Response surface methodology based optimization of air-film blade cooled gas turbine cycle for thermal performance prediction

Abstract

The present study analyses simple gas turbine cycle (SGT) for carrying out optimization of input variables for optimum performance evaluation. The study uses response surface methodology (RSM) for prediction of optimum input variables. The study takes into consideration turbine inlet temperature (TIT), compressor pressure ratio (rp), ambient temperature (AT) and ambient relative humidity (RH) as input variables for prediction of optimum cycle performance parameters. Study reveals that maximum gas turbine specific work has been observed at rp value ~ equal to 18–20 while turbine inlet temperature value of ~1520 K. Optimum values of thermal efficiency, rational efficiency, mass of coolant and gas turbine specific work are 39.03%, 36.98%, 0.0665 kg/kg of air and 363.59 kJ/kg respectively, with the corresponding gas turbine cycle input variables at turbine inlet temperature value of 1476.76 K, compressor presssure ratio value of 19.8788, ambinet temperature equal to 288 K and relative humidity value of 53.03%. The results of gas turbine cycle code response and optimum value obtained from resposne surface methodology have been observed within error margin of 0.14% (min.) – 0.6% (max.) and advocates the adoption of resposne surface methodology optimization technique. Higher rational efficiency has been obtained at lower ambient temperature (~293 K), further optimum value of rational efficiency (>36.5%) can be obtained at turbine inlet temperature ~1470 K.