becoming more and more popular in aero engine industry due to its high specific strength and stiffness. Laminate carbon fiber composite material is widely used to manufacture the high load wide chord fan blade, containment casing, etc. The aeroelastic behavior of composite product is critical for the optimization of the product design and manufacturing. In order to explore its aeroelastic property, this paper discusses the coupled simulation of aerodynamic excitation applied on laminate composite material plate. Mechanical behavior of composite material plate is different from that of isotropic material plate such as metal plate, because it is anisotropy and has relative high mechanical damping due to resin between plies. These plates to be studied are designed using 4 different layup configurations which follow the design methods for composite fan blade. The numerical simulation of force response analysis mainly uses single frequency mechanical force input to simulate the electromagnetic shakers or other actuators, which could transmit mechanical force to the test parts. Meanwhile, pulsed air excitation is another way to “shake” the test parts. This excitation method induces aero damping into the test part and simulates the unsteady flow in aero engine, which could cause aeroelastic problems, such as flutter, forced response and non-synchronous vibration (NSV). In this study, numerical simulation using coupled method is conducted to explore the characteristics of laminate composite plates and the property of aerodynamic excitation force generated by pulsed air jet device. Modal analysis of composite plate shows that different ply stacking sequences have a significant impact on the plate vibration characteristics. Air pulse frequency and amplitude in flow field analysis are calibrated by hot wire anemometer results. As the air pulse frequency and amplitude are varied, incident angle of flow and layup configurations of plate can be analyzed in details by the simulations. Through the comparisons of all these factors, air pulse excitation property and the aeroelastic behavior of composite material plate are estimated. It would provide a possible way to guide the next-step experimental work with the pulsed air rig. The new composite fan blade design can be evaluated through the process.

Variation of drag, lift and torque in a suspension of ellipsoidal particles

Previous research has mostly been focused on the drag force in fluid-particle assemblies. However, when the particle geometry is non-spherical, secondary forces and torque may no longer be negligible. In this study particle-resolved simulations are performed to study the drag force, other secondary forces, and torque in flow through a fixed random suspension of ellipsoidal particles with sphericity (ψ = 0.887). The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved using the Immersed Boundary Method (IBM). The suspension of ellipsoidal particles is simulated for solid fraction between 0.1 and 0.35 using 191 to 669 particles, respectively, at low to moderate Reynolds numbers (10 ≤ Re ≤ 200). The results show that the mean drag and lift force and torque with flow incidence angle follow trends similar to that found for isolated particles. However, there are large variations in these quantities under the same conditions of Reynolds number, void fraction, and incidence angle which become more significant as the Reynolds number increases, leading to the conclusion that local flow conditions in the suspension have a large impact on forces and torques experienced by a particle. Secondary lift and lateral forces are compared to the drag force on each particle at the same Reynolds number and solid fraction. The results show that approximately 80% of particles for lift and 60% for lateral force exhibit values <10% of the drag force at low Reynolds numbers, but a significant number of particles exhibit values >10% (17% for lift and 50% for lateral force) as the Reynolds number increases, leading to the conclusion that neglecting secondary forces could lead to inaccuracies. The mean value of torque coefficient increases with void fraction and decreases with Reynolds number. However, torque on individual particles at the same mean flow conditions show large variations about the mean, even acting in the opposite direction to that indicated by the mean value.

Effect of crosswinds on aerodynamic characteristics around a generic train model

ABSTRACTIn this article, simulations of crosswinds over a rectangular prism with two types of train nose shapes (i.e. blunt and ellipse) that are running on flat ground case are discussed. The incident flow angle is varied from 0° to 90°. The flow around the train is solved using the incompressible form of the unsteady Reynolds Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations combined with the Shear-Stress-Transport turbulence model. The Reynolds number used, based on the height of the train is 3.7 × 105. Two distinctive flow regimes appear which represent a slender body behaviour at a smaller range of incident flow angles (below 45°) and bluff body behaviour at a much higher range of incident flow angles (above 45°). The safety guidelines for train’s operation suggested that both the train’s nose geometry and the wind speed condition are the two major factors that limit the maximum allowable speed for a particular train to be travelling.

Analytical Study of Articulating Turbine Rotor Blade Concept for Improved Off-Design Performance of Gas Turbine Engines

Gas turbine engines are generally optimized to operate at nearly a fixed speed with fixed blade geometries for the design operating condition. When the operating condition of the engine changes, the flow incidence angles may not be optimum with the blade geometry resulting in reduced off-design performance. Articulating the pitch angle of turbine blades in coordination with adjustable nozzle vanes can improve performance by maintaining flow incidence angles within the optimum range at all operating conditions of a gas turbine engine. Maintaining flow incidence angles within the optimum range can prevent the likelihood of flow separation in the blade passage and also reduce the thermal stresses developed due to aerothermal loads for variable speed gas turbine engine applications. U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has partnered with University of California San Diego and Iowa State University Collaborators to conduct high fidelity stator–rotor interaction analysis for evaluating the aerodynamic efficiency benefits of articulating turbine blade concept. The flow patterns are compared between the baseline fixed geometry blades and articulating conceptual blades. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies were performed using a stabilized finite element method developed by the Iowa State University and University of California San Diego researchers. The results from the simulations together with viable smart material-based technologies for turbine blade actuations are presented in this paper.