Search Gas Turbine Power for Data Center Publications search was updated real-time via Filemaker on:
Page | 003 William H. Day, Richard A. Wenglarz and Lawrence P. Golan
Since its inception in 1992, the UTSR research program has launched 103 projects, including 77 completed, 21 underway
and 5 announced but not yet started. By visiting the website mentioned in note 1 the reader can select descriptions of each project
and search by Principal Investigator or University3
.
Considerable results of use to industry have been achieved from these projects. A sampling of some of the most significant
are listed below in the three technical areas of concentration.
MATERIALS (THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS):
• Laser fluorescence (LF) was determined to be the most promising technique for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of TBCs
and a UTSR projected started the commercial development of a new low cost and portable NDE instrument.
• Processing approaches have been identified that can increase TBC lifetimes by a factor of four and more.
• A new Small Particle Plasma Spray (SPPS) process was shown to produce a factor of two lower internal oxidation rate of the
bond coat and TBC coatings that experience lower fatigue damage.
• Two superior alloys and one coating were identified for operation at surface temperatures above 700 C (1290 F which did not
experience significant degradation associated with water vapor effects, significant to operation with syngas fuel.
COMBUSTION:
• Active control approach to overcome instabilities in low emission turbine combustors. A factor of four reduction in
combustor pressure oscillations was demonstrated, and several gas turbine companies have started projects to evaluate
application of the approach to their combustors.
• Method to determine the stability margin of combustors before experiencing problems in the field.
• Computer code for NOx and CO emissions prediction design of low emission turbine combustors. The code has shown a
factor of forty reduction in computation times.
• Devices using infrared light for measuring fuel-air mixedness in combustors. Less than one-third of the cost of laser
devices for measuring mixedness and are more compact and rugged.
AERODYNAMICS / HEAT TRANSFER:
• Experiments showing a scientific foundation for use of a fine water mist in steam for cooling high temperature turbine
components. The addition of 1% water mist can enhance cooling by 50 to 100%, and in best cases, as much as 700%.
• Internal surface features within channels improve turbine blade cooling. Dimples on the interior of cooling channels can
improve cooling effectiveness by as much as a factor of two, significant for operation with syngas fuels.
• LES (Large Eddy Simulation) computational approaches improve predictions of heat transfer and design of turbine blade
cooling. This enables less coolant air to improve turbine performance.
Illustrations of a few of the completed projects are shown in figures 3 – 5.
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