Design of a State Space Controller for an Intercooled, Regenerated (ICR) Gas Turbine Engine

Author(s):  
Karl F. Prigge ◽  
Jerry W. Watts ◽  
Terrence E. Dwan

A multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) controller for an advanced gas turbine has been developed and tested using a computer simulation. The engine modeled is a two-and-one half spool gas turbine with both an intercooler and a regenerator. In addition, variable stator vanes are present in the free-power turbine. This advanced engine is proposed for future naval propulsion for both mechanical drive ships and electrical drive ships. The designed controller controls free-power turbine speed and turbine inlet temperature using fuel flow and angle of the stator vanes. The controller will also have four modes of operation to deal with over temperature and over speed conditions. An eight state reduced order controller was used with pole placement and LQR to arrive at control gains. Both these methods required considerable insight into the problem. This insight was provided by previous experience with controller design for a less complicated engine, and also by use of a polyhedral search model of the gas turbine engine. The difficulty with a MIMO controller was that both inputs affect both of the control variables. The classical resolution of this problem is to have one input control one variable at a fast time constant and the other input control the other variable at a slow time constant. The “optimal” resolution of this problem is analyzed using the transient curves and basic control theory.

Author(s):  
Yousef S. H. Najjar ◽  
Taha K. Aldoss

To reduce the inefficiency and the drawbacks incurred by reheat in a gas turbine engine with the two turbines in series, a parallel arrangement is investigated. The combustion gases expand to atmospheric pressure in each turbine. One of the turbines drives the compressor to which it is mechanically coupled while the other develops the power output of the plant. Two methods of control for the reduction of power are considered: a) Varying the fuel supply to the combustion chambers so that the inlet temperature to the turbine driving the compressor is constant, while the inlet temperature to the power turbine is reduced. b) Reducing both temperatures while keeping them equal. The effects of turbines inlet temperatures, pressure ratio and pressure loss in combustion chambers on the cycle efficiency and power output are studied and a sensitivity analysis is carried out, with the aid of a specially constructed computer program. The first method of control proved to be superior.


Author(s):  
Godwin Ita Ekong ◽  
Christopher A. Long ◽  
Peter R. N. Childs

Compressor tip clearance for a gas turbine engine application is the radial gap between the stationary compressor casing and the rotating blades. The gap varies significantly during different operating conditions of the engine due to centrifugal forces on the rotor and differential thermal expansions in the discs and casing. The tip clearance in the axial flow compressor of modern commercial civil aero-engines is of significance in terms of both mechanical integrity and performance. In general, the clearance is of critical importance to civil airline operators and their customers alike because as the clearance between the compressor blade tips and the casing increases, the aerodynamic efficiency will decrease and therefore the specific fuel consumption and operating costs will increase. This paper reports on the development of a range of concepts and their evaluation for the reduction and control of tip clearance in H.P. compressors using an enhanced heat transfer coefficient approach. This would lead to improvement in cruise tip clearances. A test facility has been developed for the study at the University of Sussex, incorporating a rotor and an inner shaft scaled down from a Rolls-Royce Trent aero-engine to a ratio of 0.7:1 with a rotational speed of up to 10000 rpm. The idle and maximum take-off conditions in the square cycle correspond to in-cavity rotational Reynolds numbers of 3.1×106 ≤ Reφ ≤ 1.0×107. The project involved modelling of the experimental facilities, to demonstrate proof of concept. The analysis shows that increasing the thermal response of the high pressure compressor (HPC) drum of a gas turbine engine assembly will reduce the drum time constant, thereby reducing the re-slam characteristics of the drum causing a reduction in the cold build clearance (CBC), and hence the reduction in cruise clearance. A further reduction can be achieved by introducing radial inflow into the drum cavity to further increase the disc heat transfer coefficient in the cavity; hence a further reduction in disc drum time constant.


Author(s):  
W Cheng ◽  
D. G. Wilson ◽  
A. C. Pfahnl

The performance and emissions of two alternative types of gas turbine engine for a chosen family vehicle are compared. One engine is a regenerative 71 kW gas turbine; the other is a hybrid power plant composed of a 15 kW gas turbine and a 7 MJ flywheel. These engines would give generally similar vehicle performance to that produced by 71 kW spark ignition and compression ignition engines. (The turbine engines would be lighter and, with a free power turbine, would have a more favourable torque-speed curve (1), giving them some advantages.) Results predict that for long-distance trips the hybrid engine would have a considerably better fuel economy and would produce lower emissions than the piston engines, and that the ‘straight’ gas turbine would be even better. For shorter commuting trips the hybrid would be able to run entirely from energy acquired and stored from house electricity, and it could therefore be the preferred choice for automobiles used primarily for urban driving when environmental factors are taken into account. However, the degradation of remaining energy in flywheel batteries and thermal energy in the regenerator and other engine hot parts between use periods will result in more energy being used than for the straight gas turbine engine using normal liquid fuel. The higher initial cost and greater complexity of the hybrid engine will be additional disadvantages.


