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Convertible engine aircraft gas-turbine is two engines in one. Produces turbofan thrust, turboshaft power, or any combined thrust and shaftpower continously while operating up to full speed. Used to power vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing (V/STOL) airplanes and advanced high-speed rotorcraft. Rotorcraft shows use of convertible engines rather than separate engines for rotor power and forward thrust affords advantages in installation and save 16 percent in fuel and 20 percent in direct operating costs. Engine used for propulsion of new high-speed rotorcraft that needs both thrust and shaft power. Also used to cross-couple fans of two-engine V/STOL aircraft.

Wind can affect measured thrust and can cause turbofan engine speed to fluctuate during outdoor testing. Techniques used at an outdoor test stand at NASA Lewis Research Center to make testing easier and faster and to improve data repeatability include using an inflow control device (ICD) to make fan speed steadier, taking many raw data samples for better averaging, and correcting thrust for wind direction and speed. Data from engine tests are presented to show that the techniques improve repeatability of thrust and airflow measurements under various wind conditions. Previously announced in STAR as N83-34945

Inflow control device (ICD's) of various shapes and sizes have been used to simulate inflight fan tone noise during ground static tests. A small, simple inexpensive ICD design was optimized from previous design and fabrication techniques. This compact two-fan-diameter ICD exhibits satisfactory acoustic performance characteristics without causing noise attenuation or redirection. In addition, it generates no important new noise sources. Design and construction details of the compact ICD are discussed and acoustic performance test results are presented.

Wind can affect measured thrust and can cause turbofan engine speed to fluctuate during outdoor testing. Techniques used at an outdoor test stand at NASA Lewis Research Center to make testing easier and faster and to improve data repeatability include using an inflow control device (ICD) to make fan speed steadier, taking many raw data samples for better averaging, and correcting thrust for wind direction and speed. Data from engine tests are presented to show that the techniques improve repeatability of thrust and airflow measurements under various wind conditions.

Inflow control device (ICD's) of various shapes and sizes have been used to simulate inflight fan tone noise during ground static tests. A small, simple inexpensive ICD design was optimized from previous design and fabrication techniques. This compact two-fan-diameter ICD exhibits satisfactory acoustic performance characteristics without causing noise attenuation or redirection. In addition, it generates no important new noise sources. Design and construction details of the compact ICD are discussed and acoustic performance test results are presented.

The AiResearch Quiet Clean General Aviation Turbofan engine was tested on a vertical lift fan facility to measure the acoustic performance of two inflow control devices (ICD) of similar design, and three inlet lips of different external shape. Far-field directivity patterns calculated by existing analyses were compared with the measured fan fundamental blade passing frequency (BPF/F/) and broadband data. Installing an ICD on an engine with hardwall ducts reduced the BPF(F) tone everywhere in the far-field. When the ICD was installed on an engine with active acoustic panels, tone reduction in the forward quadrant was comparable to that in the hardwall tests; in the aft quadrant, however, tone noise was attenuated by the large acoustic panels in the bypass duct to such a degree that the ICD had little effect. Tests to compare performance of ICDs with hardwall inlet ducts showed only minor differences in the BPF(F) directivity patterns, while broadband noise was the same for both. Forward-quadrant BPF(F) and broadband directivity patterns were found to be similar for the inlet lips tested with a hardwall inlet duct. At high fan speeds, however, the shape of the analytical multimodal tone pattern from the exhaust nozzle was flatter than the measured patterns. The sources of lobes from several propagating single modes found in the forward-quadrant BPF(F) data were attributed to rotor/strut interaction and the rotor-alone pressure field.

A TF34 turbofan engine is being modified to produce shaft power from an output coupling on the fan disk when variable inlet guide vanes are closed to reduce fan airflow. The engine, called a convertible engine, could be used on advanced rotorcraft such as X-wing, ABC (Advanced Blade Concept), and Folding Tilt Rotor, and on V/STOL craft in which two engines are cross-coupled. The engine will be tested on an outdoor static test stand at NASA Lewis Research Center. Steady-state tests will be made to measure performance in turbofan, turboshaft, and combined power output modes. Transient tests will be made to determine the response to the engine and a new digital engine control system for several types of rapid changes in thrust and shaft loads. The paper describes the engine modifications, the test facility equipment, proposed testing techniques for several types of tests, and typical test results predicted from engine performance computer programs.

The AiResearch Quiet Clean General Aviation Turbofan engine was tested on an outdoor test stand to compare the acoustic performance of two inflow control devices (ICD's) of similar design, and three inlet lips of different external shape. Only small performance differences were found. Far-field directivity patterns calculated by applicable existing analyses were compared with the measured tone and broadband patterns. For some of these comparisons, tests were made with an ICD to reduce rotor/inflow disturbance interaction noise, or with the acoustic suppression panels in the inlet or bypass duct covered with aluminum tape to determine hard wall acoustic performance. The comparisons showed that the analytical expressions used predict many directivity pattern features and trends, but can deviate in shape from the measured patterns under certain engine operating conditions. Some patterns showed lobes from modes attributable to rotor/engine strut interaction sources.

