Subproject A3 Exhaust Jet Analysis

The project comprises the development of an automated recognition of defective parts in the hot gas path of aircraft engines through a non-contact analysis of density distribution in the exhaust jet with the help of the Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS) method.

Motivation and objectives

Exhaust jet analysis with the BOS-method

Motivation and objectives

Currently, aircraft engines have to be first dismounted before defective parts can be identified. The complexity and duration of repairs and therefore the downtime of the engine currently cannot be accurately estimated, because the existing defects can be found only during ongoing regeneration process. Consequently, the regeneration process is not only time- and cost-intensive, but also has serious uncertainties in the planning. The methodology, which is being developed in the subproject A3, allows to evaluate the condition of an aircraft engine without its dismounting. The idea of the methodology is that defective parts in the hot gas path (HGP, engine components after combustion chamber) have an influence on the local density distribution in the flow in form of density irregularities that extend throughout the HGP up to the exhaust jet. The irregularities in the exhaust jet can be detected with the help of the Background-Oriented Schlieren method that allows to identify, which engine defect was the cause of it. It therefore allows both a quick check of the engines for faulty parts and appropriate maintenance, and improved planning of repair procedures due to early damage identification.

Results

In the first two funding periods of the SFB it was possible to show numerically that defective parts have an influence on the density distribution in the exhaust jet, and that they can be detected by tomographic BOS measurements. With the help of pattern recognition algorithms is was also possible to analyze the reconstructed density distributions and automatically identify the defects. Alongside with these numerical investigations, it was shown at the helicopter engine of TFD that the application of the tomographic BOS measurements on engines is generally possible. Moreover, tomographic BOS measurements at the model of a combustion chamber showed that it is also possible to detect the defects in combustion chambers with the help of density distributions in the exhaust jet. Even small deviations of the burner performance of a circular combustion chamber could be detected via further development of the tomographic analysis algorithms.  

Density distribution in the exhaust jet of a swirl burner array for the reference case (left) and a complete shutdown of one burner (right).

Current research and outlook

Finally, the developed methodology should be validated at the real aircraft engine during the current third funding period of the SFB. To this end, predefined defects will be applied to the engine and the exhaust jet will be reconstructed with the tomographic BOS method during two measurement campaigns. The influence of the defects on the exhaust jet will be investigated by a comparison of the measurements with a reference state of the engine (without defects). Additionally, this influence will be estimated in a numerical model that will be validated with the help of measurement results. After this validation, it is possible to predict numerically the influence of other defects on the exhaust jet and to build a data bank with different damage cases.  An engine in an unknown state can be then optically measured and the measurement results with the help of pattern recognition algorithms can be compared with the data bank. Therefore, the defects can be detected contact-free without the dismounting of the engine.


Subproject leader

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Seume
Address
An der Universität 1
30823 Garbsen
Address
An der Universität 1
30823 Garbsen

Staff

Frederike Eickemeier
Frederike Eickemeier

Publications

International Scientific Journal Paper, peer-reviewed

  • Goeing, Jan; Seehausen, Hendrik; Pak, Vladislav; Lueck, Sebastian; Seume, Joerg R.; Friedrichs, Jens (2020): Influence of combined compressor and turbine deterioration on the overall performance of a jet engine using RANS simulation and Pseudo Bond Graph approachJ. Glob. Power Propuls. Soc. 4 (3), S. 296–308
    DOI: 10.33737/jgpps/131109
  • Hartmann U.; Seume, J. R. (2016): Combining ART and FBP for improved fidelity of tomographic BOSMeas. Sci. Technol. 27 (9), S. 097001
    DOI: 10.1088/0957-0233/27/9/097001
  • Hartmann, U.; Hennecke, C.; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. R. (2016): Automatic Detection of Defects in a Swirl Burner Array Through an Exhaust Jet Pattern AnalysisIn: J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power 139 (3)
    DOI: 10.1115/1.4034449
  • Adamczuk, R.R.; Luehrmann, J.; Seume, J.R. (2014): Methodology for evaluating hot gas path defects in an exhaust jetAerospace Science and Technology 39 (Vol. 39), S. 120–127
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2014.08.011
  • Adamczuk, R.; Seume, J. R. (2012): Time Resolved Full-Annulus Computations of a Turbine with Inhomogeneous Inlet ConditionsInternational Journal of Gas Turbine, Propulsion and Power Systems 4,2, S. 01–07

