This study focuses on a simulation strategy that will allow the performance characteristics of an isolated gas turbine engine component, resolved from a detailed, high-fidelity analysis, to be transferred to an engine system analysis carried out at a lower level of resolution. This work will enable component-level, complex physical processes to be captured and analyzed in the context of the whole engine performance, at an affordable computing resource and time. The technique described in this paper utilizes an object-oriented, zero-dimensional (0-D) gas turbine modeling and performance simulation system and a high-fidelity, three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) component model. The technique is called ‘partially integrated’ zooming, in that there is no automatic link between the 0-D engine cycle and the 3-D CFD model. It can be applied to all engine components and involves the generation of a component characteristic map via an iterative execution of the 0-D cycle and the 3-D CFD model. This work investigates relative changes in the simulated engine performance after integrating the CFD-generated component map into the 0-D engine analysis. This paper attempts to demonstrate the ‘partially integrated’ approach to component zooming by using a 3-D CFD intake model of a high by-pass ratio (HBR) turbofan as a case study. The CFD model is based on the geometry of the intake of the CFM56-5B2 engine. The CFD-generated performance map can fully define the characteristic of the intake at several operating conditions and is subsequently used to provide a more accurate, physics-based estimate of intake performance (i.e. pressure recovery) and hence, engine performance, replacing the default, empirical values within the 0-D cycle model. A detailed comparison between the baseline engine performance (empirical pressure recovery) and the engine performance obtained after using the CFD-generated map is presented in this paper. The analysis carried out by this study, demonstrates relative changes in the simulated engine performance larger than 1%.

This study refers to the development and validation of a Three Dimensional (3D) Vortex Lattice Method (VLM) to be used for internal flow case studies and more precisely aero-engine intake simulation. It examines the quantitative and qualitative response of the method to a convergent – divergent intake, produced as a surface of revolution of the CFM56-5B2 upper lip geometry. The study was carried out for three different sections namely: Intake outlet, intake throat and intake inlet. Moreover five different settings of Angle Of Attack (AOA) were considered. The VLM was based on an existing code. It was modified to accommodate internal flow effects and match, as closely as possible, the boundary conditions set by the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. In the context of this study, Vortex Lattice-derived average values velocity profiles were compared against RANS CFD results.

This study has been carried out as a part of a general effort to develope a powerful simulation code, based on the Vortex Lattice Method (VLM), capable of simulating adequately accurate and comparatively fast, internal flow regimes. It utilizes a convergent – (nearly) constant area axi-symmetric intake three dimensional geometry, emerged as a surface of revolution from the CFM56-5B2 lower lip geometry. The study focuses on the three most critical planes, which are the inlet of the intake, the outlet of the diverging section and the outlet of the intake. Moreover, the sensitivity of the simulation on the variation of the Angle Of Attack (AOA) is tested for four different settings equally spaced, ranging from 0 to 20 degrees. The comparison is carried out on both two-dimensional velocity distributions and average values. The VLM simulation code was based on an existing code, which was modified in order to be adapted to the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) boundary conditions.

The Electrically Trace Heated Blanket (ETH-Blanket) is a new offshore intervention/remediation system currently in development by TechnipFMC for the efficient remediation of plugs due to hydrates or wax in subsea production and injection flowlines. The ETH-Blanket consists of a network of heating cables placed underneath an insulation layer which is laid onto the seabed above the plugged flowline. By applying electrical power to the cables, heat is generated by Joule effect which warms up the flowline content until hydrate dissociation or wax plug remediation through softening or complete melting. As part of a Joint Industry Project (JIP) between TechnipFMC, Shell and Total, full-scale thermal testing of an ETH-Blanket prototype was carried out in Artelia facilities (in Grenoble, France). This testing was performed to verify the capability of the ETH-Blanket system to increase the temperature of the fluid inside a pipe sample above a target temperature (hydrate dissociation temperature or wax disappearance temperature) for various conditions. The impact of lateral misalignment of the ETH-blanket on the pipe and of the pipe burial depth were studied. Moreover, the tests were carried out on two pipe samples, with different designs and insulation properties. In parallel, CFD models of the test set-up were built to replicate the thermal behaviour of the ETH-Blanket. The combination of these models with the measured heating efficiency of the prototype allowed characterising the performances of the system in real subsea conditions. This paper presents the description of the full scale thermal testing conditions. Results of the different tests are detailed and the impact of the different parameters on the ETH-Blanket thermal performances are assessed, focusing on natural convection effects, thermal losses and the overall data gathering process.

The PAZFLOR field is located in Block 17, deep offshore Angola, and is one of the largest offshore/subsea development operated by TOTAL E&P Angola (TEPA). As part of the SURF package scope of work, flow assurance analyses had to be performed to verify the global thermal integrity and operability of the subsea architecture. In particular, a cold spot management study was carried out to ensure that adequate insulation was implemented on all the SURF equipment to achieve the project specified thermal performances. The purpose of the cold spot management plan is to complete the general Flow Assurance study mainly using OLGA software by performing a detailed flow and thermal analyses, using dedicated CFD simulations, for each subsea singularities identified as potentially creating a local cold or hot spot. Hot spots could lead to an accelerated ageing of some of the equipment materials, whereas cold spot could lead to a quicker cooldown time than required creating a local risk of wax or hydrate plug formation. The Pazflor SURF cold spot management plan has combined detailed CFD modeling and full scale thermal testing to validate the equipment insulation design and check via a validated simulation the exact thermal behavior under subsea conditions. An extensive amount of subsea elements have been studied such as Rigid Pipe-in-Pipe (PIP) waterstops, flexible IPB riser, pipeline In Line Tee structure piping and valves, Field Joint Coating with anode pad, flexible end-fittings and thermal insulation covers amongst other things. This paper will detail the CFD simulations performed, present the comparison between the simulation results and the full scale thermal tests and draw conclusions on the benefit of such cold spot analyses for future projects.