STUDY ON VORTEX GENERATOR FLOW-CONTROL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF INLET DISTORTION

The present study demonstrates that the reduced Navier-Stokes RNS3D co de can be used very effectively to develop a vortex generator installa tion to minimize the engine face circumferential distortion by control ling secondary flow. The computing times required are small enough tha t studies such as this are feasible within an analysis-design environm ent with all its constraints of time and costs. This research study al so established the nature of the performance improvements that can be realized with vortex flow control, and suggests a set of aerodynamic p roperties (called observations) that can be used to arrive at a succes sful vortex generator installation design. This study also indicated t hat scaling between flight and typical wind-tunnel test conditions is possible only within a very narrow range of generator configurations c lose to an optimum installation. Lastly, this study indicated that vor tex generator installation design for inlet ducts is more complex than simply satisfying the requirement of attached flow, it must satisfy t he requirement of minimum engine face distortion.