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The next generation of civil turbofan engines targets the by-pass ratios of up to 20:1, requiring an innovative fan design with a low fan pressure ratio, low specific thrust and a radically increased fan diameter. The aerodynamic stability of such a large slow rotating fan is very sensitive against the back-pressure variations in the by-pass duct, especially during the take-off operations. The back-pressure regulation can be achieved significantly through a Variable Area Fan Nozzle (VAFN). This work deals with the design development of VAFN concepts for ultra-high by-pass ratio engines which was researched in EU funded program ENOVAL and received funding under grant agreement number 604999.
A system engineering approach was implemented for the VAFN development by following the requirements in conceptual, preliminary and detailed design phases. The design domains in the rear nacelle and under the core fairing were selected for the concept generation. Several qualitative and quantitative trade studies were conducted to down-select the best-fit solution during each design phase. These included the kinematic simulations of various types of VAFN modulations; analytical calculations to understand the thermodynamics of the selected VAFN kinematics; aerodynamic performance predictions using CFD simulations on a large number of preliminary designs; 3D CFD simulations for detailed performance assessments including the design optimization of individual features and distortions due to failed modulations; and FEM calculations for the topology generation and optimization of structural components. The overall weighted effect was determined for each output parameter and the results were presented in percentile changes relative to that with a fixed nozzle reference geometry.
Two VAFN concepts were selected for the final detailed design phase, Flaps in rear nacelle domain and Variable Inner Fairing Structure (VIFS). Both concepts showed better outputs in terms of specific fuel consumption, noise emission and fan’s safety margin during the take-off, with an over-area exhaust position than those with a fixed nozzle operation. During the climb phase, with an under-area VAFN position, both concepts resulted in drawbacks due to higher aerodynamic losses relative to the fixed nozzle. During MCR, both the VAFN concepts with stowed positions caused losses mainly due to leakages and higher structural weights relative to the fixed nozzle configuration. For each VAFN concept, a detailed system definition was developed and the function trees for each operation were explained. A discrete modulation type with two positions was described and recommended for both concepts. This included an over-area deployed position for the take-off phase and a stowed position for the rest of the flight, based on the beneficial performance of the VAFN concepts over the fixed clean nozzle configuration.