Numerical Analysis of Inlet Turbulence in an Airfoil Cascade

The effects of inlet turbulence intensity on axial compressor stage performance are analyzed using an NACA 65-(12)10 series airfoil cascade, inspired by a Boundary Layer Ingesting engine framework, where propulsive efficiency increases at the cost of inherently nonuniform flow at the inlet. Incompressible URANS simulations are performed with the SST k–ω turbulence and the γ–Re_θ transition models to capture bypass transition effects. Findings show that roughly 1.5% inlet turbulence intensity minimizes stagnation pressure loss and maximizes static pressure. Above 3% inlet turbulence intensity causes unsteady periodic fluctuations. The time average of these fluctuations show almost a 300% increase in stagnation pressure loss from the minimum, and a 34% decrease in static pressure rise from the maximum.