Methods for Achieving a Combustion-Driven Pressure Gain in Gas Turbines

Abstract

The objective of the work was to compare on both an ideal and, where possible, an actual basis the approximate performances of four types of pressure-gain combustor. Such combustors are potentially suitable for use in gas turbines in place of conventional steady-flow combustors. The ideal theoretical performance comparison was based on a specially conceived, universal, analytical model capable of representing, in a fundamental manner, the dominant features of each of the systems studied. The comparisons of nonideal performance were based on actual test results and, where these were not available, on ideal performance characteristics suitably modified to take irreversibilities, etc., into account. It was found that in general the pressure-gain potential of the concepts studied increased with increasing system complexity. It was also found that with most concepts the combustor pressure ratio achievable increases with combustor temperature ratio.