Variable Geometry Compressors for Improvement of Gas Turbine Part Load Performance

Gas Turbine and Turbomachinery Education at Carleton University

“…At a time when many companies were looking at variable geometry turbines, to improve the performance of automobile gas turbines, an alternative concept of using variable inlet guide vanes looked attractive; this permitted air flow and compressor power to be reduced at low power outputs, with flow increased for maximum power. Computer modelling of this concept clearly demonstrated that the resulting increases in turbine temperature at high power made the idea non-competitive (Shulhan and Saravanamuttoo, 1976). Another concept which showed some promise was an engine with counter rotating rotors and no compressor stators, which offered the possibility of good low speed torque characteristics for heavy vehicles.…”