Rotor Tip Research Articles

Study of a Novel High-Speed Compensated Pulsed Alternator With Multistage Stator Cores

The compensated pulsed alternators (CPAs) have good applications in high-energy lasers, electromagnetic rail guns, and other electromagnetic launch devices. Among various electrical machine topologies, homopolar inductor alternators (HIAs) have attracted interest as CPAs due to their merits of simple and reliable structure, brushless excitation, and high-speed operation. However, the length of the conventional HIA is difficult to expand because it is limited by the rotor diameter, and the rotor diameter is restricted by the maximum speed of rotor tip, which results in low-energy storage capacity of a single machine. Besides, HIA suffers from the relatively low-power density due to its unipolar air-gap flux density (UAFD). To solve these problems, two novel HIAs with multistage stator cores (HIA-MSCs) are proposed in this paper. One is HIA with UAFD (HIA-UAFD) and the other is HIA with unipolar and bipolar air-gap flux density (HIA-UBAFD). First, the structure and operation principle of HIA-MSCs are illustrated. Then, the key parameters of HIA-MSCs are derived, and the corresponding models are built. Finally, the electromagnetic performances of HIA-MSCs are investigated by 3-D finite-element analysis method. Compared with HIA-UAFD, HIA-UBAFD has relatively higher discharge current and output power, which indicates that HIA-UBAFD is a better candidate for the pulsed alternator.

Effect of wind disturbance on the aerodynamic performance of coaxial rotors during hovering

The ability to resist the effect of wind disturbance is vital for micro air vehicles. As the most compact rotor configuration for micro air vehicles, coaxial rotors will be the preferred choice for this type of devices. In this paper, the aerodynamic performance of the coaxial rotors considering the wind gust is presented with both experiments and simulations. First, effect of wind disturbances on the micro air vehicles flight was introduced. Then, low-speed wind tunnel tests were performed on a coaxial rotor with a spacing 0.39 R to obtain the performance in both horizontal and vertical wind of 0–5 m/s with the revolutions per minute ranging from 1500 to 2400. Finally, computational fluid dynamics simulations, as a means of visualizing the flow field to compensate the intuition of the experimental data, were applied by using the sliding mesh to capture the detailed interference of flow field with the distributions of streamline and velocity vector. Compared with wind tunnel tests, simulation results were highly consistent with experiments that allow to capture the flow details around the rotor tip effectively. In addition, the aerodynamic performance was deteriorated by vortices moving or deforming around the blade tip. Also, coaxial rotors can effectively resist the wind disturbance in the horizontal direction while the rotor performance was found to be declined in the vertical wind.

Effect of blade tip leakage flow on erosion of a radial inflow turbine for compressed air energy storage system

The erosion caused by sand particles significantly influences the safety of radial inflow turbine in Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system which operated in desert area. In present study, effects of tip leakage flow on erosion of a CAES radial inflow turbine are investigated at different tip clearances and total pressure ratios. A CFD model coupling Tabakoff and Grant erosion model is utilized for the analysis. Results illustrate that the trailing edge of stator, the leading edge of rotor blades, the shroud and hub surfaces near inlet of rotor cause more severe erosion at each tip clearance. Therefore, wear-resistant coating should be adopted. The severe erosion can also be found at blade tip of rotor. However, it is gradually suppressed with the increase of tip clearance. With the increase of total pressure ratio, the region with higher erosion rate on the shroud of rotor gradually extends to downstream. However, the erosion rate at leading edge of rotor blades is decreased obviously. In conclusion, the erosion effect can be alleviated remarkably when the tip clearance size is of 2% and total pressure ratio is more than 1.84, while the isentropic efficiency is almost kept the same.

Stall Inception in Low-Pressure Ratio Fans

A combined experimental and computational test program, with two low-pressure ratio aero-engine fans, has been used to identify the flow mechanisms at stall inception and the subsequent stall cell growth. The two fans have the same rotor tip clearance, annulus design, and downstream stators, but different levels of tip loading. The measurement data show that both the fans stall via spike-type inception, but that the growth of the stall cell and the final cell size is different in each fan. The computations, reproducing both the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the steady-state and transient measurements, are used to identify the flow mechanisms at the origin of stall inception. In one fan, spillage of tip leakage flow upstream of the leading edge plane is responsible. In the other, sudden growth of casing corner separation blockage leads to stall. These two mechanisms are in accord with the findings from core compressors. However, the transonic aerodynamics and the low hub-to-tip radius ratio of the fans lead to the following two findings: first, the casing corner separation is driven by shock-boundary layer interaction and second, the spanwise loading distribution of the fan determines whether the spike develops into full-span or part-span stall and both types of behavior are represented in the present work. Finally, the axial momentum flux of the tip clearance flow is shown to be a useful indicator of the leakage jet spillage mechanism. A simple model is provided that links the tip loading, stagger, and solidity with the tip clearance axial momentum flux, thereby allowing the aerodynamicist to connect, qualitatively, design parameters with the stall behavior of the fan.

