Abstract. Total pressure distortion is one of the three basic flow distortions (total pressure, total temperature and swirl distortion) that might appear at the inlet of a gas turbine engine (GTE) during operation. Different numerical parameters are used for assessing the total pressure distortion intensity and extent. These summary descriptors are based on the distribution of total pressure in the aerodynamic interface plane. There are two descriptors largely spread around the world, however, three or four others are still in use and can be found in current references.The staff at the University of Defence decided to compare the most common descriptors using basic flow distortion patterns in order to select the most appropriate descriptor for future department research. The most common descriptors were identified based on their prevalence in widely accessible publications. The construction and use of these descriptors are reviewed in the paper. Subsequently, they are applied to radial, angular, and combined distortion patterns of different intensities and with varied mass flow rates.The tests were performed on a specially designed test bench using an electrically driven standalone industrial centrifugal compressor, sucking air through the inlet of a TJ100 small turbojet engine. Distortion screens were placed into the inlet channel to create the desired total pressure distortions. Of the three basic distortions, only the total pressure distortion descriptors were evaluated. However, both total and static pressures were collected using a multi probe rotational measurement system.

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Staff at the University of Defence in Brno, Czech Republic, designed and constructed a test cell for small gas turbine engines as detailed in GT2012-69419. Once construction was completed, the test cell was instrumented and put through a series of tests to confirm the design suitability, calibrate data acquisition channels, establish correction parameters for measurement values, and examine real operating conditions. This paper details the methodology of those tests with a focus on used equipment, noise emissions, air and gas flow and the associated impact on engine thrust. Lastly, measurement results are presented and compared with the design predictions.

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