Wave Rotor Topping Cycles
for Gas Turbine Engines

3-D Single Passage Simulation

An investigation has been conducted here at the NASA Glenn Research Center to examine the effects of rotation on the formation of shock and expansion waves, and on the interface between hot and cold fluid in the passage of a wave rotor. The investigation utilized a 3-Dimensional, inviscid, perfect gas CFD simulation of a single rotating passage with constant trapezoidal cross section. The passage initially contain relatively cool, low pressure gas. The simulation begins when the left end of the passage is gradually exposed to hot, high pressure fluid which initiates a pressure wave and a hot/cold fluid inteface. The pressure wave steepens into a shock, travels down the passage, reflects from the right wall and travels back to the left end of the tube, passing through the rightward travelling interface along the way. The accompanying figure shows the distortion of the interface for differing wheel Mach numbers just after the shock has returned to the left end of the rotor.

full size - 496x643 (20K)

Contact: Louis Larosiliere
email: Louis.M.Larosiliere@grc.nasa.gov

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

responsible official: sanjay garg
site maintenance: edmond wong
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last updated: 2.29.08