Formation of Sink Vortices in a Jet Engine Test Cell

Vortices can be produced and ingested into the intake of a jet engine during high power operation in the vicinity of solid surfaces causing Foreign Object Damage (FOD) or compressor stall and engine surge problems. This can occur when the engine is mounted on the wing of a plane during take-off and engine ground runs or when the engine is placed inside a test cell for testing after an engine overhaul and prior to reinstallation onto the aircraft. In order to prevent such vortices from forming, especially in the test cells, it is necessary to be able to predict the onset of the vortex or understand the factors affecting the formation of such vortices. Ho and Jermy [TD 1DT] investigated vortex formation using a suction tube in a open-end box model simulating an engine in a test cell scenario and found that 3 distinct regimes of flow (regular vortex, deformed vortex and no vortex) exists as the ratio of suction inlet velocity to upstream average velocity (Vi/Vo) varies. The effect of the ...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: ENGL
• Authors: Wei Hua Ho, Mark Jermy, Henry Dumbleton
• Keywords: Engine, ENGL 2008, Test Cell, Vortex