Structural and aeroelastic analyses of a wing with tip rotor

Based on parametric studies, this paper studies the structural and aerodynamic properties of a typical wing-rotor system by considering additional coupling effects from the tip rotor. The governing equations are established by virtue of Yamanaka’s theory and Hamilton’s principle in an Euler–Bernoulli precision. In the derivation process, complex mode theory and the Rayleigh–Ritz approach are employed to obtain the analytical solution and the numerical solution, respectively, and a set of trial functions are generated for the sake of reliability. Two aeroelastic models are generated via steady and unsteady aerodynamic models to investigate the divergence and flutter performance, respectively, where the computational p-k method is adopted because of the gyros matrix. In case studies, the effectiveness of the numerical solution is validated through comparative analysis; thereafter, the aeroelastic solutions are further verified. The results demonstrate that the gyro effect and the thrust effect have significant influences on the fundamental structural and aeroelastic performances, and parametric designs have great potential to postpone aeroelastic instabilities.

Investigation of Rotor Tip Vortex in Hover Based on IDDES Methods

A calculation and analysis program of high-precision numerical simulation for rotor blade tip vortex in hovering state was developed. The fifth order Roe-WENO scheme was carried out in order to reduce the numerical dissipation of the rotor wake region. The rotary motion of the rotor was realized by using the dynamic patched technology of structured grids. And at the same time, the technology also helped to avoid the tremendous increase of grid number of the far-field due to the refined grids of the flow region where emphasis was placed on. Hybrid RANS/LES approach was investigated based on the issues about inadequate capabilities of simulations of complex turbulent flows, and IDDES approach was developed. The numerical simulation of the tandem cylinder was carried out firstly to verify the reliability of the IDDES method and the patched grid technology. Then the RANS and IDDES approaches were used to simulate the flow field of the rotor in hover performance, respectively. The analysis of the vortex magnitude, vortex core position and diameter as well as the velocity profiles of the rotor tip vortex were made comparatively in detail. The numerical results showed that the resolutions obtained through IDDEES approach agreed with the experimental results much better than that of the RANS approach with the same gird scales. Meanwhile, the IDDES results can capture the tiny worm vortex structures and vortex paring phenomena in accordance with the practical status, which contributes to study the flow mechanism of rotor and related problems.

Scaling Sealing Effectiveness in a Stator–Rotor Cavity for Differing Blade Spans

As engine development continues to advance toward increased efficiency and reduced fuel consumption, efficient use of compressor bypass cooling flow becomes increasingly important. In particular, optimal use of compressor bypass flow yields an overall reduction of harmful emissions. Cooling flows used for cavity sealing between stages are critical to the engine and must be maintained to prevent damaging ingestion from the hot gas path. To assess cavity seals, the present study utilizes a one-stage turbine with true-scale engine hardware operated at engine-representative rotational Reynolds number and Mach number. Past experiments have made use of part-span (PS) rather than full-span (FS) blades to reduce flow rate requirements for the test rig; however, such decisions raise questions about potential influences of the blade span on sealing effectiveness measurements in the rim cavity. For this study, a tracer gas facilitates sealing effectiveness measurements in the rim cavity to compare data collected with FS engine airfoils and simplified, PS airfoils. The results from this study show sealing effectiveness does not scale as a function of relative purge flow with respect to main gas path flow rate when airfoil span is changed. However, scaling the sealing effectiveness for differing spans can be achieved if the fully purged flow rate is known. Results also suggest reductions of purge flow may have a relatively small loss of seal performance if the design is already near a fully purged condition. Rotor tip clearance is shown to have no effect on measured sealing effectiveness.

