A General Computational Method for Simulation and Prediction of Transient Behavior of Gas Turbines

Abstract

This paper describes a general computational method for predicting the dynamic behavior of gas turbines and their components during transient processes of the most varied kinds. Starting from the conservation laws of fluid and thermodynamics, formulas are derived with which non-stationary processes in the most important components of the gas turbine can be accurately predicted. As an example, the transient behavior of an open-cycle gas turbine with extreme changes in load is calculated. The comparison between the calculations and measurements demonstrates the accuracy and the reliability of the computational method. Although this method has so far been applied only to a broad range of power-generating gas turbines extending from open-cycle turbines to air storage turbines, it is also suitable for the simulation of aircraft gas turbines.

Advances in Nonlinear Dynamic Engine Simulation With an Example: Dynamic Performance Behavior of a Gas Turbine With One Reheat Turbine Stage and Two Combustion Chambers

“…In order to address the above issues, Schobeiri (1986Schobeiri ( , 1987 developed the modularly structured computer code COTRAN for simulating the nonlinear, dynamic behavior of single-shaft power generation gas turbine engines. To account for the heat exchange between the material and the working fluid during a transient event, diabatic processes are employed in COTRAN for the combustion chamber and recuperator components.…”

“…COTRAN reflects real engine configurations and components, and is routinely used at the early stages of design and development of new gas turbine engines. Dynamic simulations of different single-shaft engines performed with COTRAN were reported by Schobeiri and Haselbacher (1985), and Schobeiri (1986Schobeiri ( , 1987. Although COTRAN represents an advanced, nonlinear, dynamic code, its simulation capability is restricted to single-shaft power generation gas turbine engines, and thus, cannot be used for simulating multi-spool aircraft engines.…”

GETRAN: A Generic, Modularly Structured Computer Code for Simulation of Dynamic Behavior of Aero- and Power Generation Gas Turbine Engines

“…For this purpose the BBC-GT 9 gas turbine is simulated, whose dynamic behavior was experimentally determined for a transient test with extreme load changes. The engine and its transient data were accurately documented by Schobeiri (1986Schobeiri ( , 1987. Starting from a given network load schedule, the dynamic behavior of the gas turbine is predicted and the results compared with experimental measurements.…”

“…The results of this computation were compared with the results of the experiments documented by Schobeiri (1986Schobeiri ( , 1987. Although the measurements of pressure, and particularly those of temperature, are subject to a certain amount of inaccuracy, the power output can be measured directly, without any major error.…”

“…In this paper, the design concept, the theoretical background for the development of GETRAN, and several simulation cases are presented. Schobeiri and Haselbacher (1985) and Schobeiri (1986Schobeiri ( ,1987b. Although COTRAN represents an advanced, nonlinear dynamic code, its simulation capability is restricted to singleshaft power generation gas turbine engines and, thus, cannot be used for simulating multispool aircraft engines.…”