Particle ingestion is a prevalent issue for jet engines. During operation, sand and ash particles enter the engine and can cause serious problems, including erosion and buildup of Calcia-Magnesia-Alumina-Silicate (CMAS) deposits. Analyzing the particle mass concentration of the airflow can help better understand this issue. This can best be accomplished by sampling particles with a sampling probe at various locations within an engine. The present study is a continuation of a previous study that developed and evaluated a novel sampling probe. The present study seeks to modify the probe to optimize its sampling capability, to evaluate the aerodynamics of the modified probe through Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV), to gain insight on its ability to sample smaller particles, to characterize the movement of larger particles as they are sampled using Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV), and to develop a method to physically measure particle mass concentration. To accomplish this, a free jet rig was used to create a particle-laden flow, and the probe was placed at the jet exit to sample particles. A laser and camera system were used to capture images of the probe for PIV and PTV. A particle collection apparatus was designed to collect and weigh particles captured by the probe to measure mass concentration. The PIV results indicate that the probe exhibits sub-isokinetic sampling behavior. However, the PTV results show that large particles are not affected by non-isokinetic conditions. The mass concentration measured by the probe decreases when the flow Mach number increases due to the higher flow velocity causing particles to be spaced further apart. The mass concentration measured by the probe decreases when the probe yaw angle increases due to lower projected probe inlet area. / Master of Science / Sand and ash particles are harmful to jet engines. Particle ingestion can greatly affect the useful life of the engine. Particles erode the machinery within the engine, and they also melt to form mineral deposits, all of which degrades performance. One method that is being developed to better understand this problem is to sample particles at various locations in the engine using a sampling probe. The concept of a sampling probe is simple: particles are captured by the probe inside the engine, and the particles are collected outside the engine for analysis. This would give insight on particle behavior in the engine. The present study is a continuation of a previous study that developed and evaluated a novel sampling probe. The present study seeks to modify the probe to optimize its sampling capability, to use advanced imaging techniques to characterize the movement of air and particles entering the probe, and to safely collect and weigh particles captured by the probe. A compressed air jet was used to accelerate particles and create a particle-laden environment akin to the inside of an engine. The probe was placed at the exit of the jet to sample particles. A laser and camera system were used to capture images of the probe during the particle-sampling process. A particle collection apparatus was designed to safely collect and store particles captured by the probe for weighing. The image and weight data were then used to make conclusions about the probe's sampling capability.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110058 |
| Date | 11 May 2022 |
| Creators | Coulon, Thomas Alexander |
| Contributors | Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Lowe, Kevin T., Ng, Wing Fai, Caddick, Mark J. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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