The Influence of an Upstream Pylon on Open Rotor Aerodynamics at Angle of Attack

The aerodynamic impact of installing a horizontal pylon in front of a contra-rotating open rotor engine, at take-off, was studied. The unsteady interactions of the pylon's wake and potential field with the rotor blades were predicted by full-annulus URANS CFD calculations at 0 deg and 12 deg angle of attack (AoA). Two pylon configurations were studied: one where the front rotor blades move down behind the pylon (DBP), and one where they move up behind the pylon (UBP). When operating at 12 deg AoA, the UBP orientation was shown to reduce the rear rotor tip vortex sizes and separated flow regions, whereas the front rotor wake and vortex sizes were increased. In contrast, the DBP orientation was found to reduce the incidence variations onto the front rotor, leading to smaller wakes and vortices. The engine flow was also time-averaged, and the variation in work done on average midspan streamlines was shown to depend strongly on variation in incidence, along with a smaller contribution related to change of radius.

Large Eddy Simulation of a scale-model turbofan for fan noise source diagnostic

A wall-modeled statistically converged Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of the turbulent flow in the NASA Source Diagnostic Test turbofan has been successfully performed for the first time. A good agreement with aerodynamic measurements is observed for both Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes and LES results, although the LES provides better results in the tip regions where large coherent structures appear and no flow separation on the stator vanes is observed. In the LES the boundary layer naturally transition to turbulence on the blade suction side but remains quasi laminar over most of its pressure side. The rotor-wake turbulence yielding the stage broadband noise is then seen to be quasi isotropic. Transition on the downstream stator vanes is not triggered by the wake impingement but rather occurs at mid-chord. Finally, acoustics are investigated using both Ffowcs Williams & Hawkings' and Goldstein's analogies from the recorded LES noise source on the stator vanes. The latter analogy provides levels closer to the measurements especially at high frequencies, although the results are most likely still influenced by too coherent rotor tip secondary flow at low frequencies.

Effect of Tip Clearance on Flow Field and Heat Transfer Characteristics in a Large Meridional Expansion Turbine

The large meridional expansion turbine stator leads to complex secondary flows and heat transfer characteristics in the blade endwall region, while the upstream tip clearance leakage flow of the rotor makes it more complex in flow and heat transfer. The influence of the upstream rotor tip clearance on the large meridian expansion stator is worth studying. The flow and heat transfer characteristics of the downstream large meridional expansion turbine stator were studied by comparing the tip leakage flow of 1.5-stage shrouded and unshrouded turbines using a three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver for viscous turbulent flows. Validation studies were performed to investigate the aerodynamics and heat transfer prediction ability of the shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model. The influence of different tip clearances of the rotor including unshrouded blade heights of 0%, 1% and 5% and a 1% shrouded blade height were investigated through numerical simulation. The results showed that the upper passage vortex separation was more serious and the separation, and attachment point of horseshoe vortex in the pressure side were significantly more advanced than that of non-expansion turbines. The tip leakage vortex obviously increased the negative incidence angle at the downstream inlet. Furthermore, the strength of the high heat transfer zone on the suction surface of the downstream stator was significantly increased, while that of the shrouded rotor decreased.

Application of Ultrasonic Anemometer Array to Field Measurements of the Downwash Flow of an Agricultural Unmanned Helicopter

Abstract. Unmanned helicopters are widely used in agricultural spray applications; however, there is a lack of high-accuracy field data on the complex downwash flows caused by such helicopters to support efficient spraying. Therefore, we aimed to collect high-accuracy reference data by developing an ultrasonic anemometer array and related software to measure the downwash flow velocity field of a common agricultural unmanned helicopter (Copterworks AF-25B) during outdoor hovering and forward flight. Differential GPS and image scaling were used to determine the exact position and velocity of the helicopter to ensure repeatability of the tests. When the hovering height of the rotor above the ground plane was y/R = 2.5 (where y is the height above ground level and R is the radius of the rotor), the maximum downwash velocity reached 7 m s-1 at x/R = 0.5 (where x is the radial distance from the axis of the rotor). In addition, we obtained the spatial distribution of the turbulence kinetic energy. The attached flow velocity in the near-ground boundary layer increased radially and reached a maximum of 3 m s-1 at x = 3.6 m, after which it decreased. Comparatively, the maximum downwash velocity during forward flight occurred between x/R = 0.5 and 1.5 and was only about 3 m s-1, which was less than half the maximum downwash velocity while hovering. In addition, the circulation flow below the rotor tips had a velocity of 1.5 m s-1. The downwash flow lasted more than 1 s as the helicopter passed over a given point on the ground, the downwash velocity decreased from 3 m s-1 to 1.5 to 2.5 m s-1, and the symmetry of the flow field was not maintained. This study is the first application of an ultrasonic anemometer array to measure the airflow around an unmanned helicopter and provides high-accuracy field data that can be used as a reference for future indoor and simulation studies. Keywords: Agricultural unmanned helicopter, Downwash flow velocity field, Forward flight, Hovering, Ultrasonic anemometer.

