Gas turbine self sustaining point

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around troubleshooting a turbocharger gas turbine design project that fails to sustain itself after the removal of an air jet blower used for starting. Participants seek to identify potential issues related to the turbine's operation and starting mechanisms.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that the turbine may not be receiving enough air, suggesting this as a potential cause for the failure to sustain operation.
  • Another participant mentions that jet engines typically use burner cans or igniters to sustain ignition, which are turned off during normal operations but may be necessary during startup.
  • A participant compares the situation to a car that won't start, emphasizing the need for more specific information regarding combustion confidence, operational range during startup, and instrumentation data.
  • Further inquiries are made regarding the type of fuel used, whether a steady speed is achieved before removing the starter blower, any speed or temperature limits encountered, fuel flow regulation, and the condition of the compressor.
  • It is suggested that if sustained running is not achieved, the power used for air compression may exceed the power produced by the turbine.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a need for more information to diagnose the issue effectively, indicating that there is no consensus on the specific cause of the turbine's failure to sustain itself.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight various assumptions and conditions that may affect the turbine's operation, such as the starting mechanism, fuel type, and compressor state, but these remain unresolved.

Bonavaero
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Hi,
I want to review a turbocharger gas turbine design project. The previous problem was, the gas turbine could not sustain itself. Help me out if you can figure out what could be wrong.
 
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I and several others hear might be able to help, but none of us can help without knowing who/what/where/why/how the gas turbine could not sustain itself. We're scientists and engineers, not clairvoyants.

Need input!
 
Hi,
It is the what/who/ why ... i want to be enlightened about. The problem the previous group encountered was the engine shutting down when the removed the air jet blower they were using to crank the turbine into starting.
It can probably be the starting mechanism,; it could also be something you might help me with.
Thank you.
 
First guess (and the most obvious one), there's not enough air getting to it.
 
Jet engines also sustain ignition via burner cans or igniters. The latter are usually turned off during normal operations, but are turned on during critical phases of flight.
 
As mugaliens said in the second post, you're initial post is very analogous to saying:
Hi guys. I woke up this morning and tried to go to work but my car didn't start. What could be causing this?
You still have a lot of questions to answer yourself. Are you confident in your combustion? Are you trying to start the engine in a "good" operating range? What are you instrumenting? What are your instruments telling you?
 
Can you give us some more information please?
What fuel are you using?
Do you achieve a steady speed before the starter blower is removed?
Are you running into any speed / temperature limits while trying to start?
How are you regulating your fuel flow?
What sort of state is the compressor in?
On a very basic level if you are not achieving sustained running, the power being used to compress the air is more then the power being produced by the turbine.
 

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