Methodology for the Redesign of Compressor Blades Undergoing Nonlinear Structural Interactions: Application to Blade-Tip/Casing Contacts

Abstract

Abstract Over the past decade, the drive towards more efficient aircraft engines has pushed the boundaries of operating ranges far beyond a linear structural context. Nonlinear interfaces, such as blade-tip/casing contacts, are to be expected in nominal operating conditions. However, current blade design methodologies still rely on empirical structural considerations, often linear, which may lead to costly redesign operations. This work aims at proposing a methodology for the redesign of blades undergoing nonlinear structural interactions. A three-step redesign process is considered: (1) parameterization of an existing blade, (2) update of blade parameters with respect to a surrogate performance criterion, and (3) performance check of the optimized blade. An original two-way parameterization method is proposed to parameterize existing blades and generate models from blade parameters. As a proof-of-concept, the redesign of the NASA compressor blade rotor 37 and fan blade rotor 67 with respect to blade-tip/casing contacts is considered. High-fidelity parameterized models of the initial blades are obtained and their dynamic response to contact interactions are analyzed. Geometries are updated with respect to their clearance consumption, as its minimization has shown beneficial effects on the considered contact interactions. The proposed methodology allows us to better assess the relevance of this performance criterion in the context of blade-tip/casing contacts.