Development and Demonstration of a Stability Management System for Gas Turbine Engines

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Christensen ◽  
P. Cantin ◽  
D. Gutz ◽  
P. N. Szucs ◽  
A. R. Wadia ◽  
...  

Rig and engine test processes and in-flight operation and safety for modern gas turbine engines can be greatly improved with the development of accurate on-line measurement to gauge the aerodynamic stability level for fans and compressors. This paper describes the development and application of a robust real-time algorithm for gauging fan/compressor aerodynamic stability level using over-the-rotor dynamic pressure sensors. This real-time scheme computes a correlation measure through signal multiplication and integration. The algorithm uses the existing speed signal from the engine control for cycle synchronization. The algorithm is simple and is implemented on a portable computer to facilitate rapid real-time implementation on different experimental platforms as demonstrated both on a full-scale high-speed compressor rig and on an advanced aircraft engine. In the multistage advanced compressor rig test, the compressor was moved toward stall at constant speed by closing a discharge valve. The stability management system was able to detect an impending stall and trigger opening of the valve so as to avoid compressor surge. In the full-scale engine test, the engine was configured with a one-per-revolution distortion screen and transients were run with a significant amount of fuel enrichment to facilitate stall. Test data from a series of continuous rapid transients run in the engine test showed that in all cases, the stability management system was able to detect an impending stall and manipulated the enrichment part of the fuel schedule to provide stall-free transients.

Author(s):  
D. Christensen ◽  
P. Cantin ◽  
D. Gutz ◽  
P. N. Szucs ◽  
A. R. Wadia ◽  
...  

Rig and engine test processes and in-flight operation and safety for modern gas turbine engines can be greatly improved with the development of accurate on-line measurement to gauge the aerodynamic stability level for fans and compressors. This paper describes the development and application of a robust real time algorithm for gauging fan/compressor aerodynamic stability level using over-the-rotor dynamic pressure sensors. This real time scheme computes a correlation measure through signal multiplication and integration. The algorithm uses the existing speed signal from the engine control for cycle synchronization. The algorithm is simple and is implemented on a portable computer to facilitate rapid realtime implementation on different experimental platforms as demonstrated both on a full-scale high-speed compressor rig and on an advanced aircraft engine. In the multi-stage advanced compressor rig test, the compressor was moved toward stall at constant speed by closing a discharge valve. The stability management system was able to detect an impending stall and trigger opening of the valve so as to avoid compressor surge. In the full-scale engine test, the engine was configured with a one-per-rev distortion screen and transients were run with a significant amount of fuel enrichment to facilitate stall. Test data from a series of continuous rapid transients run in the engine test showed that in all cases the stability management system was able to detect an impending stall and manipulated the enrichment part of the fuel schedule to provide stall free transients.


Author(s):  
John T. Lindsay ◽  
C. W. Kauffman

Real Time Neutron Radiography (RTNR) is rapidly becoming a valuable tool for nondestructive testing and basic research with a wide variety of applications in the field of engine technology. The Phoenix Memorial Laboratory (PML) at the University of Michigan has developed a RTNR facility and has been using this facility to study several phenomena that have direct application to internal combustion and gas turbine engines. These phenomena include; 1) the study of coking and debris deposition in several gas turbine nozzles (including the JT8D), 2) the study of lubrication problems in operating standard internal combustion engines and in operating automatic transmissions (1, 2, 3), 3) the location of lubrication blockage and subsequent imaging of the improvement obtained from design changes, 4) the imaging of sprays inside metallic structures in both a two-dimensional, standard radiographic manner (4, 5) and in a computer reconstructed, three-dimensional, tomographic manner (2, 3), and 5) the imaging of the fuel spray from an injector in a single cylinder diesel engine while the engine is operating. This paper will show via slides and real time video, the above applications of RTNR as well as other applications not directly related to gas turbine engines.


