The axial gas-dynamic forces acting on the rotor of a small gas-turbine engine

Abstract

The exact determination is discussed of the axial gas-dynamic forces acting on the rotor of a gas-turbine engine (GTE), which influence reliability. A method is proposed for calculating the axial forces in a small GTE by the use of measured radial pressure distributions in the side gaps between the wheels and the body. The geometry of these gaps is incorporated, together with the radial flow rate and the initial spiraling of the flow beyond a rotor, which characterize the novelty of the method and provide higher accuracy.