International Conference Paper, peer-reviewed

  • Hartmann, U.; Seume, J. (2018): Automated Condition Evaluation of Hot-Gas Path Components of Jet Engines through Exhaust Jet Analysis Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2018, 11-15 June 2018, Oslo, Norway, GT2018-75384
  • Adamczuk, R.; Seume, J. R. (2016): Numerical Evaluation of the Condition of a Jet Engine through Exhaust Jet AnalysisIn: ASME (Hg.): Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2016
  • Hartmann, U.; Hennecke, C.; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. R. (2016): Automatic Detection of Defects in an Annular Swirl Burner Array Through an Exhaust Jet Pattern AnalysisProceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2016, S. 1–10
  • von der Haar, Henrik; Hartmann, U.; Hennecke, C.; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. R. (2016): Early Defect Detection on an annular Swirl-Burner-Array by Optical Measuring Exhaust Gases and Numerical AnalysisIn: Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2016, June 13-17, 2016, Seoul, South Korea
  • Hartmann, U.; Seume, J. R. (2015): Application of an Algebraic Reconstruction Algorithm to Tomographic BOS MeasurementsIn: Gas Turbine Society of Japan (Hg.): Proceedings of International Gas Turbine Congress 2015, Japan, S. 1214–1221
  • Adamczuk, R.; Buske, C.; Roehle, I.; Hennecke, C.; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. R. (2013): Impact of Defects and Damage in Aircraft Engines on the Exhaust JetProceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, 3-7 June 2013, San Antonio, USA, GT2013-95709
  • Adamczuk, R.; Hartmann, U.; Seume, J. R. (2013): Experimental Demonstration of Analyzing an Engine's Exhaust Jet with the Background-Oriented Schlieren MethodAIAA Ground Testing Conference, 24-27 June 2013, San Diego, USA
  • Adamczuk, R.; Seume, J. R. (2013): Early Assessment of Defects and Damage in Jet EnginesInternational Through-Life Engineering Services Conference, Bd. 11. Cranfield, England, S. 328–333
    DOI: 10.1016/j.procir.2013.07.022
  • Adamczuk, R.; Seume, J. R. (2011): Time Resolved Full-Annulus Computations of a Turbine with Inhomogeneous Inlet ConditionsInternational Gas Turbine Congress 2011 Osaka, Japan, IGTC2011-0175

International Conference Paper, not peer-reviewed

  • Hartmann, U.; Haar, H. von der; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. (2018): Experimental Defect Detection in a Swirl-Burner Array Through Exhaust Jet Analysis2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, AIAA SciTech Forum, 8-12 January 2018, Kissimmee, Florida, USA, AIAA2018-0303
    DOI: 10.2514/6.2018-0303
  • Hartmann, U.; Adamczuk, R.; Seume, J. R. (2015): Tomographic Background Oriented Schlieren Applications for Turbomachinery 53rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting (invited), 5-9 January 2015, Kissimmee, Florida
    DOI: 10.2514/6.2015-1690
  • Adamczuk, R.; Hartmann, U.; Seume, J. R. (2014): Application of the Background-Oriented Schlieren Method for the Analysis of an Engine's Exhaust JetXXII Biannual Symposium on Measuring Techniques in Turbomachinery, 4-5 September 2014, Lyon, France
  • Adamczuk, R.; Aschenbruck, J.; Bartelt, M.; Herbst, F.; Seume, J. R. (2011): Inverse Methods in Turbomachinery ApplicationsAachen Conference on Computational Engineering Science (ACCES). Aachen, 01.01.2011

National Conference Paper, not peer-reviewed

  • Hennecke, C.; Hartmann, U.; von der Haar, Henrik; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. R. (2015): Fehlerfrüherkennung von Brennkammerdefekten einer Ringbrennkammer aus einem 8-Drallbrenner-Array mittels optischer Abgasstrahlanalyse und numerischer Zuordnung27. Deutscher Flammentag Verbrennung und Feuerung, Düsseldorf: VDI-Verlag, S. 393–402
  • Hennecke, C.; Hartmann, U.; von der Haar, Henrik; Dinkelacker, F.; Seume, J. R. (2015): Correlation of Defects in an Annular Swirl-Burner-Array by Optical Measuring Exhaust Gases and Numerical Analysis64. Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2015, 22-24 September 2015, Rostock

Dissertationen

  • Adamczuk, R. (2014): Zustandsbeurteilung eines Triebwerks durch die Analyse des AbgasstrahlsLeibniz Universität Hannover, Berichte aus Institut für Turbomaschinen und Fluid-Dynamik Band 6/2014
All publications of the Collaborative Research Centre