Energies, Vol. 19, Pages 1317: Energy Effects of Ground Vortex-Induced Flow Distortion and Foreign Object Ingestion in Aeroengine Intakes
Energies doi: 10.3390/en19051317
Authors:
Longqing Lei
Pengfei Chen
Hua Yang
Zhiyou Liu
Wei Chen
Ground vortex formation beneath aeroengine intakes during near-ground operations represents an energy-related aerodynamic issue, as it degrades inlet flow quality, induces pressure distortion, and reduces the effective utilization of incoming kinetic energy. This study investigates the unsteady characteristics of ground vortex flow under headwind conditions and its influence on foreign object ingestion (FOI) in an aeroengine intake. Three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) simulations coupled with a Lagrangian Discrete Phase Model (DPM) are employed to resolve the interaction between intake-induced vortices and dispersed particles near the ground. The results indicate that the ground vortex rapidly develops into a quasi-periodic state, generating significant unsteady total pressure distortion at the intake face, with peak fluctuations reaching approximately 10% of the mean value. This flow non-uniformity reflects a deterioration of inlet energy distribution and is detrimental to downstream compression efficiency. Particle ingestion behavior is strongly dependent on particle density and diameter. Low-density and small particles are more readily entrained into the vortex core and ingested, whereas particles with higher density or larger size exhibit increased inertia and reduced sensitivity to vortex-induced energy transport. The ingestion region is biased toward the lower portion of the intake, consistent with the vortex core location. These findings provide insight into vortex-induced energy distortion and FOI mechanisms, offering guidance for improving aeroengine intake design and energy-efficient operation during near-ground conditions.