Practical 7

Introduction to axial flow gas turbine operations

Objective:
● To familiarize with the gas turbine operation by identifying its element.
● To understand the function of different elements in the unit

Apparatus:
● Computer Controlled Axial Flow Gas Turbine unit

Activity Time Boxing

Task Activity Name Activity Time
No.
Pre-Lab Activity (signed by the instructor)
1 5 ~ 10 mins
2 Lecture + Optional quiz 20 ~ 30 mins
3 Performing Experiment 100 ~120 mins
Results & Evaluation (signed by the
4 10 ~ 20 mins
instructor)
Total Time: 180
Theory:
The TGFAC unit allows the demonstration of the Gas Turbine as jet engine.

Main parts and Cycle:

The demonstrating TGFAC Computer Controlled Axial Flow Gas Turbine/Jet Engine unit
developed by EDIBON is a demonstrating teaching equipment of a Gas Turbine as jet engine. The
main element of the TGFAC unit is the Reaction Turbine, which consists of:
a) Type Axial compressor, which is supplied by atmospheric air to compress it.
b) Annular combustion chamber. There are fuel (propane gas, kerosene, and paraffin),
comburent (in this case, compressed air received from the compressor) and activation
energy, which will cause the ignition of the mixture, in any combustion.
c) Expansion turbine: the inflamed gases of the combustion chamber transfer a part of the
energy that they have in the turbine paddles.

Compressor and turbine are coupled on the same shaft, so, when we have the system auto-
sustained, a part of the combustion gases caloric energy is used to move the compressor.
 Figure 7-1: TGFAC Computer Controlled Axial Flow Gas Turbine/Jet Engine

1. Frame.
2. Inlet duct.
3. Outlet duct.
4. Jet turbine.
5. Mobile support of the turbine.
6. Local control of the turbine.
7. Fuel tank.
8. Emergency stop pushbutton.
Hardware Actuators:

Figure 7-2: Hardware Actuators

 Table 7-1: Hardware Actuators Details
Assigned Actuators Description
No.
1 Emergency Pushbutton When it is pressed there will be no power supply to
turbine.
2 Switch RUN: to start the turbine.
STOP: to stop the turbine.
3 Throttle It is used to select the percentage of power for the
turbine

1. Software Actuators:
 Figure 7-3: Software Actuators

Table 7-2: Software Actuators Details

Assigned Actuators Description

No.
1 Start
2 Stop
3 Throttle
4 Status Indicator
5 Values Indicators
It is used to start the turbine
It used to stop the turbine
It is used to vary the power of the turbine.
It shows the state of the turbine.
They display information about the internal sensors
of the turbine (speed in RPM, fuel flow and input
voltage)

Operating Procedure
Safety Checks before Startup:
The following conditions must be fulfilled:
a) Clear 5 m and 10 m radius in a range of 180˚ from front and back of equipment.
b) Wear hear and eye protections.
c) Place a CO2 type fire extinguisher nearby.
d) Mix fuel with 5% of Jet oil.
e) Emergency push button is not pressed.
f) Do not disassemble the protection screens. It would increase the risk of accidents.

g) Shake the fuel tank before starting the turbine.

Operation of Unit Via Hardware
a) Carry out the safety checks.
b) Set the throttle wheel (Actuator identified in figure 02 & table 01) to the minimum value
Set the switch to “Run” position (Actuator identified in figure 01 & table 01).
c) Turn the throttle wheel (Actuator identified in figure 02 & table 01) to the maximum value
and, afterwards, turn it back to the minimum value. Then, the starting procedure is initiated.
d) After performing the starting procedure, the turbine is in “Run IDLE” mode. At that
moment, the power of the turbine can be increased or decreased depending on the position
of the throttle wheel (Actuator identified in figure 02 & table 01)
e) Set the throttle wheel (Actuator identified in figure 02 & table 01) to a value below 40%
(the recommended value is 20%) and wait about 5 seconds to stabilize the revolution and
temperature values.
 f) Once the values of the turbine are stable, change the switch to STOP (Actuator identified
in figure 02 & table 01). The turbine will stop and its state will change to COOLING mode.
g) When the internal temperature is below 100ºC the user can start the turbine again.

