Escolar Documentos
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Cultura Documentos
1. Introduction
2. A simple turbojet cycle
3. The goal of this project
3.1 Design requirements
3.2 Design characteristics
4. Overall gas turbine performance
4.1 Analytical prediction of performance
4.2. Results of the calculations done in 4.1
5. Design approach
5.1. Analytical design of impeller
5.2. Results of the calculations done in 5.1.
5.3. Analytical design of diffuser
5.4. Results of calculations performed in 5.3
5.5. Conclusion of theoretical compressor performance
5.6. Possible manufacturing techniques
5.7. Calculations
6. Conclusion of theoretical results
6.1. The Impeller
6.2. The Diffuser
6.3. Technical Sketches
7. Conclusion
8. References
Ref. 1. Useful constants
Ref. 2. Useful equations
Design sketches
Contact information
Off line viewing
1. Introduction
There are various means of producing power. In many respects gas turbines are the most
satisfactory. Gas turbines are simple. They have no rubbing and reciprocating
components. This simplifies balancing, increases reliability and reduces lubrication
consumption. The advantages were first realized with steam driven turbines used to
generate electricity. (Steam driven turbines are still predominant in generating electricity.)
It is not uncommon to find steam turbine power plants producing over 500 MW
electricity at efficiencies up to 40%.
Serious development of the gas turbine started just before the Second World War. These
turbines were meant to generate shaft power, but the attention was soon transferred to the
development of the turbojet engine as a method for propelling aircraft. It was only by the
mid nineteen fifties that gas turbines started competing in other fields. Today gas turbine
technology has a profound impact on a great variety of applications.
One of the fields where gas turbine technology is fairly new, is that of radio controlled
model aircraft. Radio modelers have been making use of ducted fans and pulse jets to
propel scale jet aircraft for years.
Ducted fans are essentially shrouded fans driven by high speed two-stroke engines. This
method produces very high noise levels, bad throttle response and a relatively low thrust
to weight ratio. The high speed two-stroke engine requires expensive fuel. The high speed
reciprocating piston vibrates the engine thereby reducing reliability. These two-stroke
engines also have low efficiencies.
Pulse jets are rockets with a one way valve at the front of the combustion chamber. The
air fills the chamber from the front due to forward velocity. Fuel is injected into the
combustion chamber and ignited. This produces a forward thrust pulse. After the pressure
in the combustion chamber has dropped under the stagnation values, the one way valve
opens to repeat the process. Pulse jets require high velocities to operate and generate very
high noise levels. Pulse jets have expensive and exotic fuel requirements. A low
efficiency is also a common problem.
Substituting the above means of propulsion with a small gas turbine would be highly
beneficial. Noise levels can be reduced with careful exhaust nozzle design. Throttle
response can be improved by using light weight materials in the construction of rotating
parts. The overall thrust to weight ratio can easily be improved. A carefully designed gas
turbine will also have a higher efficiency, mainly because it operates at higher
temperatures. Gas turbines can be designed to run on almost any fuel. This makes it
possible to run a propulsive system using diesel instead of exotic fuels.
Figure 2.1
Most modern compressors are axial compressors because of their higher efficiency. When
it comes to small gas turbines though, centrifugal compressors appear to be much more
efficient and easier to manufacture than axial compressors. If centrifugal compressor can
be compared to moving water up a slope using big, infrequent stroke, the axial
compressor can be compared to moving the water using small, very frequent strokes.
From this image it can be seen that an axial compressor will be more efficient than a
centrifugal compressor. If the compressor is sufficiently small, this however is not the
case. An axial compressor is made of small aerodynamically shaped blades that
accelerate the air to increase the stagnation conditions. The air is then decelerated by the
diffuser (another set of blades.) This brings it's static conditions closer to the new
stagnation conditions. Incorporating such blades in a sufficiently small compressor is
close to impossible. A centrifugal compressor inhales air at the front, and then using
centrifugal action accelerates the air outwards with vanes. The air is picked up by simple
diffuser vanes. The diffuser feeds the air to the combustion chamber. The uncomplicated
working and fewer components of a centrifugal compressor makes it ideal for use in a
small gas turbine.
The main goal of this project is to develop a small inexpensive centrifugal compressor. It
will later be used in the development of a gas turbine aimed at propelling radio control
aircraft.
The design has to weigh as little as possible without it having too big an impact
on cost, strength or reliability.
The design should be modular. This will make repair easier.
