Analytical Consideration of Fuel Economy and Dynamic Response of a Regenerative High Temperature Automobile Gas Turbine: Part I

Abstract

Ceramic gas turbines are being studied in many countries for future use as automobile engines. Ceramic turbines were also examined here to determine their potential as engines for passenger cars. Initially, it was found that in the Japanese 10-mode driving cycle and at a turbine inlet temperature (TIT) of 1350 C, the turbine fuel economy was not better than current gasoline engines. On the other hand, it was also found that fuel economy is greatly improved if the air flow at idle conditions is reduced to 1/2 by using, for example, variable geometry components. It is pointed out that a simulation technique is available for estimating the dynamic characteristics of regenerative gas turbine engines, including consideration of variable geometry components. However, satisfactory regenerator models were not readily available. Hence, an experimental regenerator model was made. Where compared with test values, comparatively good results were obtained. Part II of this paper will report in the future on how these models were applied to an engine and what results were obtained from the dynamic simulation of the regenerative, high temperature gas turbine.