Redesign of a closed-loop high-speed facility to test distortion generators

Aircraft engine architectures are currently in the phase of a change to meet future market demands. Certain such novel architectures force engines to operate under distorted inflow conditions, which are undesirable during flight. It is important to characterize the effect of such inflow distortions in order to understand the impact on the performance of engine components. This paper discusses the design and development of a novel test-facility that has the capability to test combined total pressure and swirl distortion generators under desired flow conditions. The return duct of the high-speed closed-loop compressor rig R4 at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI) has been redesigned to incorporate a test-section where distortion generators can be tested and characterized. Thus, a compressor test-rig is modified to act also as a wind tunnel capable of testing distortion generators at engine-like conditions.