An outdoor static test stand was used to measure the steady-state and transient performance of the YF-102 turbofan engine with core airbleed. The test configuration included a bellmouth inlet and a confluent-flow exhaust system similar in size to the quiet short-haul research aircraft (QSRA) exhaust system. For the steady-state tests, the engine operated satisfactorily with core bleed up to 14 percent of the core inlet flow. For the transient tests the engine accelerated and decelerated satisfactorily with no core bleed and with core bleed up to 11 percent of the core inlet flow (maximum tested). For some of the tests the core-bleed flow rate was scheduled to vary with fan discharge pressure, to simulate the QSRA bleed requirements. No stability, surge, stall, overtemperature, combustor flameout, or other operating problems were encountered in any of the tests. Steady-state and transient engine performance data are presented in graphs, and fuel-control trajectories for typical transient tests are shown.

To enable accurate simulation of in-flight fan tone noise during ground static tests, four devices intended to reduce inflow disturbances and turbulence were tested with a JT15D-1 turbofan engine. These inflow control devices (ICD's) consisted of honeycomb/screen structures mounted over the engine inlet. The ICD's ranged from 1.6 to 4 fan diameters in size, and differed in shape and fabrication method. All the ICD's significantly reduced the BPF tone in the far-field directivity patterns, but the smallest ICD's apparently introduced propagating modes which could be recognized by additional lobes in the speeds; at supersonic fan tip speed the smallest ICD's had some measurable loss, but the largest had no loss. Data from a typical transducer show that the unsteady inflow distortion modes (turbulence) were eliminated or significantly reduced when either of the ICD's was installed. However, some steady inflow distortion modes remained.

The performance of a YF-102 turbofan engine was measured in an outdoor test stand with a bellmouth inlet and seven exhaust-system configurations. The configurations consisted of three separate-flow systems of various fan and core nozzle sizes and four confluent-flow systems of various nozzle sizes and shapes. A computer program provided good estimates of the engine performance and of thrust at maximum rating for each exhaust configuration. The internal performance of two different-shaped core nozzles for confluent-flow configurations was determined to be satisfactory. Pressure and temperature surveys were made with a traversing probe in the exhaust-nozzle flow for some confluent-flow configurations. The survey data at the mixing plane, plus the measured flow rates, were used to calculate the static-pressure variation along the exhaust nozzle length. The computed pressures compared well with experimental wall static-pressure data. External-flow surveys were made, for some confluent-flow configurations, with a large fixed rake at various locations in the exhaust plume.

Two inflow control devices, (ICD's) one in-duct and the other external to the duct, were tested on a JT15D engine to determine their ability to remove inflow turbulence without altering the sound transmission to the far field. The objective of the program was to develop means of accurately simulating flight fan noise on ground static test stands. The results generally indicated that both the in-duct and external ICD's were effective in reducing the inflow turbulence and the fan blade passing frequency tone generated by the turbulence. The external ICD was essentially transparent to the propagating fan tone but the in-duct ICD caused attenuation under most conditions.

Acoustic testing of the AVCO-Lycoming YF-102 turbofan engine was done on a static test stand at Lewis Research Center in support of the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA) acoustic design. Overall noise levels are dominated by the fan noise emanating from the exhaust duct, except at high power settings when combination tones are generated in the fan inlet. Component noise levels, calculated by noise prediction methods developed at Lewis Research Center for the ANOP program, are in reasonable agreement with the measured results. Far-field microphones placed at ground level were found superior to those at engine centerline height, even at high frequencies.

The program was developed to accurately simulate flight fan noise on ground static test stands. The results generally indicated that both the induct and external ICD's were effective in reducing the inflow turbulence and the fan blade passing frequency tone generated by the turbulence. The external ICD was essentially transparent to the propagating fan tone but the induct ICD caused attenuation under most conditions.

Acoustic testing of the AVCO-Lycoming YF-102 turbofan engine was done on a static test stand in support of the quiet short-haul research aircraft acoustic design. Overall noise levels were dominated by the fan noise emanating from the exhaust duct, except at high power settings when combination tones were generated in the fan inlet. Component noise levels, calculated by noise prediction methods were in reasonable agreement with the measured results. Far-field microphones placed at ground level were found superior to those at engine centerline height, even at high frequencies.

The boundary layer control (BLC) system of the quiet short-haul research airplane (QSRA) requires significant amounts of pressurized airflow for successful operation. An inlet and duct were successfully developed which removed airflow from the engine fan duct for the BLC system at or above the required total pressure of 99% of the average fan duct total pressure. The design was constrained by the tight space limitations of the QSRA nacelle. Potential flow with boundary layer analysis techniques were used as an aid to select the inlet and duct geometries. Airflow and total pressure profile data were obtained during development tests.

Core noise from a YF-102 high bypass ratio turbofan engine was investigated through the use of simultaneous measurements of internal fluctuating pressures and far field noise. Acoustic waveguide probes, located in the engine at the compressor exit, in the combustor, at the turbine exit, and in the core nozzle, were employed to measure internal fluctuating pressures. Spectra showed that the internal signals were free of tones, except at high frequency where machinery noise was present. Data obtained over a wide range of engine conditions suggest that below 60% of maximum fan speed the low frequency core noise contributes significantly to the far field noise.

Core noise from a YF-102 high bypass ratio turbofan engine was investigated through the use of simultaneous measurements of internal fluctuating pressures and far field noise. Acoustic waveguide probes, located in the engine at the compressor exit, in the combustor, at the turbine exit, and in the core nozzle, were employed to measure internal fluctuating pressures. Spectra showed that the internal signals were free of tones, except at high frequency where machinery noise was present. Data obtained over a wide range of engine conditions suggest that below 60% of maximum fan speed the low frequency core noise contributes significantly to the far field noise.