AN APPLICATION ORIENTED GAS TURBINE LABORATORY EXPERIENCE

摘要

The gas turbine industry is experiencing growth in many sectors. An important part of teaching a gas turbine course is exposing students to the practical applications of the gas turbine. This laboratory proposes an opportunity for students to view an operating gas turbine engine in an aircraft propulsion application and to model the engine performance. A Pratt and Whitney PT6A-20 turboprop was run at a local airfield and engine parameters typical of cockpit instrumentation were taken. The students, in teams of two, then modeled the system using the software PARA and PERF in an attempt to match the manufacturer's specifications. This laboratory required students to research the parameters necessary to model this engine that were not part of the data set provided by the manufacturer. The research and modeling encompassed areas such as technology level, efficiencies, fuel consumption, and performance. The end result was a two-page report containing the students' calculations comparing the actual performance of the engine with the manufacturer’s specifications. Supporting graphs and figures were included as appendices. The same type laboratory could be adapted for co-generation gas turbines. Over 121 colleges and universities have co-generation facilities on campus and that presents a unique opportunity for the students to observe the operation of a land-based gas turbine used for power generation. A 5 MW TB5000 manufactured by Ruston (Alstom) Gas Engines is available on the Baylor University campus and is highlighted as an example. Potential problems encountered with using the Baylor University gas turbine are discussed which include lack of appropriate engine instrumentation.