Erosion by Saharan Dust Ingested into High-Bypass Turbofans

Regions with high concentrations of dust particles, particularly arid and desert areas, contribute significantly to the deterioration of aircraft engines. This research investigated how Saharan dust particles are ingested into high-bypass turbofan engines and cause severe erosion of their front components. A Lagrangian particle tracking code was used to analyze the effects of dust particles as they travel from the external environment through the pitot intake, fan rotor, inlet guide vanes (IGVs), and outlet guide vanes (OGVs). Incorporating external domains allowed for a more realistic representation of particle trajectories, impact distributions, and erosion patterns. The analysis revealed that the fan blade experiences the most significant erosion, followed by the OGVs and IGVs. Extreme rates of erosion are observed on the leading edge and trailing edge of the rotor blade, as well as on the pressure side. On the other hand, the suction side exhibits scattered erosion at lower intensity. The OGVs and IGVs also show dispersed erosion, albeit less intense than that of the rotor. These results will help guide mitigation strategies aimed at reducing erosion progression, thereby improving the service life and reliability of aeroengines operating in dusty environments.