A General Program for the Prediction of the Transient Performance of Gas Turbines

Author(s):  
P. Pilidis ◽  
N. R. L. Maccallum

The paper describes a general program which has been developed for the prediction of the transient performance of gas turbines. The program is based on the method of continuity of mass flow. It has been applied successfully to a wide range of aero gas turbines, ranging from single to three-spool and from simple jet to bypass types with or without mixed exhausts. The results for three of these engine types are illustrated. Computing times are reasonable, increasing with the complexity of the engine. A parallel paper describes the inclusion of thermal effects in the prediction program.

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
William O. Statler

A method of mass flow control of fuel gas to a gas turbine has been developed and applied in control retrofits to existing gas turbines. Unlike other gas flow control systems in use on gas turbines this system actually measures the mass flow going into the turbine combustion system and uses this value as the feedback in a control loop to modulate a single throttling control valve. The system utilizes a common venturi flow element to develop a differential pressure which, along with inlet pressure and temperature, is used to compute the mass flow. Locating this flow element downstream of the control valve where the pressure is low at low flows reduces the usual problem of the wide range of delta-pressure (proportional to the square of the mass flow) to a workable level. This extends the range of this common type of flow measurement system enough that it becomes practical to apply it to the gas fuel flow control loop of a gas turbine.


Author(s):  
W. P. J. Visser ◽  
I. D. Dountchev

Gas turbines are applied at increasingly smaller scales for both aircraft propulsion and power generation. Recuperated turboshaft micro turbines below 30 kW are being developed at efficiencies competitive with other heat engines. The rapidly increasing number of unmanned aircraft applications requires the development of small efficient aircraft propulsion gas turbines. Thermal effects such as steady-state heat losses and transient heat soakage on large engine performance are relatively small and therefore often neglected in performance simulations. At small scales however, these become very significant due to the much higher heat transfer area-to-volume ratios in the gas path components. Recuperators often have high heat capacity and therefore affect transient performance significantly, also with large engine scales. As a result, for accurate steady-state and transient performance prediction of micro and recuperated gas turbines, thermal effects need to be included with sufficient fidelity. In the paper, a thermal network model functionality is presented that can be integrated in a gas turbine system simulation environment such as the Gas turbine Simulation Program GSP [1]. In addition, a 1-dimensional thermal effects model for recuperators is described. With these two elements, thermal effects in small recuperated gas turbines can be accurately predicted. Application examples are added demonstrating and validating the methods with models of a recuperated micro turbine. Simulation results are given predicting effects of heat transfer and heat loss on steady-state and transient performance.


Author(s):  
R. S. Bunker ◽  
D. E. Metzger ◽  
S. Wittig

Results are presented from an experimental study designed to obtain detailed radial heat transfer coefficient distributions applicable to the cooling of disk-cavity regions of gas turbines. An experimental apparatus has been designed to obtain local heat transfer data on both the rotating and stationary surfaces of a parallel geometry disk-cavity system. The method employed utilizes thin thermochromic liquid crystal coatings together with video system data acquisition and computer-assisted image analysis to extract heat transfer information. The color display of the liquid crystal coatings is detected through the analysis of standard video chromanance signals. The experimental technique used is an aerodynamically steady but thermally transient one which provides consistent disk-cavity thermal boundary conditions while yet being inexpensive and highly versatile. A single circular jet is used to introduce fluid from the stator into the disk-cavity by impingement normal to the rotor surface. The present study investigates hub injection of coolant over a wide range of parameters including disk rotational Reynolds numbers of 2 to 5 · 105, rotor/stator spacing-to-disk radius ratios of .025 to .15, and jet mass flow rates between .10 and .40 times the turbulent pumped flow rate of a free disk. The results are presented as radial distributions of local Nusselt numbers. Rotor heat transfer exhibits regions of impingement and rotational domination with a transition region between, while stator heat transfer shows flow reattachment and convection regions with evidence of an inner recirculation zone. The local effects of rotation, spacing, and mass flow rate are all displayed. The significant magnitude of stator heat transfer in many cases indicates the importance of proper stator modeling to rotor and disk-cavity heat transfer results.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Bunker ◽  
D. E. Metzger ◽  
S. Wittig

