This paper describes an investigation into the off-design performance comparison of single and two-shaft gas turbine engines. A question that has been asked for a long time which gas turbine delivers a better thermal efficiency at part load. The authors, notwithstanding their intensive searches, were unable to find a comprehensive answer to this question. A detailed investigation was carried out using a state of the art performance evaluation method and the answer was found to be: It depends! In this work, the performance of two engine configurations is assessed. In the first one, the single-shaft gas turbine operates at constant shaft rotational speed. Thus, the shape of the compressor map rotational speed line will have an important influence on the performance of the engine. To explore the implications of the shape of the speed line, two single-shaft cases are examined. The first case is when the speed line is curved and as the compressor pressure ratio falls, the non-dimensional mass flow increases. The second case is when the speed line is vertical and as the compressor pressure ratio falls, the non-dimensional mass flow remains constant. In the second configuration, the two-shaft engine, the two-shafts can be controlled to operate at different rotational speeds and also varying relationships between the rotational speeds. The part-load operation is characterized by a reduction in the gas generator rotational speed. The tool, which was used in this study, is a 0-D whole engine simulation tool, named Turbomatch. It was developed at Cranfield and it is based on mass and energy balance, carried out through an iterative method, which is based on component maps. These generic, experimentally derived maps are scaled to match the design point of a particular engine before an off-design calculation is performed. The code has been validated against experimental data elsewhere, it has been used extensively for academic purposes and the research activities that have taken place at Cranfield University. For an ideal cycle, the single-shaft engine was found to be a clear winner in terms of part-load thermal efficiency. However, this picture changed when realistic component maps were utilized. The basic cycle and the shape of component maps had a profound influence on the outcome. The authors explored the influence of speed line shapes, levels of component efficiencies and the variation of these component efficiencies within the operating range. This paper describes how each one of these factors, individually, influences the outcome.

The development of the supercritical Carbon Dioxide power cycle has relied on parallel tracks along which theoretical and experimental works have successfully complemented each other in the last few years. Following this approach, intensive work on the development of critical components has enabled the demonstration of the technology in small-scale test loops. The next step in the roadmap is scaling-up the technology in order to bridge the gap to commercialisation. To this aim, not only is it necessary to demonstrate that the cycle works, but it is also mandatory to rise component (and system) efficiencies to levels comparable with competing technologies. In this process, assessing the impact of the main design parameters on the efficiency of turbomachinery is deemed crucial. The present work is a follow-up to others presented by the authors in previous years where preliminary analysis on centrifugal compressor design combining tools of different levels of fidelity were used. Nevertheless, whilst these presented guidelines to design the main compressor successfully, this new piece of research presents how the design space of the unit is affected by the characteristics of the working fluid. A review of past research is first presented to evidence that the design space is largely influenced by the particular behaviour of the working fluid close to the critical point. Then, design maps are presented for different operating conditions (cycle heat balance), showing that their shapes change substantially depending on compressor inlet pressure and temperature. Also, a comparison of these maps confirms that the design regions enabling high efficiency can be substantially reduced depending on the inlet/outlet thermodynamic states. Finally, conclusions are drawn regarding optimal intervals for the main design parameters involved in the process.

Clearances of compressor and turbine blade tips and seals alter during and following speed transients. These changes affect the performance of the components and hence of the engine. This paper describes models for the prediction of blade tip clearance changes and seal clearance changes. These models have been applied to the H.P. Compressor and H.P. Turbine and to two seals controlling air flows in a Two-spool Bypass Engine. The predicted acceleration rates appear to be more influenced by the changes in the seal clearances than by the tip clearance changes. The increases in computing time in the engine transient program which result from inclusion of the model are acceptable.

This paper describes how allowance for the thermal effects of non-adiabatic flow, altered boundary layer development, changes in tip clearances and changes in seal clearances have been incorporated into a general gas turbine transient program. These non-adiabatic effects have been investigated, modelling a two-spool bypass engine. The model has predicted events that occur in practice and also indicates which of the parameters are the most influential in the alteration of transient performance.

Most current fuel schedules for accelerating or decelerating gas turbines use a limiting non-dimensional fuel flow expressed as a function of some engine parameter such as compressor pressure ratio. Usually the same schedule is used for, for example, accelerating ‘cold’ and ‘hot’ engines. This results in differing acceleration rates and differing usage of surge margins. The paper describes two methods of compensating the fuel schedules to account for the engine’s immediately preceding temperature history. One method uses the temperature response of the aerofoil of blades in the H.P. Compressor. The second method, which appears to be an improvement, uses a ‘delayed’ H.P. Shaft speed signal.

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.

This paper describes how allowance for the thermal effects of non-adiabatic flow, altered boundary layer development, changes in tip clearances and changes in seal clearances have been incorporated into a general gas turbine transient program. This program has been applied to a two-spool bypass engine. Revised predictions of surge margins in three common transients have been obtained. When the engine undergoes a “cold” acceleration, the thermal effects on the trajectory and on the surge line give a much increased proportion of unused surge margin in the H.P. Compressor, as compared to adiabatic predictions. In a “hot” acceleration this improvement is considerably reduced.

Maintenance cost is one of the major life cycle costs of gas turbine engines. To reduce the maintenance costs, the maintenance should be changed from preventive (or scheduled) maintenance to predictive (or condition-based) maintenance where condition monitoring and diagnostics become crucially important. This paper represents the application of a gas path diagnostic technique, Gas Path Analysis, to the diagnostic analysis of an aero-derivative gas turbine (GE LM2500+) operated by Manx Electricity Authority in the Isle of Man, UK. In the application, an engine thermodynamic model is created and adapted to the performance of the engine using field data obtained at different operating conditions. Different data pre-processing methods are presented and compared in the diagnostic analysis. The uncertainty of measurement data is analysed and the most suitable measurements are identified in the prediction of key gas path component degradation. A non-linear GPA diagnostic analysis provides promising results for the prediction of compressor degradation and the performance improvement due to a compressor water washing. Such diagnostic information would be very useful for maintenance engineers to optimise their maintenance activities including overhauls and compressor washing.

The international scientific community researching the supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle has already developed the first turbomachinery designs, which are currently operating in reference laboratories worldwide. Nevertheless, the performance of this equipment is still quite far from the target values yielding fairly disappointing system efficiencies (65% vs. 80% total to total efficiency for radial compressors). In the light of these past results, the thermal Power Group (GMTS) at the University of Seville, Spain, has been researching the SCO 2 cycle during the last few years. Hence, after researching elementary diffusion processes and some basic features of the system, the authors are now in the process of developing guidelines for compressor design based on one-dimensional codes developed in-house and CFD analysis. The results stemming from both approaches are presented in this paper showing that the rather simple 1D model is able to produce a fairly good model which can then be tuned with a more complex and computationally expensive 3D CFD code. The entire approach is presented in this paper, from the initial reference value for the key design parameters through the 1D code and to the multi-dimensional tool. The results of the two latter approaches are compared in detail in this paper.

The transient performance of the Selective Bleed Variable Cycle Engine (VCE) has been optimized during the transition from subsonic to supersonic mode. The Selective Bleed VCE concept has been developed with a Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft in mind and the engine is characterized by its twin mode VCE feature. The transition optimization is constrained by the requirement of maintaining thrust and compressor surge margins. The engine variable geometry component schedules and the fuel flow are used as optimization variables. A differential algebraic formulation of an inter-component volume model is used to model the transient behavior of the engine. Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) is applied to the non-linear transient engine model directly, in order to solve the multivariable control problem. It is predicted that the mode switch can be carried out safely without violating the constraints and that the time required is limited by the actuator time of the hydraulic system.

This is the second paper exploring the effects of the degradation of different components on Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant performance. This paper investigates the effects of degraded steam path components of steam turbine (bottoming) cycle have on CCGT power plant performance. Areas looked at were, steam turbine fouling, steam turbine erosion, heat recovery steam generator degradation (scaling and/or ashes deposition), and condenser degradation. The effect of gas turbine back-pressure on plant performance due to HRSG degradation is also discussed. A general simulation Fortran code was developed for the purpose of this study. This program can calculate the CCGT plant design point performance, off-design plant performance, and plant deterioration performance. The results obtained are presented in a graphical form and discussed.

This paper describes the steady state performance analysis of a 3-shaft closed cycle helium turbine using nuclear heat source. The analysis is carried out using a computer program, which is specifically made for this cycle. The computer model was tested for various Turbine Entry Temperatures (TET) and absolute pressures. The analysis of the change was focused on the compressors, as these are relatively more critical than the rest of the equipments. The change in TET triggered changes in shaft speed, mass flow rate, power output, absolute pressure etc. Adjustable guide vanes were used to study the operation with constant surge margin. The closed cycle was tested for various absolute pressures and it was established that the efficiency will not be affected in using the inventory control for the load variation.

This paper describes the effects of degradation of the main gas path components of the gas turbine topping cycle on the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant performance. Firstly the component degradation effects on the gas turbine performance as an independent unit are examined. It is then shown how this degradation is reflected on a steam turbine plant of the CCGT and on the complete Combined Cycle plant. TURBOMATCH, the gas turbine performance code of Cranfield University was used to predict the effects of degraded gas path components of the gas turbine have on its performance as a whole plant. To simulate the steam (Bottoming) cycle, another Fortran code was developed. Both codes were used together to form a complete software system that can predict the CCGT plant design point, off-design, and deteriorated (due to component degradation) performances. The results show that the overall output is very sensitive to many types of degradation, specially in the turbine of the gas turbine. Also shown is the effect on gas turbine exhaust conditions and how this affects the steam cycle.