Altitude-Dependent Analysis of Combustion Performance and Emissions in a Commercial Aircraft Engine Leveraging Real Engine Data

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive numerical investigation of altitude-dependent combustion performance and emissions of a commercial aircraft engine, leveraging real engine data to evaluate kerosene-fueled operation across six flight levels: FL300, FL318, FL336, FL354, FL372, and FL390. The combustion chamber geometry was modeled using Siemens NX, simplified in ANSYS SpaceClaim, and meshed with a five-layer inflation strategy to ensure proper boundary layer resolution. A high-quality mesh was achieved, and a mesh independence study was conducted to ensure numerical accuracy. Using the realizable k-epsilon turbulence model with enhanced wall treatment and an eddy-dissipation approach for turbulence-chemistry interactions, the results show that lower flight levels are associated with higher combustion efficiency, with peak temperatures exceeding 2500 K at FL300. Conversely, higher altitudes demonstrated reduced combustion efficiency and increased unburned fuel fractions, providing insights into the performance and environmental impact of altitude-dependent aircraft operations. These results may assist in optimizing engine design and operational strategies for improved fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact across varying altitudes.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK)Open access funding provided by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK)