A flow dynamics and energy coupled evaluation model for power consumption and temperature drop in the radial modulated pre-swirl system

The aero-engine pre-swirl system plays a critical role in cooling turbine rotor blades to maintain their temperature within operational limits. With advancements in propulsion efficiency and the reliable implementation of the secondary air system functions, such as blade cooling, rim sealing, and axial force control, modulated pre-swirl systems present significant potential applications for next-generation aero-engines. Adjustments to the pre-swirl system inevitably influence power consumption and cooling air temperature. This study develops an evaluation model for power consumption and temperature drop in the radial modulated pre-swirl system, incorporating all sources of power consumption and accounting for the coupled interactions between upstream and downstream flow and energy. The accuracy of the proposed model is validated through numerical simulations, and deviation sensitivity analysis is conducted to identify and assess potential sources of error. Furthermore, the proposed evaluation model is employed to analyze the effects of pre-swirl angle, rotational speed, and system pressure ratio on the flow characteristics and temperature drop of the radial modulated pre-swirl system. The results indicate that the model's predictions for system power consumption and swirl ratio distribution align closely with numerical simulations and published literatures, with maximum deviations of 7.2% and 18.9%, respectively, and a maximum temperature drop error of 2.03 K. Deviation sensitivity analysis reveals that the pre-swirl temperature drop and the outlet swirl ratio exhibit low sensitivity to errors in torque calculations, with maximum observed deviations of 1.9% and 5.3%, respectively.