Convergence Analysis of the Numerical Solution for Cathode Design of Aero-engine Blades in Electrochemical Machining

As a main difficult problem encountered in electrochemical machining （ECM）, the cathode design is tackled, at present, with various numerical analysis methods such as finite difference, finite element and boundary element methods. Among them, the finite element method presents more flexibility to deal with the irregularly shaped workpieces. However, it is very difficult to ensure the convergence of finite element numerical approach. This paper proposes an accurate model and a finite element numerical approach of cathode design based on the potential distribution in inter-electrode gap. In order to ensure the convergence of finite element numerical approach and increase the accuracy in cathode design, the cathode shape should be iterated to eliminate the design errors in computational process. Several experiments are conducted to verify the machining accuracy of the designed cathode. The experimental results have proven perfect convergence and good computing accuracy of the proposed finite element numerical approach by the high surface quality and dimensional accuracy of the machined blades.

Nonlinear Flap-Wise Vibration Characteristics ofWind Turbine Blades Based onMulti-Scale AnalysisMethod

This work presents a novel approach to achieve nonlinear vibration response based on the Hamilton principle.We chose the 5-MW reference wind turbine which was established by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory(NREL),to research the effects of the nonlinear flap-wise vibration characteristics.The turbine wheel is simplified by treating the blade of a wind turbine as an Euler-Bernoulli beam,and the nonlinear flap-wise vibration characteristics of the wind turbine blades are discussed based on the simplification first.Then,the blade’s large-deflection flap-wise vibration governing equation is established by considering the nonlinear term involving the centrifugal force.Lastly,it is truncated by the Galerkin method and analyzed semi-analytically using the multi-scale analysis method,and numerical simulations are carried out to compare the simulation results of finite elements with the numerical simulation results using Campbell diagram analysis of blade vibration.The results indicated that the rotational speed of the impeller has a significant impact on blade vibration.When the wheel speed of 12.1 rpm and excitation amplitude of 1.23 the maximum displacement amplitude of the blade has increased from 0.72 to 3.16.From the amplitude-frequency curve,it can be seen that the multi-peak characteristic of blade amplitude frequency is under centrifugal nonlinearity.Closed phase trajectories in blade nonlinear vibration,exhibiting periodic motion characteristics,are found through phase diagrams and Poincare section diagrams.

A trajectory planning method on error compensation of residual height for aero-engine blades of robotic belt grinding

While the traditional trajectory planning methods are used in robotic belt grinding of blades with an uneven machining allowance distribution, it is hard to obtain the preferable profile accuracy and surface quality to meet the high-performance requirements of aero-engine. To solve this problem, a novel trajectory planning method is proposed in this paper by considering the developed interpolation algorithm and the machining allowance threshold. The residual height error obtained from grinding experiments of titanium alloy sample was compensated to modify the calculation model of row spacing, and a new geometric algorithm was presented to dynamically calculate the cutter contact points based on this revised calculation model and the dichotomy method. Subsequently, the off-line machining program is generated based on a double-vector controlling method to obtain an optimal contact posture. On this basis, three sets of robotic grinding tests of titanium alloy blades were conducted to investigate the advantages of the proposed method.The comparative experimental results revealed that the presented algorithm had improved the surface profile accuracy of blade by 34.2% and 55.1%, respectively. Moreover, the average machined surface roughness was achieved to 0.3 μm and the machining efficiency was obviously promoted. It is concluded that this research work is beneficial to comprehensively improve the machined quality of blades in robotic belt grinding.

