Multi-parameter aerodynamic modeling for aeroelastic coupling in turbomachinery

A multi-parameter method based on multivariate spline function approximation and minimum state smoothing for modeling the generalized aerodynamic forces is proposed in order to reduce the cost of the aerodynamic computations in the solution of the coupled fluid–structure problem in turbomachinery. This method allows simultaneous variations of several parameters and provides the solutions of the coupled systems at arbitrary values of the parameters using the generalized aerodynamic forces computed at the few values of the parameters. This multi-parameter aerodynamic modeling method is applied to a large-chord blade, for which the two chosen parameters are the rotation speed and the inter-blade phase angle.     

Effects of multiple structural nonlinearities on limit cycle oscillation of missile control fin

Aeroelastic analyses are performed for a 2-D typical section model with multiple nonlinearities. The differences between a system with multiple nonlinearities in its pitch and plunge spring and a system with a single nonlinearity in its pitch are thoroughly investigated. The unsteady supersonic aerodynamic forces are calculated by the doublet point method (DPM). The iterative V-g method is used for a multiple-nonlinear aeroelastic analysis in the frequency domain and the freeplay nonlinearity is linearized using a describing function method. In the time domain, the DPM unsteady aerodynamic forces, which are based on a function of the reduced frequency, are approximated by the minimum state approximation method. Consequently, multiple structural nonlinearities in the 2-D typical wing section model are influenced by the pitch to plunge frequency ratio. This result is important in that it demonstrates that the flutter speed is closely connected with the frequency ratio, considering that both pitch and plunge nonlinearities result in a higher flutter speed boundary than a conventional aeroelastic system with only one pitch nonlinearity. Furthermore, the gap size of the freeplay affects the amplitude of the limit cycle oscillation (LCO) to gap size ratio.     

A numerical modelling of stator–rotor interaction in a turbine stage with oscillating blades

In real flows unsteady phenomena connected with the circumferential non-uniformity of the main flow and those caused by oscillations of blades are observed only jointly. An understanding of the physics of the mutual interaction between gas flow and oscillating blades and the development of predictive capabilities are essential for improved overall efficiency, durability and reliability. In the study presented, the algorithm proposed involves the coupled solution of 3D unsteady flow through a turbine stage and the dynamics problem for rotor-blade motion by the action of aerodynamic forces, without separating the outer and inner flow fluctuations. The partially integrated method involves the solution of the fluid and structural equations separately, but information is exchanged at each time step, so that solution from one domain is used as a boundary condition for the other domain. 3-D transonic gas flow through the stator and rotor blades in relative motion with periodicity on the whole annulus is described by the unsteady Euler conservation equations, which are integrated using the explicit monotonous finite volume difference scheme of Godunov–Kolgan. The structural analysis uses the modal approach and a 3-D finite element model of a blade. The blade motion is assumed to be constituted as a linear combination of the first natural modes of blade oscillations, with the modal coefficients depending on time. A calculation has been done for the last stage of the steam turbine, under design and off-design regimes. The numerical results for unsteady aerodynamic forces due to stator–rotor interaction are compared with results obtained while taking into account blade oscillations. The mutual influence of both outer flow non-uniformity and blade oscillations has been investigated. It is shown that the amplitude-frequency spectrum of blade oscillations contains the high-frequency harmonics, corresponding to the rotor moving past one stator blade pitch, and low-frequency harmonics caused by blade oscillations and flow non-uniformity downstream from the blade row; moreover, the spectrum involves the harmonics which are not multiples of the rotation frequency.     

Frequency lock-in during nonlinear vibration of an airfoil coupled with van der Pol Oscillator

