INITIAL OPERATION OF A GAS TURBINE COGENERATION LABORATORY

摘要

California State University, Sacramento, has constructed and put into operation an instructional cogeneration laboratory. The facility includes a 75 kw gas turbine generator, a waste heat boiler, an absorption chiller, a cooling tower, an electric load bank, four pumps, three heat exchangers and extensive instrumentation including PC based data acquisition. During the 1999-2000 academic year two groups of students were involved in the initial operation of this laboratory; the operation of the gas turbine and the absorption chiller have received particular attention. During the 2000-2001 academic year the laboratory has been used in regularly scheduled mechanical engineering classes. This paper compares theoretical, actual, and the manufacturer's stated performance of these components. The heat balances and performance of the gas turbine are discussed at length. Consistent performance calculations for the gas turbine have been obtained after considerable refining of the data taking and calculation methods used to obtain them. Analyzing the chiller's operation has made excellent use of the computer data acquisition system. The involvement of students with limited experimental backgrounds is discussed. The combination of unpredictable results from data on new equipment and students well versed in textbook problems with tidy solutions presented interesting challenges for all concerned. The operational procedures are briefly described. The initial operation of the laboratory involved a long startup procedure. Presently the entire laboratory can be put into operation in an hour; once started it virtually runs itself.