Results are presented from an experimental study designed to obtain detailed radial heat transfer coefficient distributions applicable to the cooling of disk-cavity regions of gas turbines. An experimental apparatus has been designed to obtain local heat transfer data on both the rotating and stationary surfaces of a parallel geometry disk-cavity system. The method employed utilizes thin thermochromic liquid crystal coatings together with video system data acquisition and computer-assisted image analysis to extract heat transfer information. The color display of the liquid crystal coatings is detected through the analysis of standard video chromanance signals. The experimental technique used is an aerodynamically steady but thermally transient one, which provides consistent disk-cavity thermal boundary conditions yet is inexpensive and highly versatile. A single circular jet is used to introduce fluid from the stator into the disk cavity by impingement normal to the rotor surface. The present study investigates hub injection of coolant over a wide range of parameters including disk rotational Reynolds numbers of 2 to 5 × 105, rotor/stator spacing-to-disk radius ratios of 0.025 to 0.15, and jet mass flow rates between 0.10 and 0.40 times the turbulent pumped flow rate of a free disk. The results are presented as radial distributions of local Nusselt numbers. Rotor heat transfer exhibits regions of impingement and rotational domination with a transition region between, while stator heat transfer shows flow reattachment and convection regions with evidence of an inner recirculation zone. The local effects of rotation, spacing, and mass flow rate are all displayed. The significant magnitude of stator heat transfer in many cases indicates the importance of proper stator modeling to rotor and disk-cavity heat transfer results.


Author(s):  
Maurice F. White

This paper discusses a program which has been developed for the prediction of steady state and transient performance of a gas turbine driven generator. The gas turbine plant was modelled using the component model principle and is based on the method for continuity of mass flow. The model requires the use of compressor and turbine characteristics together with curves for combustion efficiency. A number of simplifications are made in connecion with transient calculations. The influence of the machines physical volume on continuity of mass flow and effects of heat transfer between the gas and structural components are neglected. The model was used to investigate how component deterioration affects the important condition parameters during load transients and during rapid acceleration or deceleration. Fault conditions were simulated by manipulating the various efficiencies and loss factors for the different components in the machine. Many of the condition parameters that were investigated showed changes during acceleration which were considerably different from comparable changes in a fault free gas turbine.


Author(s):  
Changduk Kong ◽  
Jayoung Ki

A performance simulation program for the turboprop engine (PT6A-62), which is the power plant of the first Korean indigenous basic trainer KT-1, was developed for more precise performance prediction, development of an EHMS (Engine Health Monitoring System) and the flight simulator. Characteristics of components including compressors, turbines, the combustor and the constant speed propeller were required for the steady state and transient performance analysis with on and off design point analysis. In most cases, these were substituted for what scaled from similar engine components’ characteristics with the scaling law. The developed program was evaluated with the performance data provided by the engine manufacturer and with analysis results of GASTURB program, which is well known for the performance simulation of gas turbines. Performance parameters such as mass flow rate, compressor pressure ratio, fuel flow rate, specific fuel consumption ratio and turbine inlet temperature were discussed to evaluate validity of the developed program at various cases. The first case was the sea level static standard condition and other cases were considered with various altitudes, flight velocities and part loads with the range between idle and 105% rotational speed of the gas generator. In the transient analysis, the Continuity of Mass Flow Method was utilized under the condition that mass stored between components is ignored and the flow compatibility is satisfied, and the Modified Euler Method was used for integration of the surplus torque. The transient performance analysis for various fuel schedules was performed. When the fuel step increase was considered, the overshoot of the compressor turbine inlet temperature occurred. However, in case of the fuel ramp increase longer than the fuel step increase, the overshoot of the compressor turbine inlet temperature was effectively reduced.


Author(s):  
Yingying Zhang ◽  
Shijie Zhang

This study proposes a 1D meanline program for the modeling of modern transonic axial multistage compressors. In this method, an improved blockage factor model is proposed. Work-done factor that varies with the compressor performance conditions is added in this program, and at the same time a notional blockage factor is kept. The coefficient of deviation angle model is tuned according to experimental data. In addition, two surge methods that originated from different sources are chosen to add in and compare with the new method called mass flow separation method. The salient issues presented here deal first with the construction of the compressor program. Three well-documented National Aerodynamics and Space Administration (NASA) axial transonic compressors are calculated, and the speedlines and aerodynamic parameters are compared with the experimental data to verify the reliability and robustness of the proposed method. Results show that consistent agreement can be obtained with such a performance prediction program. It was also apparent that the two common methods of surge prediction, which rely upon either stage or overall characteristic gradients, gave less agreement than the method called mass flow separation method.