The frequency lock-in during the nonlinear vibration of a turbomachinery blade is modeled using a spring-mounted airfoil coupled with a van der Pol Oscillator (VDP) oscillator. The proposed reduced-order model uses the nonlinear VDP oscillator to represent the oscillatory nature of wake dynamics caused by the vortex shedding. The damping term in the VDP oscillator is assumed to be nonlinear. The coupled equations governing the pitch and plunge motion of an airfoil are used to approximate the vibration of a turbomachinery blade. Springs having cubic-order nonlinearity for their stiffnesses are used to mount the airfoil. The unsteady lift acting on the blade is modeled using a self-excited nonlinear wake oscillator. The model for wake dynamics takes into account the influence of blade inertia. The nonlinear coupled three degrees of freedom (dof) aeroelastic system is studied for instability resulting in the frequency lock-in phenomenon. The equations are transformed into non-dimensional form, and then the frequencies of the coupled system are plotted to demonstrate the frequency lock-in. Further, the method of multiple scales is used to derive modulation equations which represent the amplitude and phase of the oscillation. The results obtained using the method of multiple scales are compared with direct numerical solutions to verify the present modeling method. The steady-state amplitudes of the response are plotted against the detuning parameter, which represents the frequency response curve. Further, the sensitivity of non-dimensional parameters such as coupling coefficients, mass ratio, reduced velocity, static unbalance, structural damping coefficient and the ratio of uncoupled pitch and plunge natural frequencies on the frequency response is investigated. The study revealed that parameters such as mass ratio, reduced velocity, structural damping coefficient, and coupling coefficients have a stronger influence in suppressing the amplitude of vibration. Meanwhile, parameters such as the frequency ratio, static unbalance, reduced velocity, and mass ratio significantly affect the range of frequency in which the lock-in phenomenon happens. Further, linear perturbation analysis is done to understand the qualitative effect of the system parameters such as coupling coefficients, mass ratio, frequency ratio, and static unbalance on the range of lock-in.     

一种高效的叶轮机叶片气动阻尼计算方法

运用叠加原理, 发展了一种可以运用于小振幅运动的叶轮机叶片非定常气动力降阶模型, 并将该模型与传统的能量法相结合, 提出了一种叶轮机叶片气动阻尼的高效求解方法. 运用该方法求解叶轮机叶片的气动阻尼系数, 对某个频率、某个模态只需要进行一次非定常计算, 就可以求出所有叶间振动相角下的气动阻尼系数, 提高了气动阻尼的求解效率. 在STCF4和NASA Rotor67两个算例上运用非定常雷诺平均N-S(RANS)方程和提出的降阶模型进行了对比计算.算例表明, 在小振幅下该方法的计算结果与RANS方程计算得到的气动阻尼系数能很好地吻合, 而计算效率相比多通道非定常RANS方程计算提升了近一个数量级, 并且该方法还可以运用于有失谐情况的颤振分析, 在工程上有较高的应用价值.      

Nonlinear dynamic responses of high-speed railway vehicles under combined self-excitation and forced excitation considering the influence of unsteady aerodynamic loads

The dynamic characteristics of a railway vehicle system under unsteady aerodynamic loads are examined in this study. A dynamic analysis model of the railway vehicle considering the influences of aerodynamic loads was established. The model not only considers the forced excitation effect of unsteady aerodynamic loads but also accounts for the effect of unsteady aerodynamic loads on the change of the wheel–rail contact normal forces as well as changes of the wheelset creep coefficients and creep forces/moments. Therefore, this model also considers the influences of unsteady aerodynamic loads on the self-excited vibration characteristics of the vehicle system. The time-history curves, phase trajectory diagrams, Poincaré sections, and Lyapunov exponents of the vehicle system running on a smooth straight track under unsteady aerodynamic loads were determined. The results show that when the critical speed is exceeded, the vehicle system usually performs quasi-periodic motion under unsteady aerodynamic loads, which is significantly different from the periodic motion under steady aerodynamic loads. In different cases, the amplitude and phase of motion are significantly different. The amplitude of the motions can be increased by more than 159%, and the difference of phase can be up to 173°. (The phase is almost reversed.) The dynamic responses of the vehicle system under unsteady aerodynamic loads contain abundant frequency components, including the frequency of the self-excited vibration, the frequency of the forced excitation, and combinations of their integer multiples. The vibration forms corresponding to the main harmonic components under unsteady and steady aerodynamic loads were compared, and the self-excited vibration component of the vehicle system under unsteady aerodynamic loads was identified. The variations in the critical speed with various parameter combinations were computed. The variation range of the critical velocity can reach 73%.

     

Computation of cascade flutter by uncoupled and coupled methods

A computational method for flutter prediction of turbomachinery cascades is presented. The flow through multiple blade passages is calculated using a time-domain approach with coupled aerodynamic and structural models. The unsteady Euler/Navier-Stokes equations are solved in quasi-three-dimensions using a second-order implicit scheme with dual time-stepping and a multigrid method. A structural model for the blades with bending and torsion degrees of freedom is integrated in time together with the flow field. Information between structural and aerodynamic models is exchanged until convergence in each real-time step. Computational results for a cascade are presented and compared with those obtained by the conventional energy method and with experimental and numerical data by other authors. Significant differences are found between the coupled and uncoupled methods at low mass ratios. A transonic test case with strong nonlinear phenomena is investigated with the fluid-structure coupled method. Results for inviscid flow are compared with results of Navier-Stokes computations.     