Operation of Unit Via Software

a) Carry out the safety checks and precautions explained in 7.
b) Click on TGFAC software icon installed in computer.
c) Set the throttle wheel (Actuator identified in figure 02 & table 01) to the minimum value.
d) Set the switch to Run (Actuator identified in figure 02 & table 01) position.
e) Press the START (Actuator identified in figure 03 & table 02) actuator
f) After performing the starting procedure, the turbine is in “Run IDLE” mode. At that moment,
the power of the turbine can be increased or decreased in function of the value introduced in
the throttle actuator. There are two methods to introduce a value:

Figure 7-4: Turbine Power

I. Method 01: Write the value and press the ENTER key or click outside the throttle box
shown in figure 04.
II. Method 02: Use the arrow-shaped buttons to increase or decrease the power value. Shown
in figure 04.

The values to be introduced will be multiples of 5 (0, 5, 10, 15… 90, 95 and 100%).
g) Set the throttle (Actuator identified in figure 03 & table 02) to a value below 40% (the
recommended value is 20%) and wait about 5 seconds to stabilize the revolution and
temperature values.
h) Once the values of the turbine are stable, push the STOP (Actuator identified in figure 03 &
table 02) button in the software. The turbine will stop and its state will change to “COOLING”
mode.
i) When the internal temperature is below 100ºC the user can start the turbine again or proceed
to disconnect the unit.

Instrumentation:
The instrumentation of the gas turbine designed by EDIBON consists of the following elements:
 Five J type thermocouples for different stages of the process:
1) Inlet air temperature.
2) Temperature of air entering the compressor.
 3) Fuselage temperature.
4) Combustion chamber temperature.
5) Exhaust gases temperature.
 Speed sensor to measure the turbine shaft rpm.
 Load cell to measure the turbine thrust: range 0-300 N.
 Four pressure sensors:
1) Pressure at the input.
2) Pressure at the compressor.
3) Pressure at the combustion chamber.
4) Pitot tube pressures.
 Two flow sensors:
1) Inlet air
2) Exhaust gases
 Flowmeter to measure the fuel consumption.

Thermodynamic Cycle:
A gas turbine operates according to the cycle of Brayton. In this cycle, the work substance is the
air which flows in stationary regime through the different stages.
In the ideal cycle of Brayton, the heat transfer and absorption processes are carried out reversibly
at constant pressure. The expansion and compression processes are isoentropic.

Figure 7-5: T-s diagram of Brayton Cycle

Compressor: Each compressor stage consists of two main elements: the rotor and the diffuser.
The rotor accelerates the inlet air, and the diffuser transforms the kinetic energy acquired into
pressure energy. The compressor can be centrifugal or axial, according to the paddles disposition.
The centrifugal compressor has an axial air inlet and the outlet is at the periphery. Depending on
the applications, the one or the other is used.
Combustion chamber: On the one hand, the air which comes from the compressor goes in the
chamber and, on the other hand, the combustion products go out. The fuel injectors are into this
chamber. These chambers are designed so that not all the air is used by the combustion, but it is
divided producing different currents. The primary current is which directly acts on the combustion.
There is a secondary current whose objective is completing the combustion. The rest of the air
introduced in the chamber is mixed with it at the burner output to reduce the temperature up to a
value which does not damage the turbine paddles, it is the called tertiary current.

Figure 7-6: Combustion Chamber

Turbine
In the expansion turbine is where the conversion of energy contained in the combustion gases as
pressure and high temperature (enthalpy) at mechanic power as a one shaft rotation occurs.