The design must be simple and inexpensive to construct.
Professional machining must be limited to a minimum.
The materials used in construction must be inexpensive and easy to obtain.
The balancing of components must be simple and inexpensive.
The use of the compressor must be safe with no health risks.
The following characteristics have been set for the final design:
The ambient conditions (pressure and temperature) are known. Radio controlled aircraft
have relatively low velocities. The stagnation conditions at the intake can therefore be
assumed to be roughly equal to the ambient conditions.
The impeller rotates at 85 000 rpm and therefore does work on the air. This changes the
stagnation conditions of the air. The compressor efficiency is known. The changes in the
stagnation temperature can thus be calculated using Eq. 2.1.2 in Ref. 2.
The change in stagnation temperature can be used to calculate the change in stagnation
pressure using Eq. 2.1.1. in Ref. 2.
The turbine inlet temperature is known. The amount of work absorbed by the compressor
can be calculated. The efficiency of the mechanical power transfer is also known. This
makes it possible to calculate the change in stagnation temperature over the turbine.
The pressure loss over the combustion chamber is known. This makes it possible to
calculate the stagnation pressure at the turbine inlet.
The turbine efficiency is known. The availability of the stagnation pressure at the turbine
inlet makes it possible to calculate the stagnation pressure at the turbine outlet using Eq.
2.1.1. in Ref. 2.
The nozzle pressure ratio is given as the ratio between the turbine outlet stagnation
pressure and the ambient pressure. The critical nozzle pressure ratio is given by Eq. 2.3.1.
in Ref. 2. Because the nozzle pressure ratio is smaller than the critical pressure ratio, the
nozzle is unchoked.
The efficiency of the nozzle is known. All ambient conditions are known. All stagnation
conditions at the turbine outlet are known. The static pressure of the nozzle at the exit is
equal to the ambient pressure. (An unchoked nozzle gives maximum thrust when the
static pressure at the exit is equal to the ambient pressure.)
The static temperature at the exit can be calculated using Eq. 2.1.4. in Ref. 2.
The static density at the exit can be calculated using Eq. 2.1.3. in Ref. 2.
The outlet velocity can be calculated using Eq. 2.1.2. in Ref. 2.
The ratio of area to mass flow can easily be calculated using Eq. 2.4.3 in Ref. 2.
All the terms in Eq. 2.3.1. are known. The specific thrust can then be calculated.
Because the thrust requirements are known, the mass flow can easily be calculated from
the specific thrust.
The results of the method discussed in 4.1 are given in Table 4.2.1. All the calculations
are in the counter book included with this report. The results were verified using a spread
sheet. The spread sheet is named "SPECTHR.XLS" and is in MS Excel format.
2
a
1
3
4
5
combustion
ambient compressor
turbine nozzle nozzle
chamber
conditions
inlet
inlet inlet exit
inlet
stagnation
temperature
[K]
290.0
290.0
369.4
stagnation
pressure
[kPa]
85.0
85.0
170
static
290.0
1100
1027
1027
temperature
[K]
static
pressure
[kPa]
85.0
85.0
static
density
[kg/m^3]
307.6
Table 4.2.1
The resulting mass flow is given as 0.0656 kg/s. The theoretical turbine will have a
specific thrust of 381.1 N/(kg/s).
5. Design approach
As discussed before, gas turbine compressors are divided in to three groups: axial, radial
and hybrid compressors. The choice of a radial compressor is the best for reasons
previously discussed. From all the known requirements and dimensions the compressor
can be designed. It should also be kept in mind that exceeding a mach number of 0.8
might cause shocks inside the compressor. This would have a profound impact on the
efficiency. It is therefore a further requirement that all mach numbers should be kept
under 0.8.
Because the required pressure ratio and maximum rotational speed of the impeller are
known, it is simple to determine the impeller diameter using Eq. 2.1.2 in Ref. 2. All that
is required is the slip factor. The impeller slip factor is defined by Eq. 2.5.1 in Ref. 2
where n is the number of impeller vanes.
The impeller power requirements can be calculated using the product of mass flow and
velocity where the velocity is defined by Eq. 2.1.2 in Ref. 2.
5.1.2 Calculation of the impeller vane angles at the annulus root and tip
The axial velocity can be calculated at the impeller inlet by iteration. The iteration will
have the following criteria: The difference between the static and stagnation conditions
due to the velocity gives rise to a mass flow of 0.0656 kg/s. The axial velocity of the air
and the tangential velocity of the annulus tip and root can then be combined in a velocity
triangle to solve the vane angles.