Reliability analysis of aero-engine blades considering nonlinear strength degeneration

To comprehensively consider the effects of strength degeneration and failure correlation, an improved stress–strength interference （SSI） model is proposed to analyze the reliability of aeroengine blades with the fatigue failure mode. Two types of TC4 alloy experiments are conducted for the study on the damage accumulation law. All the parameters in the nonlinear damage model are obtained by the tension–compression fatigue tests, and the accuracy of the nonlinear damage model is verified by the damage tests. The strength degeneration model is put forward on the basis of the Chaboche nonlinear damage theory and the Griffith fracture criterion, and determined by measuring the fatigue toughness during the tests. From the comparison of two kinds of degeneration models based on the Miner’s linear law and the nonlinear damage model respectively, the nonlinear model has a significant advantage on prediction accuracy especially in the later period of life. A time-dependent SSI reliability model is established. By computing the stress distribution using the finite element （FE） technique, the reliability of a single blade during the whole service life is obtained. Considering the failure correlation of components, a modified reliability model of aero-engine blades with common cause failure （CCF） is presented. It shows a closer and more reasonable process with the actual working condition. The improved reliability model is illustrated to be applied to aero-engine blades well, and the approach purposed in this paper is suitable for any actual machinery component of aero-engine rotor systems.

Surface integrity of GH4169 affected by cantilever finish grinding and the application in aero-engine blades

GH4169 is the main material for aero-cngine blades and integrated blisks. Because GH4169 has a poor milling performance, the profile precision and surtace integrity of blades and integrated blisks are difficult to be met by utilizing the conventional milling process, which directly influence the global performance and reliability of aero-engines. Through grinding experiments on parameters and surface integrity optimization, the helical cantilever grinding process utilizing a 300# CBN RB wheel is presented and applied in finish machining of GH4169 blades. The profile errors of the blade surface are within ±0.01 mm, the roughness is less than 0.4μm, the residual compressive stresses and the hardening rate are appropriate, there are no phenomena of burr and smearing with the grinding chips, and the leading/trailing edge can be smoothly connected with the suction/pressure surface. All the experimental results indicate that this grinding process is greatly suitable for the profile finish machining of GH4169 blades.

Aero-engine Blade Fatigue Analysis Based on Nonlinear Continuum Damage Model Using Neural Networks

Fatigue life and reliability of aero-engine blade are always of important significance to flight safety.The establishment of damage model is one of the key factors in blade fatigue research.Conventional linear Miner＇s sum method is not suitable for aero-engine because of its low accuracy.A back propagation neutral network（BPNN） based on the combination of Levenberg-Marquardt（LM） and finite element method（FEM） is used to describe process of nonlinear damage accumulation behavior in material and predict fatigue life of the blade.Fatigue tests of standard specimen made from TC4 are carried out to obtain material fatigue parameters and S-N curve.A nonlinear continuum damage model（CDM）,based on the BPNN with one hidden layer and ten neurons,is built to investigate the nonlinear damage accumulation behavior,in which the results from the tests are used as training set.Comparing with linear models and previous nonlinear models,BPNN has the lowest calculation error in full load range.It has significant accuracy when the load is below 500 MPa.Especially,when the load is 350 MPa,the calculation error of the BPNN is only 0.4%.The accurate model of the blade is built by using 3D coordinate measurement technology.The loading cycle in fatigue analysis is defined from takeoff to cruise in 10 min,and the load history is obtained from finite element analysis（FEA）.Then the fatigue life of the compressor blade is predicted by using the BPNN model.The final fatigue life of the aero-engine blade is 6.55 104 cycles（10 916 h） based on the BPNN model,which is effective for the virtual design of aero-engine blade.

Remaining useful life prediction of aero-engines based on random-coefficient regression model considering random failure threshold

Remaining useful life(RUL)prediction is one of the most crucial components in prognostics and health management(PHM)of aero-engines.This paper proposes an RUL prediction method of aero-engines considering the randomness of failure threshold.Firstly,a random-coefficient regression(RCR)model is used to model the degradation process of aeroengines.Then,the RUL distribution based on fixed failure threshold is derived.The prior parameters of the degradation model are calculated by a two-step maximum likelihood estimation(MLE)method and the random coefficient is updated in real time under the Bayesian framework.The failure threshold in this paper is defined by the actual degradation process of aeroengines.After that,a expectation maximization(EM)algorithm is proposed to estimate the underlying failure threshold of aeroengines.In addition,the conditional probability is used to satisfy the limitation of failure threshold.Then,based on above results,an analytical expression of RUL distribution of aero-engines based on the RCR model considering random failure threshold(RFT)is derived in a closed-form.Finally,a case study of turbofan engine is used to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the RUL prediction method and the parameters estimation method of failure threshold proposed.

Extraction of Strain Characteristic Signals from Wind Turbine Blades Based on EEMD-WT

Analyzing the strain signal of wind turbine blade is the key to studying the load of wind turbine blade,so as to ensure the safe and stable operation of wind turbine in natural environment.The strain signal of the wind turbine blade under continuous crosswind state has typical non-stationary and unsteady characteristics.The strain signal contains a lot of noise,which makes the analysis error.Therefore,it is very important to denoise and extract features of measured signals before signal analysis.In this paper,the joint algorithm of ensemble empirical mode decomposition(EEMD)and wavelet transform(WT)is used for the first time to achieve sufficient noise reduction and effectively extract the feature signals of non-stationary strain signals.The application process of EEMD-WT is optimized.This optimization can avoid the repeated selection of wavelet basis function and the number of decomposition layers due to different crosswind conditions.EEMD adaptively decomposes the strain signal into intrinsic mode functions,to judge the frequency of IMFs,remove the high-frequency noise components,retain the useful components.The useful components are denoised twice by the wavelet transform,the components and residual terms after the secondary denoising are reconstructed to obtain the characteristic signal.The EEMD-WT was applied to process the simulating signals andmeasured the strain signals.The results were compared with the results of the EEMD.The results showed that the EEMD-WTmethod has better noise reduction performance,and can effectively extract the characteristics of strain signals,which lays a solid foundation for accurate analysis of wind turbine blade strain signals under crosswind conditions.

Composite Adaptive Control of Belt Polishing Force for Aero-engine Blade

The existing methods for blade polishing mainly focus on robot polishing and manual grinding.Due to the difficulty in high-precision control of the polishing force,the blade surface precision is very low in robot polishing,in particular,quality of the inlet and exhaust edges can not satisfy the processing requirements.Manual grinding has low efficiency,high labor intensity and unstable processing quality,moreover,the polished surface is vulnerable to burn,and the surface precision and integrity are difficult to ensure.In order to further improve the profile accuracy and surface quality,a pneumatic flexible polishing force-exerting mechanism is designed and a dual-mode switching composite adaptive control(DSCAC) strategy is proposed,which combines Bang-Bang control and model reference adaptive control based on fuzzy neural network(MRACFNN) together.By the mode decision-making mechanism,Bang-Bang control is used to track the control command signal quickly when the actual polishing force is far away from the target value,and MRACFNN is utilized in smaller error ranges to improve the system robustness and control precision.Based on the mathematical model of the force-exerting mechanism,simulation analysis is implemented on DSCAC.Simulation results show that the output polishing force can better track the given signal.Finally,the blade polishing experiments are carried out on the designed polishing equipment.Experimental results show that DSCAC can effectively mitigate the influence of gas compressibility,valve dead-time effect,valve nonlinear flow,cylinder friction,measurement noise and other interference on the control precision of polishing force,which has high control precision,strong robustness,strong anti-interference ability and other advantages compared with MRACFNN.The proposed research achieves high-precision control of the polishing force,effectively improves the blade machining precision and surface consistency,and significantly reduces the surface roughness.

Failure Assessment of Aero-engine Support Structure due to Blade-off

Aero-engine blade-off event could cause serious malfunction and endanger flight safety,which is an important issue widely concerned for a long period.This paper presents a comprehensive review on the regulation requirements,the major research methods and status at home and abroad.Firstly,the relevant certification regulations and standards about aero-engine structure safety due to blade-off event were overviewed and the research gaps between the abroad and the domestic were compared.Then,the simulation and experimental methodologies on aero-engine supporting structures undertake abnormal load due to blade-off event were discussed as major issue.Finally,the safety certification verification technology system for aero-engine support structures during blade-off event was proposed.