2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bennett M. Staton ◽  
Brian T. Bohan ◽  
Marc D. Polanka ◽  
Larry P. Goss

Abstract A disk-oriented engine was designed to reduce the overall length of a gas turbine engine, combining a single-stage centrifugal compressor and radial in-flow turbine (RIT) in a back-to-back configuration. The focus of this research was to understand how this unique flow path impacted the combustion process. Computational analysis was accomplished to determine the feasibility of reducing the axial length of a gas turbine engine utilizing circumferential combustion. The desire was to maintain circumferential swirl from the compressor through a U-bend combustion path. The U-bend reverses the outboard flow from the compressor into an integrated turbine guide vane in preparation for power extraction by the RIT. The computational targets for this design were a turbine inlet temperature of 1300 K, operating with a 3% total pressure drop across the combustor, and a turbine inlet pattern factor (PF) of 0.24 to produce a cycle capable of creating 668 N of thrust. By wrapping the combustion chamber about the circumference of the turbomachinery, the axial length of the entire engine was reduced. Reallocating the combustor volume from the axial to radial orientation reduced the overall length of the system up to 40%, improving the mobility and modularity of gas turbine power in specific applications. This reduction in axial length could be applied to electric power generation for both ground power and airborne distributive electric propulsion. Computational results were further compared to experimental velocity measurements on custom fuel–air swirl injectors at mass flow conditions representative of 668 N of thrust, providing qualitative and quantitative insight into the stability of the flame anchoring system. From this design, a full-scale physical model of the disk-oriented engine was designed for combustion analysis.


Author(s):  
R. A. Rackley ◽  
J. R. Kidwell

The Garrett/Ford Advanced Gas Turbine Powertrain System Development Project, authorized under NASA Contract DEN3-167, is sponsored by and is part of the United States Department of Energy Gas Turbine Highway Vehicle System Program. Program effort is oriented at providing the United States automotive industry the technology base necessary to produce gas turbine powertrains competitive for automotive applications having: (1) reduced fuel consumption, (2) multi-fuel capability, and (3) low emissions. The AGT101 powertrain is a 74.6 kW (100 hp), regenerated single-shaft gas turbine engine operating at a maximum turbine inlet temperature of 1644 K (2500 °F), coupled to a split differential gearbox and Ford automatic overdrive production transmission. The gas turbine engine has a single-stage centrifugal compressor and a single-stage radial inflow turbine mounted on a common shaft. Maximum rotor speed is 10,472 rad/sec (100,000 rpm). All high-temperature components, including the turbine rotor, are ceramic. AGT101 powertrain development has been initiated, with testing completed on many aerothermodynamic components in dedicated test rigs and start of Mod I, Build 1 engine testing.


Author(s):  
Stephen A. Long ◽  
Patrick A. Reiger ◽  
Michael W. Elliott ◽  
Stephen L. Edney ◽  
Frank Knabe ◽  
...  

For the purpose of assessing combustion effects in a small gas turbine engine, there was a requirement to evaluate the rotating temperature and dynamic characteristics of the power turbine rotor module. This assessment required measurements be taken within the engine, during operation up to maximum power, using rotor mounted thermocouples and strain gages. The acquisition of this data necessitated the use of a telemetry system that could be integrated into the existing engine architecture without affecting performance. Due to space constraints, housing of the telemetry module was limited to placement in a hot section. In order to tolerate the high temperature environment, a cooling system was developed as part of the integration effort to maintain telemetry module temperatures within the limit allowed by the electronics. Finite element thermal analysis was used to guide the design of the cooling system. This was to ensure that sufficient airflow was introduced and appropriately distributed to cool the telemetry cavity, and hence electronics, without affecting the performance of the engine. Presented herein is a discussion of the telemetry system, instrumentation design philosophy, cooling system design and verification, and sample of the results acquired through successful execution of the full engine test program.


Author(s):  
Zhongran Chi ◽  
Haiqing Liu ◽  
Shusheng Zang ◽  
Chengxiong Pan ◽  
Guangyun Jiao

Abstract The inhomogeneity of temperature in a turbine is related to the nonuniform heat release and air injections in combustors. In addition, it is influenced by the interactions between turbine cascades and coolant injections. Temperature inhomogeneity results in nonuniform flow temperature at turbine outlets, which is commonly measured by multiple thermal couples arranged in the azimuthal direction to monitor the operation of a gas turbine engine. Therefore, the investigation of temperature inhomogeneity transportation in a multistage gas turbine should help in detecting and quantifying the over-temperature or flameout of combustors using turbine exhaust temperature. Here the transportation of temperature inhomogeneity inside the four-stage turbine of a 300-MW gas turbine engine was numerically investigated using 3D CFD. The computational domain included all four stages of the turbine, consisting of more than 500 blades and vanes. Realistic components (N2, O2, CO2, and H2O) with variable heat capacities were considered for hot gas and cooling air. Coolants were added to the computational domain through more than 19,000 mass and momentum source terms. his was simple compared to realistic cooling structures. A URANS CFD run with over-temperature/flameout at 6 selected combustors out of 24 was carried out. The temperature distributions at rotor–stator interfaces and the turbine outlet were quantified and characterized by Fourier transformations in the time domain and space domain. It is found that the transport process from the hot-streaks/cold-streaks at the inlet to the outlet is relatively stable. The cold and hot fluid is redistributed in time and space due to the stator and rotor blades, in the region with a large parameter gradient at the inlet, strong unsteady temperature field and composition field appear. The distribution of the exhaust gas composition has a stronger correlation with the inlet temperature distribution and is less susceptible to interference.


2020 ◽  
Vol 178 ◽  
pp. 01038
Author(s):  
George Marin ◽  
Dmitrii Mendeleev ◽  
Boris Osipov ◽  
Azat Akhmetshin

Modern energy development strategies of advanced countries are based on the construction of gas turbine units which is associated with sufficiently high values of thermal efficiency and a relatively short term for putting them into operation. In this paper, the NK-8 engine is considered. It is modernized with a mixing chamber and a power turbine for the purpose of its ground application. A study was conducted of the injection of an additional working fluid into the flow part of a dual-circuit gas turbine engine. Steam is used as an injectable substance. For research a mathematical model was created in the AS «GRET» software package. The studies were carried out under constant load, the maximum load during injection was determined. An additional worker can be supplied with summer power limitations when it is necessary to increase the power of a gas turbine installation. Studies have shown that the maximum power that can be obtained by supplying steam to the flow part is 32.2 MW.


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