LAUNCH VEHICLE BUFFETING WITH AEROELASTIC COUPLING EFFECTS

Launch vehicle structural responses can couple with transonic flow state transitions at the nose of payload fairings. This self-sustained coupling yields a nonlinear equation of motion that can be analyzed using the force–response relationship and the periodicity condition. The traditional analysis approach for this phenomenon, however, linearizes the equation of motion by converting the alternating flow forces into an aerodynamic damping term and defines a stability criterion as the response amplitude that yields zero net system damping. This work clarifies the relationship between the present and traditional methods, and compares results and conclusions. The feasibility of modifying a launch vehicle response analysis of buffeting (random pressure fluctuations caused by turbulent flow) to include aeroelastic coupling effects is also explored. The aerodynamic stiffness and damping terms formulated herein are consistent with trends observed in wind-tunnel test data. It is shown, however, that the modified buffet analysis can be inaccurate, particularly when the aeroelastic coupling contribution does not dominate the system response.     

Nonlinear airship aeroelasticity

The aeroelastic derivatives for today's aircraft are calculated in the concept phase using a standard procedure. This scheme has to be extended for large airships, due to various nonlinearities in structural and aerodynamic behaviour. In general, the structural model of an airship is physically as well as geometrically nonlinear. The main sources of nonlinearity are large deformations and the nonlinear material behaviour of membranes. The aerodynamic solution is also included in the nonlinear problem, because the deformed airship influences the surrounding flow. Due to these nonlinearities, the aeroelastic problem for airships can only be solved by an iterative procedure. As one possibility, the coupled aerodynamic and structural dynamic problem was handled using linked standard solvers. On the structural side, the Finite-Element program package ABAQUS was extended with an interface to the aerodynamic solver VSAERO. VSAERO is based on the aerodynamic panel method using potential flow theory. The equilibrium of the internal structural and the external aerodynamic forces leads to the structural response and a trimmed flight state for the specified flight conditions (e.g. speed, altitude). The application of small perturbations around a trimmed state produces reaction forces and moments. These constraint forces are then transferred into translational and rotational acceleration fields by performing an inertia relief analysis of the disturbed structural model. The change between the trimmed flight state and the disturbed one yields the respective aeroelastic derivatives. By including the calculated derivatives in the linearised equation of motion system, it is possible to judge the stability and controllability of the investigated airship.     

Bending-torsional stability analysis of aerodynamically covered pipes with inclined terminal nozzle and concurrent internal and external flows

Stability analysis of a cantilevered pipe with an inclined terminal nozzle as well as simultaneous internal and external fluid flows is investigated in this study. The pipe is embedded in an aerodynamic cover with negligible mass and stiffness simply to streamline the external flow and avoid vortex induced vibrations. The structure of pipe is modeled as an Euler–Bernoulli beam and effects of internal fluid flow including flow-induced inertia, Coriolis and centrifugal forces and the follower force induced by the exhausting jet are taken into account. In addition, neglecting the compressibility effect and using the unsteady Wagner model, aerodynamic loading is determined as a distributed lateral load for any generic structural state. The integral form of coupled equations of motion are obtained using the Hamilton’s principle. Solution to the coupled flexural–torsional equations of motion is realized via the extended Galerkin method. After discretization of the equations of motion, an eigenvalue representation of the problem is obtained. Several parameter studies are then conducted to examine the effects of concurrent fluid flows and other related parameters on the stability margins of the system.     

基于气动力降阶模型的跨音速气动弹性稳定性分析

基于离散型输入输出差分模型,运用非定常CFD方法训练信号,然后运用最小二乘方法进行参数辨识,得到降阶的非定常气动力模型,再将该离散差分模型转换为连续时间域内的状态方程。耦合气动状态方程和结构状态方程,得到耦合系统的气动弹性状态方程。求解不同动压下状态矩阵的特征值,根据根轨迹图分析系统的稳定性特性。分析结果与直接耦合CFD/CSD方法结果相吻合,可以计算跨音速非线性气动弹性问题。其计算效率比直接耦合CFD/CSD方法提高1~2个数量级。针对Isogai wing在跨音速出现的S型颤振边界进行了较为细致的分析,阐述了该现象是由于系统诱发颤振的分支随着速度(来流动压)的提高而发生转移所导致的。     

A general modal frequency-domain vortex lattice method for aeroelastic analyses

The generalized aerodynamic force (GAF) matrix is derived for the Unsteady Vortex Lattice Method (UVLM) without the assumption of out-of-plane dynamics. As a result, the approach naturally includes in-plane motion and forces unlike the doublet lattice method (DLM). The derived UVLM GAF is therefore applicable to industry-standard techniques for aeroelastic stability analyses, such as the p–k method. In this work, the fluid–structure interpolation is performed with radial basis functions for surface interpolation. The generalized aerodynamic forces computed with the UVLM are verified against the DLM from NASTRAN on a simple flat plate configuration. The ability of the UVLM to include steady loads is verified with a T-tail flutter case and the results confirm the importance of including steady loads for T-tail flutter analysis. The modal frequency domain VLM therefore provides the same level of efficiency and accuracy than the DLM, but without the restrictions and with the ability to handle complex geometries. It is therefore a viable replacement to the DLM.     