Rotor–duct aerodynamic and acoustic interactions at low Reynolds number

Ducted single and multi-rotor UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) offer better crash worthiness and safety compared to open rotor UAVs. The interactions that affect performance and acoustics are of interest. High speed stereo particle image velocimetry (SPIV), performance, and acoustic measurements were done on a rotor with removable protective duct to study rotor–duct aerodynamic interactions over a range of hover conditions at low Reynolds number. Instantaneous and averaged SPIV velocity field and performance results, as well as acoustic signatures, are compared to baseline un-ducted rotor cases. Increase in rotor figure of merit is strongly correlated with the level of duct interaction with rotor tip vortex cores. Efficiency change is higher for the cases where thrust induced losses take a larger share of the overall aerodynamic losses. While the overall acoustic sound pressure level was not affected significantly, cases with higher vortex core/duct interactions showed higher tonal content. Graphical abstract

Experimental Investigation of High Temperature-Resistant Inductive Sensor for Blade Tip Clearance Measurement.

Turbine tip clearance of aero-engine is important to engine performance. Proper control of rotor tip clearance contributes to engine efficiency improvement and fuel consumption reduction. Therefore, accurate tip clearance measurement is essential. The inductive measurement method is one of the non-contact distance measurement methods, which has the characteristics of high sensitivity, fast response speed and strong anti-interference ability. Based on the principle of inductive sensor measuring tip clearance, the ambient temperature change will cause the material electromagnetic performance change for the conductivity and permeability varies with temperature. The calibration experiment was conducted to obtain the sensor resolution and sensing range. The effect of temperature on sensor parameters was extracted from high temperature experiment data. Results show the resolution of planar coil made of platinum wire can be 10 μm and the maximum sensing range can reach 5 mm. At temperature from 500 ℃ to 1100 ℃, coil inductance almost does not change with temperature while coil resistance varies exponentially with temperature, that means the coil inductance variation can reflect the tip clearance change and resistance can indicate the measuring temperature.

Prediction of hydrodynamic performance of pump propeller considering the effect of tip vortex

There is a strong gap flow in the pump jet propulsor, in order to predict the hydrodynamic performance of the pump jet propulsor, the steady-state hydrodynamic disturbance model was established by the panel method. The pump jet propulsor was divided into two systems, rotor-hub and stator-duct, and inter-system interference was considered by induced velocity. Aiming at the geometric shape of stator, a method of leaf meshes based on circular cone was proposed. Based on the actual situation of the internal flow of the pump, a tip leakage vortex model suitable for the flat-topped blade was proposed. Comparing the results of pressure, circulation, and propulsion performance, it was found that when the influence of tip vortex is considered, the overall annular distribution of rotor blade and tip load are closer to the actual situation, and the performance curve is in good agreement with the viscous flow, which shows that this method can effectively predict the steady hydrodynamic performance of the pump jet propulsor.

Evidence for a Partially Stalled γ Rotor in F1-ATPase from Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

F1-ATPase uses ATP hydrolysis to drive rotation of the γ subunit. The γ C-terminal helix constitutes the rotor tip that is seated in an apical bearing formed by α3β3. It remains uncertain to what extent the γ conformation during rotation differs from that seen in rigid crystal structures. Existing models assume that the entire γ subunit participates in every rotation. Here we interrogated E.coli F1-ATPase by hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry. Rotation of γ caused greatly enhanced deuteration in the γ C-terminal helix. The HDX kinetics implied that most F1 complexes operate with an intact rotor at any given time, but that the rotor tip is prone to occasional unfolding. A molecular dynamics (MD) strategy was developed to model the off-axis forces acting on γ. MD runs showed stalling of the rotor tip and unfolding of the γ C-terminal helix. MD-predicted H-bond opening events coincided with experimental HDX patterns. Our data suggest that in vitro operation of F1-ATPase is associated with significant rotational resistance in the apical bearing. These conditions cause the γ C-terminal helix to get "stuck" (and unfold) sporadically while the remainder of γ continues to rotate. This scenario contrasts the traditional "greasy bearing" model that envisions smooth rotation of the γ C-terminal helix. The fragility of the apical rotor tip in F1-ATPase is attributed to the absence of a c10 ring that stabilizes the rotation axis in intact FoF1. Overall, the MD/HDX strategy introduced here appears well suited for interrogating the inner workings of molecular motors.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Optimized Blade Tip Shapes—Part II: Tip Flow Analysis and Loss Mechanisms

