DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE COMBUSTION AIR INLET FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR THE USMC AMPHIBIOUS COMBAT VEHICLE

摘要

The Auxiliary Ships and New Acquisition Support Branch (Code 425) of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division conducted a study to assist the Marine Corps Systems Command in assessing the feasibility of using a gas turbine engine as a propulsion system on future United States Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV). The study was focused on developing and testing a gas turbine intake solution for the ACV that can remove saltwater from the intake airstream of a notional 3,000 horsepower ACV engine. Code 425 developed a two-part solution for the intake of the ACV. The first part of the solution is an intake shroud designed to elevate the intake to protect the engine from deck water wash. The second part of the solution is the Combustion Air Separation System (CASS), a gas turbine intake filtration system designed to remove marine contaminants that enter the intake. Code 425 -tested a CASS prototype for its efficiency at removing saltwater spray and bulk water up to 10 gallons per minute. Test results showed that the CASS met each requirement and that an ACV intake system incorporating both the intake shroud and the CASS should protect the gas turbine engine from saltwater ingestion.