叶轮机械叶片颤振研究的进展与评述

颤振一类气动弹性稳定性问题是叶轮机械设计者关心的主要问题之一. 本文对叶轮机械叶片颤振模型研究的进展进行了回顾, 包括非定常气动模型、结构模型以及颤振的预测方法等内容. 通过对颤振模型研究的介绍, 讨论了不同方法处理颤振这类气动弹性稳定性问题的优缺点. 提出了关于颤振研究目前的不足和部分难点, 认为流固耦合模型的研究值得进一步重点关注.      

安装固定气动翼板的大跨桥梁抖振分析

建立了安装固定气动翼板的大跨桥梁多模态耦合抖振分析框架，推演了作用在整个桥梁-气动翼板系统上的抖振力和自激力的显式表达式，考虑了多模态耦合效应．基于有限元法，作用在主梁-气动翼板系统上的抖振力转化为节点力，进一步得到作用在整个桥梁上的抖振力并导出了其功率谱密度矩阵；作用在主梁．气动翼板系统上的气弹自激力转化为节点力，并将其表达为气弹刚度矩阵和气弹阻尼矩阵．通过组集得到系统的运动方程，然后运用虚拟激励法在频域计算系统的抖振响应．以某大跨斜拉桥为例进行研究，结果表明：在主梁下方安装-对固定气动翼板后，主梁的扭转角位移、角加速度以及侧向加速度响应能够得到有效控制。     

Effects of camber angle on aerodynamic performance of flapping-wing micro air vehicle

This study investigates the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of the cambered wings of a flapping-wing micro air vehicle (FW-MAV) in hover. A three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction solver is developed for a realistic modeling of large-deforming wing structure and geometry. Cross-validation is conducted against the experimental results obtained also in the present study to establish more accurate analyses of cambered wings. An investigation is carried out on the unsteady vortex structures around the wings caused by the passive twisting motion. A parametric study is then conducted to evaluate the aerodynamic performance with respect to the camber angle at three different flapping frequencies including normal operating conditions. The camber angles producing the largest thrust and highest propulsive efficiency are estimated at each flapping frequency, and their effects on aerodynamic performance are analyzed in terms of the stroke phase. The timing and magnitude of the passive twisting motion, which are dependent on the camber angle at the operating frequency, greatly affects the unsteady vortex structure. Consequently, the camber angle designed at the operating frequency plays a key role in enhancing the aerodynamic performance of FW-MAVs.     

航行体水下发射流固耦合效应分析

对于水下发射过程来说,掌握水动力载荷形成机理与结构响应特征是一个亟待解决的问题.研究该问题需要考虑含相变的复杂多相流动,变约束的结构运动以及这二者之间的耦合效应.本文采用松耦合的方法,以流体求解器为主体,将自编的固体结构程序接入流体求解器中,在每个时间步长内分别对流体动力学方程和固体结构动力学方程进行求解,通过流固界面之间的数据交换实现耦合计算.其中,流体求解器基于雷诺平均纳维斯托克斯方程,采用单流体模型处理多相流问题,引入空化模型描述空化相变,采用修正的湍流模型模拟混合物的湍流效应,并采用动网格技术处理移动边界问题.航行体的刚体运动和结构振动分开求解.结构求解器采用等效梁模型描述结构的振动,通过坐标变换给出了随体坐标系下的结构振动方程,求解方法采用时域积分法.所建立的流固耦合方法不仅能够捕捉到自然空化的演化情况,还可获得航行体所受水动力、结构振动响应以及截面的弯矩,获得了实验的验证.基于该方法研究了结构刚度、发射速度对空泡溃灭与结构振动耦合效应的影响规律.结果表明,同步溃灭是影响结构载荷的主要因素,包括溃灭压力幅值,溃灭压力作用位置,以及溃灭压力与结构振动的相位关系.     

Large eddy simulation on the unsteady aerodynamic response of a road vehicle in transient crosswinds

A large eddy simulation method based on a fully unstructured finite volume method was developed, and the unsteady aerodynamic response of a road vehicle subjected to transient crosswinds was investigated. First, the method was validated for a 1/20-scale wind-tunnel model in a static aerodynamic condition; this showed that the surface pressure distributions as well as the aerodynamic forces and moments were in good agreement with wind-tunnel data. Second, the method was applied to two transient crosswind situations: a sinusoidal perturbation representing the typical length scale of atmospheric turbulence and a stepwise crosswind velocity corresponding to wind gusts. Typical transient responses of the aerodynamic forces and moments such as phase shifting and undershooting or overshooting were observed, and their dependence on the frequency and amplitude of the input perturbation is discussed. Thus, the utility and validity of the large eddy simulation was demonstrated in the context that such transient aerodynamic forces are difficult to measure using a conventional wind tunnel.     

Transonic limit cycle oscillation behavior of an aeroelastic airfoil with free-play

The limit cycle oscillation (LCO) behaviors of an aeroelastic airfoil with free-play for different Mach numbers are studied. Euler equations are adopted to obtain the unsteady aerodynamic forces. Aerodynamic and structural describing functions are employed to deal with aerodynamic and structural nonlinearities, respectively. Then the flutter speed and flutter frequency are obtained by V-g method. The LCO solutions for the aeroelastic airfoil obtained by using dynamically linear aerodynamics agree well with those obtained directly by using nonlinear aerodynamics. Subsequently, the dynamically linear aerodynamics is assumed, and results show that the LCOs behave variously in different Mach number ranges. A subcritical bifurcation, consisting of both stable and unstable branches, is firstly observed in subsonic and high subsonic regime. Then in a narrow Mach number range, the unstable LCOs with small amplitudes turn to be stable ones dominated by the single degree of freedom flutter. Meanwhile, these LCOs can persist down to very low flutter speeds. When the Mach number is increased further, the stable branch turns back to be unstable. To address the reason of the stability variation for different Mach numbers at small amplitude LCOs, we find that the Mach number freeze phenomenon provides a physics-based explanation and the phase reversal of the aerodynamic forces will trigger the single degree of freedom flutter in the narrow Mach number range between the low and high Mach numbers of the chimney region. The high Mach number can be predicted by the freeze Mach number, and the low one can be estimated by the Mach number at which the aerodynamic center of the airfoil lies near its elastic axis. Influence of angle of attack and viscous effects on the LCO behavior is also discussed.     

AN INTEGRATED NONLINEAR APPROACH FOR TURBOMACHINERY FORCED RESPONSE PREDICTION. PART I: FORMULATION

This paper describes the formulation of an advanced numerical model for the simulation of high- and low-engine-order forced response for turbomachinery applications. The various forced response mechanisms are explained in some detail and a specification for an accurate prediction system is discussed with emphasis on both fluid and structural modelling aspects. The Favre-averaged Navier–Stokes equations are used to represent the unsteady flow in a nonlinear time-accurate fashion. Features such as turbulence modelling, boundary conditions, meshing strategies and numerical treatments are discussed in detail. The structural model is based on a linear modal model, though local nonlinearities due friction dampers can be accommodated using an iterative scheme. The fluid mesh is moved at each-time step according to the structural motion, so that changes in blade aerodynamic damping and flow unsteadiness can be accommodated. It is concluded that the model can be used for large simulations involving multi-bladerow whole-annulus calculations.     

A new approach for computing the steady state fluid–structure interaction response of periodic problems

A special type of fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems are problems with periodic boundary conditions like in turbomachinery. The steady state FSI response of these problems is usually calculated with similar techniques as used for transient FSI analyses. This means that, when the fluid and structure problem are not simultaneously solved with a monolithic approach, the problem is partitioned into a fluid and structural part and that each time step coupling iterations are performed to account for strong interactions between the two sub-domains. This paper shows that a time-partitioned FSI computation can be very inefficient to compute the steady state FSI response of periodic problems. A new approach is introduced in which coupling iterations are performed on periodic level instead of per time step. The convergence behaviour can be significantly improved by implementing existing partitioned solution methods as used for time step coupling (TSC) algorithms in the time periodic coupling (TPC) framework. The new algorithm has been evaluated by comparing the convergence behaviour to TSC algorithms. It is shown that the number of fluid–structure evaluations can be considerably reduced when a TPC algorithm is applied instead of a TSC. One of the most appealing advantages of the TPC approach is that the structural problem can be solved in the frequency domain resulting in a very efficient algorithm for computing steady state FSI responses.