Multifidelity Simulation Research on the Low Reynolds Number Effect on the Engine Performance at Different Altitudes

With the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicles, the effect of the low Reynolds number on gas turbine performance and high-altitude endurance has received extensive attention. However, the existing three-dimensional component modeling cannot meet the design requirements of the whole engine level, and the accuracy and physical principles of the existing engine empirical correction cannot be guaranteed. Through the study of a single-shaft turbojet engine, this paper adopts a versatile and accurate coupling method, which combines the volume method and the full coupling method and conducts multifidelity simulation research on the zero-dimensional engine model and the three-dimensional component model. Then, based on the high-altitude test data, under typical operating conditions, compared with the existing empirical correction method in GASTURB, the accuracy of the engine inlet flow, fuel flow, thrust, and exhaust gas temperature predicted by the volume-based fully coupled method is improved by 6.2%, 7.9%, 4.7%, and 11.4%, respectively. Next, as the flight altitude rises from 0 km to 21 km, the Reynolds number reduces, the working lines approach the surge lines, and the maximum mass flow rate and the efficiency of the engine components gradually decrease. In addition, in the flow field of the components, the thickness of the boundary layer increases, the shock wave intensity decreases, and the position moves forward. The core innovation of this article is that it provides a creative multifidelity evaluation method for gas turbines to effectively solve the problems of insufficient accuracy of the existing empirical correction methods and the inability of the component design to meet the gas turbine requirements in the study of the low Reynolds number effect at different altitudes, which significantly strengthens the connection among the component internal flow field information extraction, the component characteristics analysis, and the gas turbine performance matching. Moreover, it is conducive to the scientific design of the advanced unmanned aerial vehicles’ power.