Flow field surveys in a transonic compressor prior to inlet steam ingestion tests

Abstract

Investigating the effect of steam ingestion into an aircraft jet engine is necessary to improve understanding of stall and surge in transonic axial compressors. Specifically, to understand the "pop stall" phenomenon experienced by naval fighter jet aircraft during steam catapult launches. Steam leakage from an aircraft carrier catapult system can be ingested into the intake and cause stall or surge in a jet engine upon takeoff. It is important to understand the conditions under which this occurs as the Navy prepares for the fielding of the single engine F- 35C, the aircraft carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. This project prepares the structure and instrumentation to investigate the inlet distortion and effects of steam ingestion on a transonic axial compressor. A compressor test facility, including mechanical equipment, data acquisition system, and remote digital control system, was configured to test a transonic compressor rotor, similar to what will be used in the Joint Strike Fighter. Rotor inlet and exit velocity profiles were measured with a three-hole probe to obtain a set of baseline data before future experiments.