Detecting Icing on the Blades of a Wind Turbine Using a Deep Neural Network

The blades of wind turbines located at high latitudes are often covered with ice in late autumn and winter,where this affects their capacity for power generation as well as their safety.Accurately identifying the icing of the blades of wind turbines in remote areas is thus important,and a general model is needed to this end.This paper proposes a universal model based on a Deep Neural Network(DNN)that uses data from the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA)system.Two datasets from SCADA are first preprocessed through undersampling,that is,they are labeled,normalized,and balanced.The features of icing of the blades of a turbine identified in previous studies are then used to extract training data from the training dataset.A middle feature is proposed to show how a given feature is correlated with icing on the blade.Performance indicators for the model,including a reward function,are also designed to assess its predictive accuracy.Finally,the most suitable model is used to predict the testing data,and values of the reward function and the predictive accuracy of the model are calculated.The proposed method can be used to relate continuously transferred features with a binary status of icing of the blades of the turbine by using variables of the middle feature.The results here show that an integrated indicator systemis superior to a single indicator of accuracy when evaluating the prediction model.

Thermal Analysis of Turbine Blades with Thermal Barrier Coatings Using Virtual Wall Thickness Method

Avirtual wall thicknessmethod is developed to simulate the temperature field of turbine bladeswith thermal barrier coatings(TBCs),to simplify the modeling process and improve the calculation efficiency.The results show that the virtualwall thickness method can improve themesh quality by 20%,reduce the number ofmeshes by 76.7%and save the calculation time by 35.5%,compared with the traditional real wall thickness method.The average calculation error of the two methods is between 0.21%and 0.93%.Furthermore,the temperature at the blade leading edge is the highest and the average temperature of the blade pressure surface is higher than that of the suction surface under a certain service condition.The blade surface temperature presents a high temperature at both ends and a low temperature in themiddle height when the temperature of incoming gas is uniformand constant.The thermal insulation effect of TBCs is the worst near the air film hole,and the best at the blade leading edge.According to the calculated temperature field of the substrate-coating system,the highest thermal insulation temperature of the TC layer is 172.01 K,and the thermal insulation proportions of TC,TGO and BC are 93.55%,1.54%and 4.91%,respectively.

Stiffness Degradation Modeling for Composite Wind Turbine Blades Based on Full-Scale Fatigue Testing

In order to provide more insights into the damage propagation composite wind turbine blades(blade)under cyclic fatigue loading,a stiffness degradation model for blade is proposed based on the full-scale fatigue testing of a blade.A novel non-linear fatigue damage accumulation model is proposed using the damage assessment theories of composite laminates for the first time.Then,a stiffness degradation model is established based on the correlation of fatigue damage and residual stiffness of the composite laminates.Finally,a stiffness degradation model for the blade is presented based on the full-scale fatigue testing.The scientific rationale of the proposed stiffness model of blade is verified by using full-scale fatigue test data of blade with a total length of 52.5 m.The results indicate that the proposed stiffness degradation model of the blade agrees well with the fatigue testing results of this blade.This work provides a basis for evaluating the fatigue damage and lifetime of blade under cyclic fatigue loading.

An Inter-Shaft Bearing Fault Diagnosis Dataset from an Aero-Engine System

In this paper,the aero-engine test with inter-shaft bearing fault is carried out,and a dataset is proposed for the first time based on the vibration signal of rotors and casings.First,a test rig based on a real aero-engine is established,driven by motors and equipped with a lubricating system.Then,the aero-engine is disassembled and assembled following the specification process,and the inter-shaft bearing with artificial fault is replaced.Next,the aero-engine test is conducted at 28 groups of high-and low-pressure speeds.Six measuring points are arranged,including two displacement sensors to test the displacement vibration signals of the low-pressure rotor and four acceleration sensors to test the acceleration vibration signals of the casing.The test results are integrated into an inter-shaft bearing fault dataset.Finally,based on the dataset in this paper,frequency spectrum,envelope spectrum,CNN,LSTM,and TST are used for fault diagnosis,and the results are compared with those of CWRU and XJTU datasets.The results show that the characteristic fault frequency cannot be found directly in the spectrum and envelope spectrum corresponding to this paper’s dataset but in CWRU and XJTU datasets.Using CNN,LSTM,and TST for fault diagnosis of the dataset in this paper,the accuracy is 83.13%,85.41%,and 71.07%,respectively,much lower than the diagnosis results of CWRU and XJTU datasets.It can be seen that the dataset in this paper is closer to the actual fault diagnosis situation and is a more challenging dataset.This dataset provides a new benchmark for the validation of fault diagnosis methods.Mendeley data:https://github.com/HouLeiHIT/HIT-dataset.

