Experimental Investigation of Expanded Duct Sections and Screens for Reducing FLow Distortions at Subsonic Flows

An investigation of expanded duct sections and the effect of their design parameters on flow distortion over a duct Mach number range of 0.19 to 0.67 was conducted in the small tunnel facility of the Lewis Research Center. The parameters investigated were: (1) entrance angle of expanded section, (2) length of expanded section, (3) area ratio of expanded section, (4) location of expanded section relative to the engine face, and (5) the use of screens of varying solidities and mesh. Expansion half-angles of deg, 15 deg, and 30 deg reduced the total-pressure distortions induced in the duct. The larger expansion angles reduced circumferential distortion more effectively than radial distortion. However, the half-angle of 15 deg appeared to be optimum for reducing both radial and circumferential distortions while still maintaining a high total-pressure recovery. Increasing the expanded-section area ratio and increasing the expanded-section lengths with-the 150 expansion half-angle led to less total-pressure distortion with no appreciable loss in pressure recovery. Screens incorporated in the expanded section indicated that 22.2-percent- solidity screens decreased distortion still further.while 37.3-percent- solidity screens generally increased distortion above that of a constant- area duct incorporating the same solidity screen.