Aeromechanics Analysis of a Boundary Layer Ingesting Fan

Boundary layer ingesting propulsion systems have the potential to significantly reduce fuel burn but these systems must overcome the challenges related to aeromechanics—fan flutter stability and forced response dynamic stresses. High-fidelity computational analysis of the fan aeromechanics is integral to the ongoing effort to design a boundary layer ingesting inlet and fan for fabrication and wind-tunnel test. A three-dimensional, time-accurate, Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes computational fluid dynamics code is used to study aerothermodynamic and aeromechanical behavior of the fan in response to both clean and distorted inflows. The computational aeromechanics analyses performed in this study show an intermediate design iteration of the fan to be flutter-free at the design conditions analyzed with both clean and distorted in-flows. Dynamic stresses from forced response have been calculated for the design rotational speed. Additional work is ongoing to expand the analyses to off-design conditions, and for on-resonance conditions.