Mechanism of internal thermal runaway propagation in blade batteries

Blade batteries are extensively used in electric vehicles,but unavoidable thermal runaway is an inherent threat to their safe use.This study experimentally investigated the mechanism underlying thermal runaway propagation within a blade battery by using a nail to trigger thermal runaway and thermocouples to track its propagation inside a cell.The results showed that the internal thermal runaway could propagate for up to 272 s,which is comparable to that of a traditional battery module.The velocity of the thermal runaway propagation fluctuated between 1 and 8 mm s^(-1),depending on both the electrolyte content and high-temperature gas diffusion.In the early stages of thermal runaway,the electrolyte participated in the reaction,which intensified the thermal runaway and accelerated its propagation.As the battery temperature increased,the electrolyte evaporated,which attenuated the acceleration effect.Gas diffusion affected thermal runaway propagation through both heat transfer and mass transfer.The experimental results indicated that gas diffusion accelerated the velocity of thermal runaway propagation by 36.84%.We used a 1D mathematical model and confirmed that convective heat transfer induced by gas diffusion increased the velocity of thermal runaway propagation by 5.46%-17.06%.Finally,the temperature rate curve was analyzed,and a three-stage mechanism for internal thermal runaway propagation was proposed.In Stage I,convective heat transfer from electrolyte evaporation locally increased the temperature to 100℃.In Stage II,solid heat transfer locally increases the temperature to trigger thermal runaway.In StageⅢ,thermal runaway sharply increases the local temperature.The proposed mechanism sheds light on the internal thermal runaway propagation of blade batteries and offers valuable insights into safety considerations for future design.

Review on Dynamic Modeling and Vibration Characteristics of Rotating Cracked Blades

As one of the most important parts in the engine,the structure and state of the rotating blade directly affect the normal performance of the aeroengine.In order to monitor engine crack failure and ensure flight safety,it is necessary to carry out research on the dynamic modeling of the cracked blade and breathing crack-induced vibration mechanisms.This paper summarizes the current research status on the dynamics of cracked blade,and the related topics mainly include four aspects:crack propagation path,mechanical model of open and breathing cracks,dynamic modeling methods of cracked blades such as lumped mass model,semi-analytical model and finite element model,and dynamic characteristics of cracked blades.The review will provide valuable references for future studies on dynamics and fault diagnosis of cracked blade in aeroengine.

Blade Wrap Angle Impact on Centrifugal Pump Performance:Entropy Generation and Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis

The centrifugal pump is a prevalent power equipment widely used in different engineering patterns,and the impeller blade wrap angle significantly impacts its performance.A numerical investigation was conducted to analyze the influence of the blade wrap angle on flow characteristics and energy distribution of a centrifugal pump evaluated as a low specific speed with a value of 69.This study investigates six impellermodels that possess varying blade wrap angles(95°,105°,115°,125°,135°,and 145°)that were created while maintaining the same volute and other geometrical characteristics.The investigation of energy loss was conducted to evaluate the values of total and entropy generation rates(TEG,EGR).The fluid-structure interaction was considered numerically using the software tools ANSYS Fluent and ANSYSWorkbench.The elastic structural dynamic equation was used to estimate the structural response,while the shear stress transport k–ωturbulence model was utilized for the fluid domain modeling.The findings suggest that the blade wrap angle has a significant influence on the efficiency of the pump.The impeller featuring a blade wrap angle of 145°exhibits higher efficiency,with a notable increase of 3.76%relative to the original model.Variations in the blade wrap angle impact the energy loss,shaft power,and pump head.The model with a 145°angle exhibited a maximum equivalent stress of 14.8MPa and a total deformation of 0.084 mm.The results provide valuable insights into the intricate flow mechanism of the centrifugal pump,particularly when considering various blade wrap angles.

Damage Identification of Wind Turbine Blades–A Brief Review

The increasing size of these blades of wind turbines emphasizes the need for reliable monitoring and maintenance.This brief review explores the detection and analysis of damage in wind turbine blades.The study highlights various techniques,including acoustic emission analysis,strain signal monitoring,and vibration analysis,as effective approaches for damage detection.Vibration analysis,in particular,shows promise for fault identification by analyzing changes in dynamic characteristics.Damage indices based on modal properties,such as natural frequencies,mode shapes,and curvature,are discussed.

PFNA2 versus 95 Degree Condylar Blade Plate in the Management of Unstable Trochanteric Fractures

Purpose: The proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) is known to have advantages in enhancing the anchorage ability of internal fixation in elderly unstable osteoporotic intertrochanteric fracture patients. However whether it is superior to condylar blade fixation is not clear. This study aimed to determine which treatment has better clinical outcomes in older patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 86 patients over the age of 60 with unstable trochanteric fractures within the past 3 weeks, were included in this prospective study conducted from June 1, 2018, to May 31, 2021. All the intertrochanteric fractures were classified according to AO/OTA classification. Among them, 44 cases were treated with the Proximal Femoral Nail (PFNA2) with or without an augmentation screw, and 42 cases were treated with the Condylar Blade Plate. In addition, the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusion, postoperative weight-bearing time, hospitalization time, Harris score of hip function, Kyle’s criteria and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: The mean duration of surgery for the PFN group was 66.8 minutes (on average), whereas for the condylar blade plate group, it was 99.30 minutes (on average). The PFNA2 group experienced less blood loss (average of 80 mL) compared to the condylar blade plate group (average of 120 mL). Union and partial weight-bearing occurred earlier in the PFNA2 group (14.1 weeks and 10.6 weeks, respectively) compared to the Condylar blade plate group (18.7 weeks and 15.8 weeks). In two patients from the PFNA2 group, screw backing out and varus collapse complications were encountered;however, these patients remained asymptomatic and did not require revision surgery. In two other patients, screw cut out and breakage of the nail at the helical screw hole leading to non-union of the proximal femur were observed during the nine-month follow-up, necessitating revision surgery with prosthetic replacement. Among the condylar blade plate group, three patients experienced complications, including blade breakage at the blade and plate junction. In two cases, the fracture united in varus, and in one case, the blade cut through, resulting in non-union of the femoral head, which required revision surgery. According to the Harris hip score and Kyle’s criteria, a good-excellent outcome was observed in 92.85% of cases in the PFNA2 group and 90.90% of cases in the condylar blade plate group. Conclusion: Both the Proximal Femoral Nail A2 and Condylar blade plate are effective implants for the treatment of unstable trochanteric fractures. The intramedullary implant promotes biological healing and allows for early ambulation with minimal complications. Similarly satisfactory restoration of anatomy and favorable radiological and functional results can be achieved with the biological fixation provided by the 95-degree condylar blade plate. However, the use of PFNA2 internal fixation technique has the advantage of less trauma in elderly patients than the 95-degree condylar blade plate.

Flashover Probability of Wind Turbine Blade and Impact of Strong Electromagnetic Pulse from Lightning Strikes on Wind Turbine Safety

This paper systematically studies the flashover probability of wind turbine blade lightning arrester and the impact of strong electromagnetic pulses on the local and surrounding wind turbines during lightning strikes.The research results indicate that the flashover probability of direct lightning strikes by the wind turbine blade lightning arrester is almost negligible,and the strong electromagnetic pulse of wind turbine blade during lightning strikes has a serious impact on the electronic equipment of the machine,while the impact on the surrounding wind turbine is relatively small.At the same time,the calculation formula for the reflection of lightning current on the carbon brush between the wind turbine hub and the engine compartment during the flashing of the wind turbine blades is provided,and the calculation method for calculating the spatial gradient distribution of electromagnetic field intensity using Biot-Savart Law theorem is applied.The limitations of using wind turbine blades for lightning protection are pointed out,and a technical route for achieving wind turbine lightning safety is proposed,which can be used as a reference for wind turbine lightning protection technicians.