The leakage flows within the gap between the tips of unshrouded rotor blades and the stationary casing of high-speed turbines are the source of significant aerodynamic losses and thermal stresses. In the pursuit for higher component performance and reliability, shaping the tip geometry offers a considerable potential to modulate the rotor tip flows and to weaken the heat transfer onto the blade and casing. Nevertheless, a critical shortage of combined experimental and numerical studies addressing the flow and loss generation mechanisms of advanced tip profiles persists in the open literature. A comprehensive study is presented in this two-part paper that investigates the influence of blade tip geometry on the aerothermodynamics of a high-speed turbine. An experimental and numerical campaign has been performed on a high-pressure turbine stage adopting three different blade tip profiles. The aerothermal performance of two optimized tip geometries (one with a full three-dimensional contoured shape and the other featuring a multicavity squealer-like tip) is compared against that of a regular squealer geometry. In the second part of this paper, we report a detailed analysis on the aerodynamics of the turbine as a function of the blade tip geometry. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations, adopting the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model and experimental boundary conditions, were run on high-density unstructured meshes using the numecafine/open solver. The simulations were validated against time-averaged and time-resolved experimental data collected in an instrumented turbine stage specifically setup for the simultaneous testing of multiple blade tips at scaled engine-representative conditions. The tip flow physics is explored to explain variations in turbine performance as a function of the tip geometry. Denton's mixing loss model is applied to the predicted tip gap aerodynamic field to identify and quantify the loss reduction mechanisms of the alternative tip designs. An advanced method based on the local triple decomposition of relative motion is used to track the location, size and intensity of the vortical flow structures arising from the interaction between the tip leakage flow and the main gas path. Ultimately, the comparison between the unconventional tip profiles and the baseline squealer tip highlights distinct aerodynamic features in the associated gap flow field. The flow analysis provides guidelines for the designer to assess the impact of specific tip design strategies on the turbine aerodynamics and rotor heat transfer.

The Inner Workings of Axial Casing Grooves in a One and a Half Stage Axial Compressor With a Large Rotor Tip Gap: Changes in Stall Margin and Efficiency

Effects of axial casing grooves (ACGs) on the stall margin and efficiency of a one and a half stage low-speed axial compressor with a large rotor tip gap are investigated in detail. The primary focus of the current paper is to identify the flow mechanisms behind the changes in stall margin and on the efficiency of the compressor stage with a large rotor tip gap. Semicircular axial grooves installed in the rotor's leading edge area are investigated. A large eddy simulation (LES) is applied to calculate the unsteady flow field in a compressor stage with ACGs. The calculated flow fields are first validated with previously reported flow visualizations and stereo particle image velocimetry (SPIV) measurements. An in-depth examination of the calculated flow field indicates that the primary mechanism of the ACG is the prevention of full tip leakage vortex (TLV) formation when the rotor blade passes under the axial grooves periodically. The TLV is formed when the incoming main flow boundary layer collides with the tip clearance flow boundary layer coming from the opposite direction near the casing and rolls up around the rotor tip vortex. When the rotor passes directly under the axial groove, the tip clearance flow boundary layer on the casing moves into the ACGs and no roll-up of the incoming main flow boundary layer can occur. Consequently, the full TLV is not formed periodically as the rotor passes under the open casing of the axial grooves. Axial grooves prevent the formation of the full TLV. This periodic prevention of the full TLV generation is the main mechanism explaining how the ACGs extend the compressor stall margin by reducing the total blockage near the rotor tip area. Flows coming out from the front of the grooves affect the overall performance as it increases the flow incidence near the leading edge and the blade loading with the current ACGs. The primary flow mechanism of the ACGs is periodic prevention of the full TLV formation. Lower efficiency and reduced pressure rise at higher flow rates for the current casing groove configuration are due to additional mixing between the main passage flow and the flow from the grooves. At higher flow rates, blockage generation due to this additional mixing is larger than any removal of the flow blockage by the grooves. Furthermore, stronger double-leakage tip clearance flow is generated with this additional mixing with the ACGs at a higher flow rate than that of the smooth wall.

