Design of a consolidated swirler monopart structure by optimizing the processes of micrometallurgical layer-to-layer fusion of heat-resistant alloys
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2026.359455Keywords:
additive technologies, L-PBF, swirler, combustion chamber, gas turbine engine, CFD simulationAbstract
This study investigates air flow characteristics and the temperature field in the combustion chamber, which are determined by the geometry of the swirler. The task addressed is predetermined by the fact that swirlers manufactured by conventional casting methods with subsequent assembly are characterized by significant geometric deviations of the flow-through elements. This leads to a dispersion of air flow along the contours, a violation of the uniformity of the fuel-air mixture and, as a result, to increased circular unevenness of the temperature field at the outlet of the combustion chamber, which reduces the resource and reliability of engine operation.
In this work, three-dimensional simulation of the swirler was performed using the Unigraphics NX CAD system; a numerical CFD analysis of processes in the combustion chamber was carried out. Experimental studies on geometric deviations and air flow rates for swirlers manufactured by the conventional casting method and the additive method L-PBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) were conducted. The geometric accuracy was assessed using a 3-D scanning method with comparison with a digital model; the flow characteristics were determined by bench tests during the purging of the air and fuel circuits, as well as during the combined operation of the circuits.
It was found that the swirlers manufactured using the L-PBF method provide air flow stability within ±1.5%, which is a better indicator compared to cast analogs. That has made it possible to reduce the circular unevenness of the combustion chamber temperature field to 12.5–18.9% with an allowable value of no more than 21%.
The results confirm the feasibility of using additive technologies for the manufacture of swirlers for combustion chambers in gas turbine engines
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Copyright (c) 2026 Volodymyr Yefanov, Oleh Kalinichenko, Dmytro Kuts, Oleg Ovchynnykov, Hanna Laptieva

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