Radial Inflow Turbine One and Tri-Dimensional Design Analysis of 600 kW Simple Cycle Gas Turbine Engine

Abstract

Microturbines have been developed as an important power unit for distributed generation (DG) or distributed energy resource (DER) options [1]. They have been established and are widely used in aircraft and power applications, due to their easy installation, reliability, high performance, multi-fuel capabilities and low emission [2]. However, the aerothermodynamic design of a radial turbine still poses a challenge due to its high rotational speed and high inlet temperature, which influence the centrifugal stress and the rotor structural integrity. This paper presents the numerical investigations on the aerothermodynamic design of the nozzle and the radial inflow rotor for a 600 kW simple cycle gas turbine engine using a One-dimensional Computer FORTRAN Code (OFC) [3], on the grounds of non-dimensional parameters aimed at computational and work time reduction. This program utilizes a one-dimensional solution of flow conditions through the turbine along the meanline. The referred computer program is an effective performance prediction tool mostly in the initial stage of the preliminary design and can be used to quickly investigate and calculate the number of design options prior to any details of the vane and blade geometry. In order to find the most promising design option, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation has been used to study the performance, the aerothermodynamic design and the flow characteristics of the turbine components. The OFC results were compared with the CFD simulation, a computer program for the design analysis of radial inflow turbines, and analytical results taken from specialized literature showed the results were in agreement.