Author(s):  
F. J. Suriano ◽  
R. D. Dayton ◽  
Fred G. Woessner

The Garrett Turbine Engine Company, a Division of the Garrett Corporation, authorized under Air Force Contract F33615-78-C-2044 and Navy Contract N00140-79-C-1294, has been conducting development work on the application of gas-lubricated hydrodynamic journal foil bearings to the turbine end of gas turbine engines. Program efforts are directed at providing the technology base necessary to utilize high-temperature foil bearings in future gas turbine engines. The main thrust of these programs was to incorporate the designed bearings, developed in test rigs, into test engines for evaluation of bearing and rotor system performance. The engine test programs included a full range of operational tests; engine thermal environment, endurance, start/stops, attitude, environmental temperatures and pressures, and simulated maneuver bearing loadings. An 88.9 mm (3.5-inch) diameter journal foil bearing, operating at 4063 RAD/SEC (38,800 rpm), has undergone test in a Garrett GTCP165 auxiliary power unit. A 44.4 mm (1.75-inch) diameter journal foil bearing, operating at 6545 RAD/SEC (62,500 rpm) has undergone test in the gas generator of the Garrett Model JFS190. This paper describes the engine test experience with these bearings.


Author(s):  
Eric P. Bouillon ◽  
Patrick C. Spriet ◽  
Georges Habarou ◽  
Caroline Louchet ◽  
Thibault Arnold ◽  
...  

The advancement of self-sealing ceramic matrix composites offers durability improvements in hot section components of gas turbine engines. These durability improvements come with no need for internal cooling and with reduced weight. Building on past material efforts, ceramic matrix composites based on either a carbon fiber or a SiC fiber with a sequenced self-sealing matrix have been developed for gas turbine applications. The specific application being pursued on this effort is an F100-PW-229 nozzle seal. Full design life ground engine testing has been accomplished with both material systems. The ground testing has demonstrated a significant durability improvement from the baseline metal design. Residual properties are being determined for both systems by extracting tensile and microstructural coupons from the ceramic matrix composite seal. Nondestructive interrogation showed no material degradation and was used as a guide in setting cutting diagrams. The results from this effort will be presented along with documentation from flight test efforts.


Author(s):  
Nanahisa Sugiyama

This paper describes a real-time or faster-than-real-time simulation of gas turbine engines, using an ultra high speed, multi-processor digital computer, designated the AD100. It is shown that the frame time is reduced significantly without any loss of fidelity of a simulation. The simulation program is aimed at a high degree of flexibility to allow changes in engine configuration. This makes it possible to simulate various types of gas turbine engines, including jet engines, gas turbines for vehicles and power plants, in real-time. Some simulation results for an intercooled-reheat type industrial gas turbine are shown.


1967 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. T. Smith ◽  
M. E. House

The noise sources from gas turbine engines are defined and their radiation patterns identified from test results. Examination of single-stage and full-scale engine compressor noise measurements leads to a prediction technique being evolved for inlet and efflux levels.


Author(s):  
R. K. Mishra ◽  
G. Gouda ◽  
B. S. Vedaprakash

A twin spool low bypass turbofan engine under development and its combustor in full-scale were tested independently at altitude conditions to establish the relight envelope of the engine. Demonstration of relight capability and defining its boundary are mandatory for military gas turbine engines and for single engine application in particular. The engine was first subjected to windmill to establish its windmilling characteristics. The full engine was then tested for light-off in an altitude test facility simulating windmilling conditions from 4 to 12 km altitude with flight Mach numbers from 0.2 to 1.0. The relight boundary is defined based on the successful light-off points achieved from engine tests. Similar tests were carried out on the full-scale combustion chamber in a stand-alone mode simulating altitude conditions at engine flame-out. The combustor test has defined the light-off and lean blow out limits of the at each point on the relight boundary. The information of fuel-air ratio at light-off and blow-out is very useful in setting the engine fuel schedule for altitude operation and relight. In this paper an attempt is made to highlight various tests carried out on engine and its combustor to define the relight boundary of the engine. The paper also emphasizes the experience of combustor development and associated problems in meeting the relight challenges of military engines. These problems include the necessity of higher fuel-air ratio at high altitudes, the role of additional localized fuel injection through start-up atomizers, and effect of single igniter on relight characteristics. The relight envelope demonstrated by the engine is very satisfactory to meet the first flight requirement where the flight mission generally concentrate in the zone of 0.6 to 0.8 Mach and altitude does not exceed 10 to 12 km. Combustor and atomizer modification is needed to improve relight performance and to shift the boundary to further left.


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