Modeling Oil Flows in Engine Sumps: Drop Dynamics and Wall Impact Simulation

Abstract

A computational preliminary design tool has been developed to help simulate drop-related processes that take place in an oil sump of a gas turbine engine accounting for drop motion, deformation, breakup, and drop∕wall interactions including wall film impact and potential splashing. Aerodynamic interactions with the gas phase are considered using an exact solution of the Navier–Stokes equations to approximate the annular gas flow. Detailed results for the baseline case that attempts to replicate the conditions found in a typical oil sump of a turbofan engine are presented. In addition, the results of more general parametric studies utilizing a simplified geometry that investigated the effects of changing various parameters are discussed.