Study of sand erosion mechanisms following droplet ingestion in transonic compressors

The aircraft engine, pivotal to the aircraft and often termed its “heart,” relies significantly on the transonic compressor. This study conducts a detailed analysis of erosion due to droplet ingestion using a methodology that integrates flow parameters for various micrometer-sized particles. The research elucidates the mechanisms underlying the differential erosion impacts resulting from droplet ingestion on particles of different sizes. The results demonstrate that droplet ingestion increases the resistance to motion of smaller particles, leading to a decrease in velocity and reduced particle-wall collisions, thereby mitigating erosion. In contrast, droplet ingestion modifies the trajectories of larger particles, increasing both the frequency and the angle of impacts on the walls, which intensifies erosion. Furthermore, the study indicates that while the addition of particles generally increases the flow loss, droplet ingestion partially neutralizes this effect. This investigation accentuates the critical influence of particle size on erosion dynamics within transonic compressors, highlighting their essential role in maintaining aircraft engine functionality.