Particle impact damping is measured for a cantilevered beam vibrating freely in the horizontal plane. Several particle configurations are investigated beginning with a single particle and progressing to multiple layers of particles. The effects of clearance between the particles and enclosure, initial displacement of the primary system, repeatability of damping, and damping efficiency per unit mass added are evaluated for each particle configuration. The investigation shows that the particle configuration significantly affects damping. Configurations with the fewest particles per cavity demonstrate higher damping efficiency per unit mass. Generally, for configurations with a definable clearance between the particles and enclosure, damping is shown to be a function of the clearance and initial system displacement. For configurations with multiple layers of particles, for which horizontal clearance between the particles and enclosure has no meaning, a new dimensionless parameter which captures the geometry of the particle arrangement is proposed.

No description available.

In this study, particle impact damping is measured for a cantilever beam with a particle-filled enclosure attached to its free end. Many particle materials are tested: lead spheres, steel spheres, glass spheres, tungsten carbide pellets, lead dust, steel dust, and sand. The effects of particle size are also investigated. Particle diameters are varied from about 0.2 mm to 3 mm. The experimental data collected is offered as a resourceful database for future development of an analytical model of particle impact damping.

In this study, particle impact damping is measured for a cantilever beam with a particle-filled enclosure attached to its free end. Many particle materials are tested: lead spheres, steel spheres, glass spheres, tungsten carbide pellets, lead dust, steel dust, and sand. The effects of particle size are also investigated. Particle diameters are varied from about 0.2 mm to 3 mm. The experimental data collected is offered as a resourceful database for future development of an analytical model of particle impact damping.

Many gas turbine engines operate in harsh environments where the engine can ingest solid particles. Particles can accelerate the deterioration of an engine and reduce the engine’s service life. Understanding particle interactions with the materials used in gas turbines, at representative engine conditions, can improve the design and development of turbomachinery operating in particle laden environments. Coefficient of Restitution (COR) is a measure of the particle/wall interactions and is used to study erosion and deposition. This study presents data taken using the Virginia Tech Aerothermal Rig. Arizona Road Dust (ARD) of 20-40 μm is injected into a flow field to measure the effects of temperature and velocity on particle rebound from a polished high temperature material coupon. The high temperature coupon was tested at different temperatures of ambient (300K), 873K, 1073K, 1173 K, 1223 K, 1273 K, and 1323 K while the velocity of the flow field was held constant at 28 m/s or 70 m/s. The impingement angle of the coupon was varied from 30° to 80° for each temperature tested. The results show an increase in deposition as the temperature approaches the melting temperature of sand. The results have also been compared to previously published literature. / Master of Science

Particle ingestion and deposition is an issue of concern for gas turbine engines operating in harsh environments. The ingested particles accelerate the deterioration of engine components and thus reduce its service life. This effect is observed to a greater extent in aircrafts/helicopters operating in particle laden environment. Understanding the effects of particle ingestion at engine representative condition leads to improved designs for turbomachinery. Experiments have been in an Aerothermal Rig facility at Virginia Tech to study particle deposition at engine representative temperatures. The Aerothermal Rig was upgraded to achieve air temperatures of up to 1100°C at the test section. The experiments are performed using Arizona Road Dust (ARD) of 20-40 μm size range. The temperature of air and particles are around 1100°C at a constant velocity of 70 m/s. The target coupon is made of Hastelloy X, a nickel-based alloy and the angle at which the particles impact the coupon varies from 30° to 80°. The experiments were performed with different amounts of total particle injected, concentration, and coupon angle to understand their effects on deposition. Similar research was carried out in the past at the same facility to study particle deposition at temperatures up to 1050°C and 70 m/s flow velocity. However, this previous research only studied how the coupon angle affects particle deposition; other parameters such as total particle input and particle concentration were not studied. It was found that particle deposition increases significantly at higher temperatures beyond 1050°C for higher coupon angle and amount of sand injected. Results from current study also show that deposition increases with increase in total sand injected, concentration, and coupon angle for a given temperature and velocity. / Master of Science

Stainless steel is one of the most commonly used materials in most industries. Excellent corrosion resistance of stainless steel is due to the formation of an oxide film on the surface (passive film), which protects the material from continuous corrosion attacks. When subjected to an attack combining corrosion and erosion, the passive film is damaged and thus, higher and unpredictable degradation rates are observed, which may result in costly consequences. In the first part of this study a model was developed for erosion enhanced corrosion of 304 stainless steel. A new device was designed and constructed, which made possible the impingement of single particles on the surface of sample material at different impact velocities and angles. Based on the electrochemical response of material to the impact of single particles, a model was proposed that considered the number of the impacting particles on the surface. The predictions made by this model were later compared with the results of a slurry jet experiment, which was used to simulate the service conditions. The second part of the research included the basic mechanical and electrochemical studies of the interactions occurring between the particle and material surface during the particle impact. This included the effects of different impact parameters such as coefficient of friction, impact angle, impact energy and particle angular velocity on depassivation of 304 stainless steel and its erosion-corrosion. A depassivation mechanism was proposed that considered a combined effect of the friction force and its effective path of action on the surface. In the last part improving the erosion-corrosion properties of 304 stainless steel was tried based on the results of the second part of the study. Samples were cold rolled and the effect of hardness on the coefficient of friction was investigated, which in the second part was proven responsible for the depassivation of the surface. It was found that the coefficient of friction between the particles and the surface remains unchanged in different applied percentages of cold work. Also it was shown that work hardening is an effective method for increasing the resistance of the material to erosion-corrosion. / Materials Engineering

No description available.

