A three-kilowatt turboshaft engine with a ceramic recuperator and turbine has been designed for small unmanned air vehicle (UAV) propulsion and portable power generation. Compared with internal combustion (IC) engines, gas turbines offer superior reliability, engine life, noise and vibration characteristics, and compatibility with military fuels. However, the efficiency of miniature gas turbines must be improved substantially, without severely compromising weight and cost, if they are to compete effectively with small IC engines for long-endurance UAV propulsion. This paper presents a design overview and supporting analytical results for an engine that could meet this goal. The system architecture was chosen to accommodate the limitations of mature, cost-effective ceramic materials: silicon nitride for the turbine rotors, and toughened mullite for the heat exchanger and turbine stators. An engine with a cycle pressure ratio below 2:1, a multistage turbine, and a highly effective recuperator is shown to have numerous advantages in this context. A key benefit is a very low water-vapor-induced surface recession rate for silicon nitride, due to an extremely low partial pressure of water in the combustion products. Others include reduced sensitivity to internal flaws, creep, and foreign object damage; an output shaft speed low enough for grease-lubricated bearings; and the potential viability of a novel premixed heat-recirculating combustor.
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ASME Turbo Expo 2009: Power for Land, Sea, and Air
June 8–12, 2009
Orlando, Florida, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- International Gas Turbine Institute
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4886-9
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Design Overview of a Three-Kilowatt Recuperated Ceramic Turboshaft Engine
Michael J. Vick,
Michael J. Vick
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
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Andrew Heyes,
Andrew Heyes
Imperial College London, London, UK
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Keith Pullen
Keith Pullen
City University London, London, UK
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Michael J. Vick
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
Andrew Heyes
Imperial College London, London, UK
Keith Pullen
City University London, London, UK
Paper No:
GT2009-60297, pp. 297-310; 14 pages
Published Online:
February 16, 2010
Citation
Vick, MJ, Heyes, A, & Pullen, K. "Design Overview of a Three-Kilowatt Recuperated Ceramic Turboshaft Engine." Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2009: Power for Land, Sea, and Air. Volume 5: Microturbines and Small Turbomachinery; Oil and Gas Applications. Orlando, Florida, USA. June 8–12, 2009. pp. 297-310. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/GT2009-60297
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