Wave Rotor Topping Cycles
for Gas Turbine Engines

1-D 4 Port Design Code

The design code is a modification of the 1-D Single Passage Simulation. In this capacity the prescribed inputs to the code are the friction factor, the ratio of specific heats, the passage opening time, the ratio of exhaust port to inlet port stagnation temperature, and the so called expansion ratio, , which is the ratio of the static pressure in the exhaust port to the assumed uniform pressure in the passage just before the exhaust port opens. The code then calculates the inlet stagnation pressures and temperatures, outlet static pressures, and port locations which insure that the various waves are properly timed and that, upon completion of the cycle, the total mass flow from outlet ports matches the total flow to the inlet ports. The balancing of mass flow also insures that the passage completes the cycle in nearly the same state at which it began so that the cycle may start again. The calculation process consists of a major iteration on the port mass flows with several sub-iterations to assure that ports close just as waves arrive.

Design Code: Example

Inputs: T4/T1 f

Outputs: P4/P1 port timing duct angles combustor loop states mass flow

Calculated port locations (timing), port duct angles, non-dimensional design point performance, and wave diagrams (density contours) for two types of four port wave rotors.

Contact: Daniel E.Paxson
email: dpaxson@grc.nasa.gov

Project Contact: Daniel E. Paxson
Phone: (216) 433-8334
email: dpaxson@grc.nasa.gov

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last updated: 2.29.08