New Approach for Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Analysis of Actively Controlled Flaps Rotor

A new approach for aerodynamic and aeroacoustic analysis of actively controlled flaps (ACF) rotor is established to predict airloads and noise reduction. The approach is divided into three parts. The first is an unsteady aerodynamic model of the ACF described through a panel method, and the unsteady pressure under interaction of rotor tip vortex and ACF trailing-edge vortex, which are depicted through a viscous vortex particle method, are taken into account. The second is the influence of the ACF on trajectory of the wake and ACF trailing-edge vortex, which is carried out by a new imaged vortex model to capture blade-vortex interaction (BVI). The third is an aeroacoustic model coupled into the aerodynamic model by transmitting the unsteady pressure to Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) equation. The present approach is applied to AH-1G rotor, and the results show that the predicted unsteady airloads, high-speed impulsive (HSI), and BVI noise are compared favorably with experiment and Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)/FW-H results. Finally, the variation of airload and noise reduction of ONERA Active Blade Concept rotor (ABC) is predicted and compared with experiment. It is shown that the present approach predicts the airload and noise reduction of the ACF with different phases and flap locations with good accuracy.

Unsteady effects of vortex interaction on tip leakage vortex breakdown and its loss mechanism

In an unshrouded high-pressure turbine, tip leakage flow causes a loss of efficiency. The loss mechanisms of tip leakage flow were investigated mostly with steady uniform incoming conditions in previous studies. This paper investigated the unsteady aerodynamic performance of the tip leakage flow in a turbine stage by solving Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations. The unsteady results were also compared with results obtained by the steady simulation. Cases without rotor tip clearances were simulated to estimate the entropy generation due to the tip leakage flows.In the steady calculation, tip leakage vortex breakdown occurs due to its strong streamwise vorticity. Large entropy loss is generated due to vortex breakdown. Caused by blade rotation, the unsteady stator passage vortex evolution through the rotor passage is clearly unveiled. The enhanced stator passage vortex periodically interacts with the flow near the rotor tip and reduces the vorticity magnitude of tip leakage vortex. As a result, the vortex interaction periodically suppresses this vortex breakdown, thus reducing the loss. In the steady simulation, the axial length of tip leakage vortex breakdown is about 25% chord. However, in the unsteady simulation, the minimum axial length of the breakdown vortex is 10% chord. The entropy due to the tip leakage flow is evaluated in both the steady simulation and unsteady simulation. The time-averaged entropy generation of unsteady tip leakage vortex is 18% less than the loss in the steady case, which implies that unsteady vortex interaction improves the aerodynamic performance of tip leakage flow.

A Computational Framework to Benchmark Basket Catheter Guided Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation.

Catheter ablation is a curative therapeutic approach for atrial fibrillation (AF). Ablation of rotational sources based on basket catheter measurements has been proposed as a promising approach in patients with persistent AF to complement pulmonary vein isolation. However, clinically reported success rates are equivocal calling for a mechanistic investigation under controlled conditions. We present a computational framework to benchmark ablation strategies considering the whole cycle from excitation propagation to electrogram acquisition and processing to virtual therapy. Fibrillation was induced in a patient-specific 3D volumetric model of the left atrium, which was homogeneously remodeled to sustain reentry. The resulting extracellular potential field was sampled using models of grid catheters as well as realistically deformed basket catheters considering the specific atrial anatomy. The virtual electrograms were processed to compute phase singularity density maps to target rotor tips with up to three circular ablations. Stable rotors were successfully induced in different regions of the homogeneously remodeled atrium showing that rotors are not constrained to unique anatomical structures or locations. Density maps of rotor tip trajectories correctly identified and located the rotors (deviation < 10 mm) based on catheter recordings only for sufficient resolution (inter-electrode distance ≤3 mm) and proximity to the wall (≤10 mm). Targeting rotor sites with ablation did not stop reentries in the homogeneously remodeled atria independent from lesion size (1–7 mm radius), from linearly connecting lesions with anatomical obstacles, and from the number of rotors targeted sequentially (≤3). Our results show that phase maps derived from intracardiac electrograms can be a powerful tool to map atrial activation patterns, yet they can also be misleading due to inaccurate localization of the rotor tip depending on electrode resolution and distance to the wall. This should be considered to avoid ablating regions that are in fact free of rotor sources of AF. In our experience, ablation of rotor sites was not successful to stop fibrillation. Our comprehensive simulation framework provides the means to holistically benchmark ablation strategies in silico under consideration of all steps involved in electrogram-based therapy and, in future, could be used to study more heterogeneously remodeled disease states as well.