Turbomachinery operating on aircraft are often exposed to dusty or sandy environments during typical service. Engines on commercial and military flights operating in desert regions such as the Middle East or even Phoenix, Arizona can become severely damaged by ingesting dirt, grit, sand, and dust. Due to the high speeds, pressures, and temperatures, ingested particles can inflict erosion upon the blades, stators, and other components within the operating turbomachinery. Left unchecked, this erosion can lead to an increase in surge and stall probability while also contributing to higher service frequency and maintenance cost. Historically, particle-induced erosion is thoroughly documented and has been studied extensively; however, the underlying physics that govern the particle-surface interactions present in turbomachinery have remained elusive. The work described in this dissertation aims to describe a novel experimental technique used to measure and quantify particle-surface interactions characteristic of those present in turbomachinery. Specifically, the technique captures fully time-resolved trajectories of microparticles rebounding off a flat surface. It has been developed to measure the coefficient of restitution for particles of various material composition and shape incident on various surface materials at differing speeds and angles of incidence. The coefficient of restitution is a kinetic energy conservation metric that characterizes the amount of kinetic energy lost by particle during impact with a static surface and can be related to erosion extent and erosion mode. Many key findings were made during the experimental campaign that focused on particle bounce. It is shown that measuring fully-time resolved trajectories of bouncing particles leads to the highest quality coefficient of restitution data. Specifically, obtaining fully-time resolved trajectories allows for the stochasticity present in particle bounce to be measured and for the uncertainty in the coefficient of restitution to be fully characterized. It is shown that particle shape is not only the key driver that contributes to the stochasticity present in particle rebound, but also an important factor for determining the amount of plastic deformation that occurs on the flat surface. These findings are underscored in a novel coefficient of restitution model that accounts for the jagged particle shape present on typical particles and the plastic deformation of the surface material. This novel model also provides an analytical prediction of some of the stochasticity, or spread, present in coefficient of restitution measurements caused by particle shape. The modeled particle bounce and surface deformation is compared with experimental results. It is demonstrated that the new model accurately captures the slope of normal coefficient of restitution vs. normal velocity while surface deformation measurements can be used as an auxiliary validation for particle bounce models. In addition to measuring the coefficient of restitution for particle bounce, a novel measurement technique has also been developed to directly measure particle breakage. Along with the breakage probability of a particle, both the number and speed of the fragments for each broken breakage are measured. As expected, the breakage probability generally scales with normal velocity. It is shown that the average rebounding angle distribution for broken fragments is identical to that of bouncing particles for identical impact conditions. Moreover, average fragment velocities were shown to be about the same as that of bouncing particles. Finally, it is demonstrated that automated breakage detection allows for a significantly higher number of breakage events to be measured. This allows for the accuracy of the breakage probability measurement to be directly estimated with an uncertainty estimate. Raw results from the experimental study along with the novel coefficient of restitution model can be used to develop models for erosion in turbomachinery. Specifically, the coefficient of restitution is typically implemented in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to predict particle paths and induced erosion in turbomachinery. Currently, CFD simulation results do not agree with real-world erosion findings. This implies that the underlying physics governing erosion are not fully understood. Higher accuracy models, such as the one developed in this dissertation, coupled with empirical data can be leveraged to increase the accuracy of CFD simulations to predict erosion. In the long term, if erosion can be predicted, new engine designs can be developed that will be erosion resistant. These engines may feature new geometry to aid in expelling particles from an engine along with different materials that may be more erosion resistant. / Doctor of Philosophy / Erosion induced by particle ingestion has plagued aircraft since their inception. During operation within dusty environments, sand, dirt, and grit can be ingested into operating turbomachinery such as turbofan engines, turboshaft engines, and turbojet engines. High relative speeds between the rotating turbomachinery and particles coupled with high temperatures and pressures results in deformation and erosion of critical engine surfaces. Left unchecked, erosion of the engine can lead to significant safety concerns as engine failure can occur. Additionally, eroded engines require increased maintenance and servicing costs. While the effects of erosion have been extensively studied over the past few decades, the underlying physics that govern the erosion process have remained elusive. This work aims to elucidate some of the underlying physics that govern particle-surface interactions within turbomachinery. A novel experimental technique used to characterize particle bounce and particle breakage has been developed. Specifically, microparticles characteristic of those often ingested into engines are accelerated towards a flat surface made of materials often used in turbomachinery. A high-speed camera is used to image particle trajectories before and after impact and kinetic energy loss of each particle is measured. These measurements are used to compute the coefficient of restitution, which is a parameter that can be directly related to erosion location, extent, and mode. Additionally, the technique is also capable of detecting particle breakage and characterizing the number and speed of resulting fragments from the breakage event. The coefficient of restitution measurements are leveraged to draw key insights relating to irregular particle shape and deformation of the surface. These insights are then used to develop a novel coefficient of restitution and surface deformation model. This novel model accounts for the jagged particle shape characteristic of particles often ingested into turbomachinery. Moreover, the model also accounts for the stochasticity in coefficient of restitution measurement results induced by the jagged geometry. These contributions to the understanding of particle-surface interactions can significantly aid the development of erosion resistant designs for aircraft engines.