Author(s):  
Karl W. Karstensen ◽  
Jesse O. Wiggins

Gas turbines have been accepted in naval surface ship applications, and considerable effort has been made to improve their fuel consumption, particularly at part-load operation. This is an important parameter for shipboard engines because both propulsion and electrical-generator engines spend most of their lives operating at off-design power. An effective way to improve part-load efficiency of recuperated gas turbines is by using a variable power turbine nozzle. This paper discusses the successful use of variable power turbine nozzles in several applications in a family of engines developed for vehicular, industrial, and marine use. These engines incorporate a variable power turbine nozzle and primary surface recuperator to yield specific fuel consumption that rivals that of medium speed diesels. The paper concentrates on the experience with the variable nozzle, tracing its derivation from an existing fixed vane nozzle and its use across a wide range of engine sizes and applications. Emphasis is placed on its potential in marine propulsion and auxiliary gas turbines.


Author(s):  
P. A. Phillips ◽  
Peter Spear

After briefly summarizing worldwide automotive gas turbine activity, the paper analyses the power plant requirements of a wide range of vehicle applications in order to formulate the design criteria for acceptable vehicle gas turbines. Ample data are available on the thermodynamic merits of various gas turbine cycles; however, the low cost of its piston engine competitor tends to eliminate all but the simplest cycles from vehicle gas turbine considerations. In order to improve the part load fuel economy, some complexity is inevitable, but this is limited to the addition of a glass ceramic regenerator in the 150 b.h.p. engine which is described in some detail. The alternative further complications necessary to achieve satisfactory vehicle response at various power/weight ratios are examined. Further improvement in engine performance will come by increasing the maximum cycle temperature. This can be achieved at lower cost by the extension of the use of ceramics. The paper is intended to stimulate the design application of the gas turbine engine.


Author(s):  
Marios Patinios ◽  
James A. Scobie ◽  
Carl M. Sangan ◽  
J. Michael Owen ◽  
Gary D. Lock

In gas turbines, hot mainstream flow can be ingested into the wheel-space formed between stator and rotor disks as a result of the circumferential pressure asymmetry in the annulus; this ingress can significantly affect the operating life, performance, and integrity of highly stressed, vulnerable engine components. Rim seals, fitted at the periphery of the disks, are used to minimize ingress and therefore reduce the amount of purge flow required to seal the wheel-space and cool the disks. This paper presents experimental results from a new 1.5-stage test facility designed to investigate ingress into the wheel-spaces upstream and downstream of a rotor disk. The fluid-dynamically scaled rig operates at incompressible flow conditions, far removed from the harsh environment of the engine which is not conducive to experimental measurements. The test facility features interchangeable rim-seal components, offering significant flexibility and expediency in terms of data collection over a wide range of sealing flow rates. The rig was specifically designed to enable an efficient method of ranking and quantifying the performance of generic and engine-specific seal geometries. The radial variation of CO2 gas concentration, pressure, and swirl is measured to explore, for the first time, the flow structure in both the upstream and downstream wheel-spaces. The measurements show that the concentration in the core is equal to that on the stator walls and that both distributions are virtually invariant with radius. These measurements confirm that mixing between ingress and egress is essentially complete immediately after the ingested fluid enters the wheel-space and that the fluid from the boundary layer on the stator is the source of that in the core. The swirl in the core is shown to determine the radial distribution of pressure in the wheel-space. The performance of a double radial-clearance seal is evaluated in terms of the variation of effectiveness with sealing flow rate for both the upstream and the downstream wheel-spaces and is found to be independent of rotational Reynolds number. A simple theoretical orifice model was fitted to the experimental data showing good agreement between theory and experiment for all cases. This observation is of great significance as it demonstrates that the theoretical model can accurately predict ingress even when it is driven by the complex unsteady pressure field in the annulus upstream and downstream of the rotor. The combination of the theoretical model and the new test rig with its flexibility and capability for detailed measurements provides a powerful tool for the engine rim-seal designer.


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