Internal Aerodynamic Performance Evaluation of Double Entrance S-Duct Intake at Moderately High Subsonic Mach Number

Abstract

Inlets are an essential element of aircraft propulsion systems. Aircraft with fuselage-embedded engines require intake ducts with bends to direct oncoming air into the engine. Consequently they often experience flow separation, losses, total pressure distortion, and swirling flow near the engine faces, all of which are detrimental to engine stability and performance. In some aircraft, double-entrance ducts are used to meet geometric constraints and maintain the required airflow. The present paper investigated aerodynamic performance of a bifurcated Y-duct with S-bends in both horizontal and vertical planes. Intake performance was evaluated at inlet Ma = 0.63 by measuring the surface static pressure along the four stream-wise rows of pressure taps and total pressure and 3D velocities using 5-hole probe across the exit plane of the intake duct. The data were used to determine the static and total pressure recovery, together with associated radial and circumferential distortion coefficients and swirl intensity. This work provides a rare experimental data-set for a twin-entrance, moderately high-subsonic, double S-duct intake. It compared reasonably with the most similar work published, that of single-entrance ducts at higher Mach number. Pressure recovery was on par while swirl was noted to be reduced when compared with those geometries. Complementary computational fluid dynamics was useful in the qualitative comparisons as well.