Transient Distortion and Swirl Generator Using Circulation Control Airfoils

Propulsion systems for next generation air platforms will have significant challenges due to the complicated integration effects such as unsteady distortion and swirl. This leads to significant operational challenges for the fan and compressor. Therefore, the United States Air Force is requesting a device that can impart transient distortion and swirl to study and mitigate these effects. As such, Spectral Energies is developing an array of circulation control airfoils that generate unsteady swirl and distortion. The novel technology is scalable, and adaptable to create arbitrary pressure, temperature, and swirl distributions.  During Phase I, SE demonstrated unsteady distortion and swirl generation using a single airfoil. In Phase II, the full-scale system will be designed, optimized, built, and tested. SE will also obtain experimental and computational data. This data along with first principles, will be used to develop a machine learning approach to create and control user-defined distortion and swirl patterns. In addition, SE will develop scaling laws to quickly design hardware for different test facilities. In Phase III, the team will install and demonstrate the hardware on its partners’ fan rig. It will also build and demonstrate the hardware on other selected rigs like those at AFRL.