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Abstract The demands for competitiveness, performance, and sustainability in civil aviation become more and more challenging and therefore an increase in the efficiency of aero engines is required. A potential starting point for optimization to reach these goals is the compressor. The influence of the compressor blade leading edges on the overall aerodynamic behavior and performance deterioration due to erosion are well-known topics. However, the effect of erosion on leading edge geometry still needs to be studied. Therefore, a Monte Carlo simulation based analysis of leading edge erosion, caused by ingestion of naturally occurring dust during operation, is presented. The influence of blade geometry, operating point, and particle configuration on erosive wear is investigated by the example of a 10.5-stage high-pressure compressor of a modern civil turbofan engine. By incorporating a one-way coupled Euler-Lagrangian approach, trajectories of solid particles through the compressor have been calculated. To replicate naturally occurring mineral dust and volcanic ash, different particle configurations have been studied, varying particle size, density, and drag behavior. Geometric effects have been taken into account by varying blade geometry based on a comprehensive database of optically measured ex-service blades. The blade geometry is characterized utilizing a parametric model capable of describing leading edge variability. By applying an erosion model the resulting geometry of artificially eroded compressor blades is derived. The results indicate that the change of geometry caused by erosive wear shows a characteristic behavior. This erosion characteristic is mostly independent of the operating point and blade geometry considered. Abrasive effects mainly influence the area close to the blade tip, increase asymmetry, and change the curvature of the leading edge. These results are consistent with the analysis of optically measured ex-service blades.
Türke et al. (Mon,) studied this question.