PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TULLAHOMA TN Vol. 64, No. 17 Arnold AFB, Tenn. PERMIT NO. 29 September 5, 2017 Joint partnership leads to successful swirl distortion testing By Deidre Ortiz AEDC Public Affairs An AEDC test team and mem- bers of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) initiated a project in 2011 at the Academy’s F109 turbofan test facility applying swirl distortion to the determination of engine response in terms of aeromechanics, operabil- ity and performance. In June of this year, the AEDC test team returned to the F109 test facility and conducted a test using a fully functional and automatic swirl generator prototype to determine the response of the F109 engine to swirl with and without pressure distortion. A set of pre-test predications were also computed that aided in test plan- ning and provided guidance in the test process to determine the best ex- penditure of test resources. Dr. Milt Davis, Technology Tran- sition Manager with the AEDC Test and Analysis Branch, explained that the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) S-16 Committee, also known as the Turbine Engine Inlet Flow Dis- tortion Committee, has been provid- ing methodologies and standards for the aircraft and engine community to An AEDC test team and members of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) partnered together recently at the Academy’s F109 use in testing and analyzing inlet dis- turbofan test facility to apply swirl distortion to determine engine response in terms of aeromechanics, operability and per- formance. Testing was performed July 2017 using a fully functional and automatic swirl generator prototype to determine tortion effects on gas turbine engines the response of the F109 engine to swirl with and without pressure distortion. Pictured is the equipment set up prior to test- for over 30 years. ing. (AEDC photo) “They’ve been largely focusing engine models under development,” on the performance and operability Davis said. aspects of inlet-engine compatibil- At the inception of the F109 en- ity,” he said. “Many gas turbine in- gine test project, the AEDC Tech- stallations can generate significant nology Program was engaged in the flow angularity or swirl as well as to- development of a swirl distortion tal pressure distortion at the Aerody- generator for use in direct-connect namic Interface Plane. These issues engine tests. The swirl generator de- prompted the SAE S-16 Committee velopment process culminated in the to embark on the development of a validation of a fully-functional pro- methodology for considering swirl as totype. During validation tests, the part of the inlet-engine compatibility prototype demonstrated the ability assurance process.” to rapidly establish pre-determined AEDC and the Air Force Acad- swirl patterns. The ability to remote- emy partnered together to test engine ly set a large number of swirl patterns response to swirl distortion to better enabled the comprehensive 2017 serve the turbine engine community F109 engine test. by helping to identify the role that “In parallel, AEDC test teams swirl might play not only in stability also embarked on the application of a margin loss but in high cycle fatigue turbine engine numerical simulation failures. AEDC test team and members of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) have combined capable of predicting the response to “These tests provide the SAE data efforts in applying swirl distortion to determine engine response using the Academy’s inlet distortion, known as the Parallel to help substantiate swirl descriptors F109 facility. In recognition of this successful project, the F109 test team was awarded Compressor Simulation,” Davis said. proposed for stability margin as- the General Gossick Team Award in July 2017. Pictured are AEDC test team members The AEDC F109 test team was sessments and provide a data set for Dr. Milton Davis, Tom Tibbals, Eric Hansen, Josh Osborne, Sara Rhoades and Dave Beale with U.S. Air Force Academy staff Jerry Stermer, and Lt. Col. Devin O’Dowd. validating compression system and See SUCCESSFUL, page 3 (AEDC photo) AFMC and AFTC commanders tour AEDC facilities at Arnold AFB Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, Air Force Materiel Command commander (center); Maj. Gen. David Harris, Air Force Test Center commander (right); and Col. Scott Cain, Ar- nold Engineering Development Complex commander (left), receive a facility briefing and tour of the Propulsion Wind Tunnels by Lt. Col. David Hoffman (second from left), Flight Systems Combined Test Force director, Aug. 22. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rick Goodfriend) (This image was manipulated by obscuring badges for security pur- poses.) See page 2 for additional photos. AEDC transitioning to improved Arnold AFB STEM gears up for FIRST® Team members make a St. Jude mass notification system LEGO® League Program 2017 donation through golf tournament …Page 2 …Page 3 …Page 3 2 • September 4, 2017 Arnold Air Force Base Col. Scott Cain Commander Jason Austin Chief, Public Affairs Cynthia Rivera General Manager, National Aerospace Solutions AFMC and AFTC High Mach Staff: Kathy Gattis, commanders tour AEDC NAS Executive Editor Raquel March, NAS Editor facilities at Arnold AFB High Mach is published by Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, Air Force Materiel Command commander (cen- Lakeway Publishers, Inc. a pri- ter), and Col. Scott Cain, Arnold Engineering Development Complex com- vate firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, Arnold mander (right of center), receive a facility briefing and tour of the AEDC J5 Air Force Base, Arnold Engi- Rocket Motor Test Facility by AEDC staff members Aug. 22. 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