The Application of Actuator Disks to Calculations of the Flow in Turbofan Installations

Abstract

This paper discusses the application of an actuator disk model to the problem of calculating the asymmetric performance of a turbofan operating behind a nonaxisymmetric intake and due to the presence of the engine pylon. Good agreement between predictions and experimental results is demonstrated. Further validation of the model is obtained by comparison with the results of a three-dimensional calculation of an isolated fan operating with a nonaxisymmetric inlet. Some justification of the neglect of unsteady aspects of the flow in the fan is presented. The quantitative features of the interaction of the pylon and fan flow fields are discussed.