Surface roughness of real operationally used compressor blade and blisk

Deterioration of axial compressors is in general a major concern in aircraft engine maintenance. Among other effects, roughness in high-pressure compressor reduces the pressure rise and thus efficiency, thereby increasing the specific fuel consumption of an engine. Therefore, it is important to improve the understanding of roughness on compressor blading and their impact on compressor performance. To investigate the surface roughness of rotor blades of a compressors, different stages of an axial high-pressure compressor and a first-stage blisk (BLade–Integrated–dISK) of a regional aircraft engine is measured by a three-dimensional laser scanning microscope. Fundamental types of roughness structures can be identified: impacts in different sizes, depositions as isotropically distributed single elements with steep flanks and anisotropic roughness structures direct approximately normal to the flow direction. To characterise and quantify the roughness structures in more detail, roughness parameters were determined from the measured surfaces. The quantification showed that the roughness height varies through the compressor depending on the stage, position and the blade side. Overall complex roughness structures of different shape, height and size are detected regardless of the type of the blades

Sensitivity Analysis of BLISK Airfoil Wear

The decreasing performance of jet engines during operation is a major concern for airlines and maintenance companies. Among other effects, the erosion of high-pressure compressor (HPC) blades is a critical one and leads to a changed aerodynamic behavior, and therefore to a change in performance. The maintenance of BLISKs (blade-integrated-disks) is especially challenging because the blade arrangement cannot be changed and individual blades cannot be replaced. Thus, coupled deteriorated blades have a complex aerodynamic behavior which can have a stronger influence on compressor performance than a conventional HPC. To ensure effective maintenance for BLISKs, the impact of coupled misshaped blades are the key factor. The present study addresses these effects on the aerodynamic performance of a first-stage BLISK of a high-pressure compressor. Therefore, a design of experiments (DoE) is done to identify the geometric properties which lead to a reduction in performance. It is shown that the effect of coupled variances is dependent on the operating point. Based on the DoE analysis, the thickness-related parameters, the stagger angle, and the max. profile camber as coupled parameters are identified as the most important parameters for all operating points

Sensitivity Analysis of BLISK Airfoil Wear †

The decreasing performance of jet engines during operation is a major concern for airlines and maintenance companies. Among other effects, the erosion of high-pressure compressor (HPC) blades is a critical one and leads to a changed aerodynamic behavior, and therefore to a change in performance. The maintenance of BLISKs (blade-integrated-disks) is especially challenging because the blade arrangement cannot be changed and individual blades cannot be replaced. Thus, coupled deteriorated blades have a complex aerodynamic behavior which can have a stronger influence on compressor performance than a conventional HPC. To ensure effective maintenance for BLISKs, the impact of coupled misshaped blades are the key factor. The present study addresses these effects on the aerodynamic performance of a first-stage BLISK of a high-pressure compressor. Therefore, a design of experiments (DoE) is done to identify the geometric properties which lead to a reduction in performance. It is shown that the effect of coupled variances is dependent on the operating point. Based on the DoE analysis, the thickness-related parameters, the stagger angle, and the max. profile camber as coupled parameters are identified as the most important parameters for all operating points