Experimental aero- and thermal investigation for a next generation engine exit module
A unique facility for experimental testing of engine exit modules (EEM) at engine-realistic flow conditions is currently available at Chalmers University of Technology and will be used to address this JTP action. The unique design of the facility includes an open test section which permits investigation of the complete EEM assemblies consisting of a turbine rear structure (TRS) and a core exhaust nozzle. The facility is equipped with a 1.5 stage shrouded low-pressure turbine (LPT) providing realistic inflow to the tested EEM. The parameters of the facility completely fulfil the requirements specified in the topic description. Thus, the LPT blade height, the flow Reynolds number range, the LPT flow coefficient, the LPT load coefficient, the LPT exit swirl angle range, the LPT hub-to-tip ratio and the purge flow are as specified. The instrumentation of the facility also completely fulfils the topic requirements. Multi-hole pressure probes are available upstream and downstream of the tested EEM. Both traversing systems are covering an entire 360-degree sector of the test section from hub to shroud. Furthermore, in practically all modern techniques of the flow and heat transfer diagnostics are available in the facility. This includes a complete set of equipment and software for PIV (particle image velocimetry) including high-speed stereo-PIV, tomographic-PIV, long-distance micro-PIV and endoscopic micro-PIV. Furthermore, equipment and software for surface oil-flow visualisation and oil-film interferometry, hot-wire and hot-film interferometry, pressure- and temperature-sensitive paints, digital image correlation (DIC), naphthalene sublimation, liquid-crystal thermography and IR-thermography are available as well. Personnel in the workgroup is highly skilled in using all these measurement techniques and has many years of experience in innovation turbomachinery research programs at national and European level.