The effect of duct resonance on the performance of high-pressure ratio axisymmetric ejectors was investigated in a series of experiments involving analysis of the emitted noise and schlieren photography of the ejector duct flow. The thrust characteristics obtained with changing blowing pressure were found to contain irregularities, and these were found to be associated with certain tones of acoustic radiation which tuned to the transverse modes of the mixing duct. When varying the blowing pressure for a given ejector the discrete tone fundamental frequency showed a staging behavior, and the frequencies at the discontinuities separating the stages coincided with the calculated modes of the duct. For a given frequency discontinuity, the Helmholtz number (based on duct diameter), was found to be the same for all ejectors tested. For each family of ejectors having the same duct-length to diameter ratio, the blowing pressure at which certain discontinuities occurred varied linearly with duct to nozzle area ratio, and the thrust irregularities assumed similar linear relationships. Increasing the duct length greatly improved thrust augmentation in the relatively high-pressure range and shifted thrust irregularities and the corresponding frequency discontinuities to lower pressure ranges. The schlieren photographs showed that the primary jet spread, and its mixing with the entrained secondary stream, were evidently enhanced by duct resonance. The jet appeared to be surrounded by interspersed helical eddies and to be oscillating in a spinning mode.

This paper presents a comparison between the predicted effect of an increase in backpressure on a turboshaft helicopter engine and the actual results measured in an experimental test program. A generic engine performance program was used to perform a sensitivity study to identify the effect of increases in power turbine exit pressure (backpressure) on other engine performance parameters. The analysis showed that as the backpressure increases the engine increases fuel flow to produce a constant shaft torque (or horsepower), until the maximum power turbine entry temperature is reached. Once this occurs, fuel flow can no longer increase and thus further increases in backpressure cause a decrease in output torque. These predicted results are then compared with the actual effect as measured on a T55-GA-714A engine in a static test facility. The tests involved replacing the standard engine tail pipe with one of three shorter stub ducts which increased the backpressure by employing straight and convergent flow passages instead of the divergent passage on the standard tail pipe. The test-cell data identified that the stub ducts increase specific fuel consumption by between 0.016 and 0.039 lb/hr/hp, while the turbine inlet temperature increased by up to 108 deg F. This temperature increase means that the power output will become turbine temperature limited at a lower ambient temperature than would otherwise occur. Results showed that when temperature limiting exists the power output will be reduced by between 115 and 400 SHP depending on the choice of stub duct.