Design and structural analysis of a dual compression rotor

Date of Award

2013

Degree Name

M.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Department

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Advisor/Chair

Advisor: Steven Eric Olson

Abstract

The Dual Compression Rotor (DCR) is a turbine engine component technology which enables the novel turbine engine concept titled the Revolutionary Innovative Turbine Engine (RITE). The DCR and RITE concept is an attempt to provide significant improvements over the traditional turbine engine design. The RITE concept, along with the DCR, represents a paradigm shift over the traditional turbine engine design. The design of the DCR features two compressor stages, one forward flow and one reversed flow, along with an outer turbine stage on a single rotor. The RITE concept offers the potential to decrease specific fuel consumption over the current state of the art, while maintaining thrust and decreasing turbine inlet temperature. The RITE concept will eliminate the need for cooling and improve performance during operation away from the design point. The DCR decreases engine axial length requirements, reducing weight, and features available turbine cooling flow inboard on the rotor. This thesis focuses on the development of a small scale demonstration of the DCR concept. An iterative design process was performed on the DCR until an aerodynamic design of the compressor and turbine stages aligned with the structural performance of available materials. Finite element analysis was performed on the DCR geometry for each iteration. Following the establishment of a preliminary design, additional design work was performed on static structures, dynamic face seals, bearings, and test fixtures. Lead time for the fabrication of the DCR and static structures prohibited the inclusion of experimental results; however, suggested testing procedures and conclusions based on the design being fabricated are included.

Keywords

Rotors Design and construction, Turbines Design and construction, Aerospace engineering; mechanical engineering; turbomachinery; structural analysis; gas turbine; propulsion; novel concept

Rights Statement

Copyright © 2013, author

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS