TRACE is used in aerodynamic, aeroacoustic and aeroelastic investigations of radial and axial turbomachinery configurations ranging from simple cascades up to multi-stage applications with 30 blade rows. Investigated are profiles from wind tunnel tests, research engines, and components of aircraft engines, parts of heavy duty gas turbines and steam turbines in various operating conditions ranging from the design point to the edge of the operating range.
The application of TRACE to novel configurations or the validation of new models and algorithms is performed within the Numerical Methods department. Elsewhere at the Institute of Propulsion Technology the verified and validated code is used for research in the Fan and Compressor department, the Turbine department and the department Engine Acoustics in their respective fields of application in national and international projects. Furthermore, many well-known university institutes throughout Germany use TRACE in their research activities in order to compliment experiment work and obtain insight to the flow physics in situations where measurements can be difficult or impossible to conduct at reasonable cost.
At MTU Aero Engines TRACE is used as the three-dimensional aerodynamic and aeroelasticity design tool for multistage compressors and turbines. Successful examples of the application of TRACE in engine design include parts for the GP7000 engine used on the Airbus A380, the TP400 used on the military transport A400M and the new Geared Turbo Fan (GTF) engine for the A320-NEO.
In the stationary turbo machinery industry Siemens Energy could be won as another partner. Here the components of large gas turbines for power generation are optimized using the TRACE simulation system and the optimization package AutoOpti.