Procedure:
1. Start the SCADA TGFAC software.
2. Run the software and configure the data saving (“SAVE DATA” button). Select a directory
and a name for the data file and select a period of one datum per second.
3. Once the data logging starts, the starting procedure takes place.
4. When the turbine is started and it is under “RUNIDLE” state, increase the power step by step
till reaching 100%. The turbine state will change to “RUNMAX”.
5. Wait 10 seconds to the maximum power.
6. Carry out power changes to get familiar with the operation of the turbine.
7. Reduce power little by little till reaching the idle speed (20%).
8. Wait 10 seconds.
9. Stop the turbine and wait till it is cooled down.
10. Once cold, stop the data collection by clicking on “STOP SAVING”.
Observation and Calculation:
Power ST- h1 ST- h2 ST- h3 ST- h4
1(K) 2(K) 3(K) 4(K)

40% 314.3 314.11 356.7 357.2 1091.5 1151 743.1 759.83

51% 314.3 314.11 368.4 369 1162.8 1163.1 734.1 750

61% 314.3 314.11 382.3 382.79 1112.8 1175.9 730.1 746

71% 314.2 314.10 398.6 399.5 1121 1185 739 755

AT POWER 40%:
Net Work:
Wt = h3 – h4 = 392.4 KJ/Kg
Wc = h2 – h1 = 348.16KJ/Kg
Wnet = Wt – Wc = 348.16KJ/Kg

Efficiency:
Qin = h3 – h2 = 793.8 KJ/KG
Qout = h4 – h1 = 445.5 KJ/KG
𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡
η=1− 𝑄𝑖𝑛
= 1 – 0.561

η = 0.43 = 43%
COMPRESSION RATIO:
𝑆𝑃−2 0.265 𝑏𝑎𝑟 127.825𝐾𝑃𝑎
Pressure Ratio = = =
𝑆𝑃−1 −1.94 𝑚𝑏𝑎𝑟 101.131 𝐾𝑃𝑎

Pressure Ratio = 1.26 %

AT POWER 51%:
Like above calculations, we can get all other efficiencies, net work and
CR.
Net Work:
Wt = 413KJ/Kg
Wc = 54.9KJ/Kg
Wnet =338.46KJ/Kg
Efficiency: η = 0.450 = 45%

Pressure Ratio = 1.39%

AT POWER 61%:
Net Work:
Wt = 429KJ/Kg
Wc = 68.6 KJ/Kg
Wnet = 360.4 KJ/Kg
Efficiency: η = 0.4514 = 45.14%
Pressure Ratio = 1.55 %
AT POWER 71%:
Net Work:
Wt = 366 KJ/Kg
Wc = 85.4 KJ/Kg
Wnet = 280.6 KJ/Kg
Efficiency: η = 0.438 = 43.8%
Pressure Ratio = 1.77%

Analysis/Discussion:

ST-1: Temperature inlet

ST-2: Temperature at compressor.
ST-3: Temperature at combustion chamber.
ST-4: when exhaust gases are leaking from the system.
SP-1: Pressure inlet.
SP-2: Pressure at compressor.
SF-1: Air flow inlet
SF-2: Air flow outlet.

We must conclude from the experiment that we can determine the efficiencies of jet
engines, net-work of jet engines, and cut off ratios at various percentage powers. We
calculated the efficiencies and found that they were correct based on our calculations
and figures.

Wnet = Wturbine – Wc
 𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡
η=1−
𝑄𝑖𝑛
𝑆𝑃−2
Compression ratio =
𝑆𝑃−1

Precautions:
 Stay away at least 5ft from the jet engine.
 Check the fuel.
 Make sure you have high quality headphones.
 Do not bring flammable materials into contact with the hot exhaust pipe or place
them in the exhaust jet.
 In the case of oil leakage at the turbine emergency stop the turbine.
 An approved and tested fire extinguisher with a min. capacity of 6kg is to be
placed in the immediate vicinity of the gas turbine.
 The system is to be operated in dry, dust-free and well ventilated rooms.
 There should be nothing in the front of the compressor as it may lead to be pulled
by compressor and may cause serious damage.

Comments:
We completed the experiment and learnt a realistic example of the Brayton cycle by
observing all of the processes that occur in the turbine. We've also learned about the
many sensors that are employed in the turbine. ST1 is a temperature sensor that
monitors the temperature of the air before it is compressed at the compressor's inlet.
Because compression raises the temperature of the air, the ST2 is then used to
measure the temperature of the air after compression. Similarly, there are pressure
sensors that measure pressure, as well as force sensors that measure the thrust
produced by the engine.
We gathered different measurements at these temperatures and estimated the
enthalpy values at each temperature, and then determined the value of work done by
the compressor and turbine, as well as the net-work done. These were calculated
using formulas mentioned above.