The channel depth can be calculated by assuming that half of the losses in the compressor
occur in the impeller. A radial velocity is assumed for the air, and the tangential velocity
is calculated from the impeller tip speed and slip factor. This makes it possible to define
the static conditions of the air at the impeller tip. Requiring that the mass flow in the
radial direction stays 0.0656 kg/s makes it possible to calculate the impeller channel
depth.
Finally from the static conditions the mach number can be calculated.
Because the impeller will have curved vanes the velocity triangle at the tip of the impeller
will change. The new velocities can simply be calculated using this velocity triangle.
Because the air has a rotational (tangential) component, the tangential velocity at the
diffuser inlet can be calculated by requiring constant angular momentum. Assuming that
the diffuser channel depth is the same as the impeller channel depth makes it possible to
calculate the cross sectional area of the radial flow at the diffuser inlet. The radial
velocity can be calculated by iterating and specifying that the mass flow remains
constant. The velocity triangle deduced from the tangential and radial velocities at the
diffuser inlet can then be used to define the diffuser inlet angle.
The required stagnation conditions at the diffuser outlet are known. Specifying inner and
outer diameters for the axial outlet of the diffuser makes it possible to calculate the cross
sectional area for air leaving the compressor. Specifying constant mass flow makes it
possible to calculate the axial flow velocity by iterating. The speed of sound can be
calculated from the air's static conditions at the outlet. This makes the calculation of the
mach number straight forward.
To ensure even flow from the 5 mm vane less space into the diffuser with the assumed
channel depth of 8 mm, the diffuser requires a vane angle of approximately 5.8. With the
assumed axial outlet dimensions (90 mm inner diameter, 106 mm outer diameter) the
diffuser will have an outlet velocity of 16.86 m/s. Because of the vane less space, the
minimum diffuser diameter is 80 mm. Theoretically the mach number will never exceed
0.8.
Table 5.5.1 gives a list of all the stagnation and static conditions at various points in the
compressor. Note that 1 is at the impeller intake, 2 is at the impeller tip, 2' is at the
diffuser intake, and 3 is at the diffuser outlet.
2'
T0 [K]
p0 [kPa]
85.0
T [K]
p [kPa]
Vw [m/s] -
263.4 216.8 -
Vr [m/s]
27.1
Va [m/s]
56.96 -
V [m/s]
M []
21.86 -
Table 5.5.1
5.6 Possible manufacturing techniques
16.86
The cost of composite materials is offset by the ease with which it can be worked, it's
very high strength, and it's ease of machining. The impeller can be made of a
combination of epoxy impregnated carbon fibre and glass fibre. All unfilled areas which
may cause stress concentrations can be filled with low density epoxy foam. (Epoxy filled
with small hollow glass beads)
The manufacturing of the diffuser/impeller shroud combination and vanes can be done in
precisely the same way as for the impeller.
5.7. Calculations
All the theoretical calculations are included in the two zipped files for "SPECTHR.XLS"
and "IMPELLER.XLS".
6.1.1. Dimensions
6.1.2. Performance
6.1.3 Construction
6.2.1. Dimensions
6.2.2. Performance
6.2.3. Construction
7. Conclusion
According to the theoretical analysis the criteria in section 3 can be met. The only criteria
that can not been met is the availability criteria. Most of the construction is based on
carbon-fibre. Carbon-fibre may not always be readily available. Constructing these
components from carbon fibre is simple and cheap compared to investment alloy casting
or precision milling which is the standard method of making centrifugal compressors.
8. References
Gas Turbine Engines for Model Aircraft - Kurt Schreckling (The Modeller's
World Series) ISBN 0 9510589 1 6
Mechanics of Fluids, 3rd edition - Irving H Shames (Mc Graw Hill) ISBN 0-07112815-8
Introduction To Thermodynamics, Classical and Statistical, 3rd edition R.E.Sonntag, G.J.van Wylen (John Wiley & Sons) ISBN 0-471-52992
For air:
(2.1.1)
(2.1.2)
(2.1.3)
(2.1.4)
(2.2.1)
(2.3.1)
(2.4.1)
(2.4.2)
(2.4.3)
(2.5.1)
Design sketches
The design sketches are currently hand drawings. On scanning the required resolution for
a reasonable picture makes the file too large for practical web use. This problem will be
addressed later.