Investigation on drag reduction on rotating blade surfaces with microtextures

Area of Science:

• Aerodynamics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Aero engine blade performance is critical for efficiency.
• Flow losses on blade surfaces reduce aerodynamic efficiency.
• Microtextures offer a potential solution for drag reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of microtextures for reducing flow loss on aero engine blades.
• To determine optimal microtexture parameters for enhanced aerodynamic performance.
• To analyze the drag reduction mechanism of microtextures.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel simulation method based on axisymmetric impeller characteristics.
• Simulated various microtexture configurations to identify optimal parameters (height, width, spacing).
• Conducted wind tunnel experiments to validate simulation results and assess performance.

Main Results:

• Triangular ribs with specific dimensions (0.2 mm height, 0.3 mm width, 0.2 mm spacing) showed the best drag reduction.
• Simulations indicated a 1.45% reduction in energy loss coefficient and 1.31% in drag for a single blade.
• Wind tunnel tests confirmed a 3.7% decrease in energy loss for a single blade at a 57° angle of attack and 136.24 m/s.

Conclusions:

• Optimized microtextures significantly improve the aerodynamic performance of aero engine blades.
• The study provides a validated method for designing microtextures to reduce flow losses.
• The findings contribute to the development of more efficient aero engines.