Module 4
Compressor: Compressor MAP, Surge margin, Inlet distortions.
Testing and Performance Evaluation.
Combustor: Combustor MAP, Pressure loss, combustion light
up test. Testing and Performance Evaluation.
Turbines: Turbine MAP. Turbine Testing and Performance
Evaluation.
Inlet duct & nozzles: Ram pressure recovery of inlet duct.
Propelling nozzles, after burner, maximum mass flow
conditions. Testing and Performance Evaluation.
Compressor performance
• The operational requirement of compressor is to
deliver maximum possible pressure under all
conditions for flight.
• Efficiency of compressor is influenced by the mass
flow, pressure, temperature and rpm.
Compressor Map
• It represents compressor performance.
• A compressor map is a chart created for a
compressor in a gas turbine engine. Complete maps
are based on compressor rig test results or
predicted by a special computer program.
Alternatively the map of a similar compressor can
be suitably scaled.
• Non dimensional quantities are used for plotting
compressor map.
Surge Margin
• Surge is defined as the operating point at which
centrifugal compressor peak head capability and
minimum flow limits are reached.
• Compressor surge is a phenomenon where
the compressor cannot increase the pressure of the
air it is pushing and results in the reversal flow of air
through the compressor.
• Surge occurs when the pressure ratio is increased to
the surge line value.
• It is a point where the blade stall becomes so severe
that the flow can no longer support the adverse
pressure gradient.
Surge Margin
• A compressor stall is a local disruption of the
airflow in a gas turbine compressor.
• compressor surge is a complete disruption of the
flow through the compressor.
• Stalls range in severity from a momentary power
drop to a complete loss of compression (surge)
necessitating a reduction in the fuel flow to the
engine.
• A stall of an engine refers to a sudden stopping of
the engine.
Combustor performance
Operational requirement of a combustor is to meet
the turbine requirements while operating at ground
and at all operating altitude conditions.
Combustor performance
Combustor performance depends on combustor
loading, equivalence ratio and pressure loss.
Combustion efficiency
• It is the ratio of fuel burnt to the total fuel
input.
• Efficiency value must be more than 90%.
Equivalence Ratio
• It is the ratio of actual fuel air ratio to the
stoichiometric fuel air ratio.
actual fuel air ratio
Equivalence Ratio =
stoichiometric fuel air ratio
Pressure Loss
Two types
1. Cold loss due to friction and turbulence.
2. Fundamental loss due to expansion of flow.
Combustor performance and tests
1. Aero thermal test
2. Structural integrity test
3. Altitude relight test
4. Stability test
5. Performance test
1. Overall pressure loss
2. Exit pattern factors
3. Combustion efficiency
4. Liner thermal tests
5. Endurance test
1. Aero thermal test
• Light up test
• Performance evaluation test
• Altitude relight test
• Endurance test
• Stability test
• Liner thermal test
[Link] Integrity test
It is the combustion chamber outer casting cyclic
pressure test.
3. Altitude relight test
• The combustor must have the capability for
rapid relighting after a flameout.
• The flameout occurs under adverse climatic
conditions or take off from a wet runway.
• There is a risk of ingestion of excessive
amount of water or ice.
• Combustor should ensure immediate relight in
the event of flame extinction.
3. Altitude relight test
• A series of combustor tests are conducted to
determine the relight capabilities of an engine.
• The inlet parameters are varied to produce a range
of flight conditions.
• The ignition is attempted at various values of fuel
air ratio with constant combustor inlet
temperature, pressure and air mass flow.
• Successful ignition is indicated by continued
burning after the ignition source has been switched
off.
• The tests are carried out at altitude test facility.
4. Stability test
• Stability test is conducted to ensure that
combustion can be sustained over the entire range
of engine operating conditions.
• The combustor is operated at very low inlet
temperature, pressure and fuel air ratio, that lie
outside the normal burning limits.
• The flame must stay alight during the various
abnormal conditions such as ingestion of rain or ice.
5. Performance test
1. Overall pressure loss
2. Exit pattern factors
3. Combustion efficiency
4. Liner thermal tests
5. Endurance test
1. Overall pressure loss
• The combustor pressure loss must be minimum.
• Pressure loss affects the engine thrust adversely.
• Cold test is performed to find the pressure loss due
to friction.
2. Exit pattern factors
• This test is done at high pressures.
• Used to find the life and stress of turbine blades.
• Includes the study of the effect of inlet flow
distortion and exhaust gas composition.
3. Combustion efficiency
• It can be established from exit temperature
measurements.
• It affects specific fuel consumption.
4. Liner thermal tests
• Used to determine the heat state of liner walls
under heat stress mode condition.
• The liner wall temperature is measured by
thermocouples embedded in the wall.
• Thermal paint is used on the outer surfaces.
• The test is conducted at maximum pressure and
temperature conditions at high pressure test facility.
5. Endurance test
• This test represent the combustor inlet conditions
corresponding to various accelerations and
decelerations that engine may encounter in a
critical flight path.
• Test is conducted at maximum pressure condition.
Test facility
• Altitude test facility
• High pressure test facility
• Light up test
Altitude test facility
• Altitude test facility is capable of simulating
pressure, temperature, air mass flow and fuel
flow etc. corresponding to the specified altitude
operating conditions.
• The combustor entry parameters can be
controlled independently.
High pressure test facility
• Combustor testing with un-vitiated air.
• Gas sampling and analysis.
• Dynamic pressure measurements for flow
instability studies.
• Data acquisition system to measure several
pressure channels, temperature channels and fuel
flow rates.
• Simulation of combustor inlet pressure and
temperature.
Light up test
• Reliable and easy ignition.
• The complete map of the light up characteristics
of the combustor can be established in an
altitude test facility.
Turbine map
Turbine map
• The turbine map is generated, based on the
turbine geometry.
• Turbine map includes isentropic efficiency,
mass flow, pressure ratio, work done and
swirl.
Turbine map
• Capacity, efficiency and exit swirl angle are
plotted for lines of constant speed versus the
pressure ratio.
• The maximum capacity which cannot be
exceeded is termed as choke.
Isentropic efficiency of axial turbine
• It is the ratio of actual specific work output to
the ideal specific work output.