Air borne or liquid-laden solid particle transport is a common phenomenon in various industrial applications. Solid particles, transported at severe operating conditions such as high flow velocity, can cause concerns for structural integrity through wear originated from particle impacts with structure. To apply Acoustic Emission (AE) in particle impact monitoring, previous researchers focused primarily on dry particle impacts on dry target plate and/or wet particle impacts on wet or dry target plate. For dry particle impacts on dry target plate, AE events energy, calculated from the recorded free falling or air borne particle impact AE signals, were correlated with particle size, concentration, height, target material and thickness. For a given system, once calibrated for a specific particle type and operating condition, this technique might be sufficient to serve the purpose. However, if more than one particle type present in the system, particularly with similar size, density and impact velocity, calculated AE event energy is not unique for a specific particle type. For wet particle impacts on dry or wet target plate (either submerged or in a flow loop), AE event energy was related to the particle size, concentration, target material, impact velocity and angle between the nozzle and the target plate. In these studies, the experimental arrangements and the operating conditions considered either did not allow any bubble formation in the system or even if there is any at least an order of magnitude lower in amplitude than the sand particle impact and so easily identifiable. In reality, bubble formation can be comparable with particle impacts in terms of AE amplitude in process industries, for example, sand production during oil and gas transportation from reservoir. Current practice is to calibrate an installed AE monitoring system against a range of sand free flow conditions. In real time monitoring, for a specific calibrated flow, the flow generated AE amplitude/energy is deducted from the recorded AE amplitude/energy and the difference is attributed to the sand particle impacts. However, if the flow condition changes, which often does in the process industry, the calibration is not valid anymore and AE events from bubble can be misinterpreted as sand particle impacts and vice versa. In this research, sand particles and glass beads with similar size, density and impact velocity have been studied dropping from 200 mm on a small cylindrical stepped mild steel coupon as a target plate. For signal recording purposes, two identical broadband AE sensors are installed, one at the centre and one 30 mm off centred, on the opposite of the impacting surface. Signal analysis have been carried out by evaluating 7 standard AE parameters (amplitude, energy, rise time, duration, power spectral density(PSD), peak frequency at PSD and spectral centroid) in the time and frequency domain and time-frequency domain analysis have been performed applying Gabor Wavelet Transform. The signal interpretation becomes difficult due to reflections, dispersions and mode conversions caused by close proximity of the boundaries. So, a new signal analysis parameter - frequency band energy ratio - has been proposed. This technique is able to distinguish between population of two very similar groups (in terms of size and mass and energy) of sand particles and glass beads, impacting on mild steel based on the coefficient of variation (Cv) of the frequency band AE energy ratios. To facilitate individual particle impact identification, further analysis has been performed using Support Vector Machine (SVM) based classification algorithm using 7 standard AE parameters, evaluated in both the time and frequency domain. Available data set has been segmented into two parts of training set (80%) and test set (20%). The developed model has been applied on the test data for model performance evaluation purpose. The overall success rate of individually identifying each category (PLB, Glass bead and Sand particle impacts) at S1 has been found as 86% and at S2 as 92%. To study wet particle impacts on wet target surface, in presence of bubbles, the target plate has been sealed to a cylindrical perspex tube. Single and multiple sand particles have been introduced in the system using a constant speed blower to impact the target surface under water loading. Two sensor locations, used in the previous sets of experiments, have been monitored. From frequency domain analysis it has been observed that characteristic frequency for particle impacts are centred at 300-350 kHz and for bubble formations are centred at 135 – 150 kHz. Based upon this, two frequency bands 100 – 200 kHz (E1) and 300 – 400 kHz (E3) and the frequency band energy ratio (E3E1,) have been identified as optimal for identification particle impacts for the given system. E3E1, > 1 has been associated with particle impacts and E3E1, < 1 has been associated with bubble formations. Applying these frequency band energy ratios and setting an amplitude threshold, an automatic event identification technique has been developed for identification of sand particle impacts in presence of bubbles. The method developed can be used to optimize the identification of sand particle impacts. The optimal setting of an amplitude threshold is sensitive to number of particles and noise levels. A high threshold of say 10% will clearly identify sand particle impacts but for multiparticle tests is likely to not detect about 20% of lower (impact) energy particles. A threshold lower than 3% is likely to result in detection of AE events with poor frequency content and wrong classification of the weakest events. Optimal setting of the parameters used in the framework such as thresholds, frequency bands and ratios of AE energy is likely to make identification of sand particle impacts in the laboratory environment within 10% possible. For this technique, once the optimal frequency bands and ratios have been identified, then an added advantage is that calibration of the signal levels is not required.