The Gas Turbine of the Future

Philip J. Haley
Rolls-Royce Corporation
Indianapolis, Indiana

December 4, 2000
The gas turbine of the future

l Workshop: “Goals and Technologies for Future Gas

Turbine Engines”

l Technologies Are Only Important As They Service The

Goals

l The Goals Are Set By:

n The Customers
n The Regulators
n The Competitors
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l Our Commercial Customers Want:
n Low Price (To Acquire, Operate, and Support)
n Predictability of Engine Maintenance
n Regulatory (Environmental) Compliance
n Safety

l Our Military Customers Want:

n Affordability (T/W, SFC, Flight Envelope, C.O.O. - 70%)
• C.O.O. = Development, Production, O & S
n Global Reach, Global Power
n Reliability, Flexibility, Survivability
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l Unanticipated Developments Which Could Cause

Technology Re-Directions:
n Sudden Environmental Regulatory Changes
n World Economics Changes
n Public Reactions to Perceived Safety Issues
n Military Skirmishes, Wars
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Business Drivers Impacting Technology Development
l Historically, Governments Have Been the Leading Technology Sponsors
n Military Needs Pushed Envelopes

n Shifting to Common Core, Joint (with Civil) Development Themes

l High Development/Certification Costs

n Conflict With Stockholder Needs

n Strategic Partnerships Help Address

l High Costs of Technical Competence

n Industry Consolidation

n Partnering With Universities

n Outsourcing

l Customers’ (Civil and Military) Needs For Price/Affordability Exacerbate

Stress on Technology Funds
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Some Key Technologies Likely to Change Further

l Configuration, Design

l Acoustics

l Combustion/Emissions

l Controls & Diagnostics

l Cooling

l Materials & Processing

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Propfans provide high propulsive efficiency

90 Counter rotation

Prop fans
80
Single rotation
Installed
propulsive 70
efficiency, Turboprop Prop
%
60
Modern
Turbofan
50
0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
Flight mach number
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More electric engine
1000 oF Radial
Magnetic Bearing

Complex mechanical powertrain

replaced by electrical power bus
Internal
Starter
Generator

Magnetic Bearings
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Aircraft noise issues

l Community noise levels in the vicinity of airports represent a growth

barrier for commercial aviation.
n More restrictive certification noise levels for aircraft will be
implemented in 2003
• 70 % of the current commercial fleet, including some of the
newest models, will be unable to comply with the most restrictive
rule change under consideration
n Local airport regulations restrict access and levy heavier user fees
on noisier aircraft
n Noise abatement operational procedures result in millions of dollars
of additional expense to the airlines yearly in terms of fuel and crew
costs
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Aircraft noise issues (Continued)

l Lowering noise levels of the best current aircraft with today’s technology would
lead to oversize, derated powerplants.

l Other technology areas have potential for negative impact upon noise.
n Reduced emissions combustion systems
n Highly loaded turbomachinery

l Dramatic reductions in engine noise will require fundamental changes to engine

cycle and component architecture.
n Drastically reduced exhaust velocities to control jet mixing noise
n Fan designed for subsonic rotational speeds to eliminate noise related to
rotating shocks
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Forward Swept Fan Optimized Forced Mixer

• Reduced “Buzzsaw” tones - shock retention • Reduced jet mixing noise
• Reduced BPF tones - increased R-S spacing
• Requires high strength, low density material

Proprietary cross section deleted

Improved Acoustic Liner

• Wider bandwidth
• Optimum placement
• Active/adaptive control

Reduced Airfoil Count Swept OGV

• Reduced BPF tones Alternate Cycles
• Reduced Fan broadband noise - • UHBR, Geared Fans
reduced vane count • Eliminate jet noise,minimize fan noise
• Requires advanced materials, lightweight gear systems
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GAS TURBINE EMISSIONS ARE REGULATED TO

INCREASINGLY STRINGENT LEVELS, IN BOTH AIRCRAFT
AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Aircraft CAEP 2 CAEP 4 Cruise and Climb Emissions Limits

Industrial 25 ppm NOx 15/9 ppm NOx 9/5 ppm NOx

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

APPROACHES
• Advanced Fuel Mixers
• Novel Configurations (i.e. Variable Geometry, Fuel Staging)
• Advanced Cooling
• Instability & Noise Control Methods
 Advanced analytical combustor design system
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ACCURATE MODELS (Turbulence/Chemistry, Spray, Atomization, etc)
PROBABILITY DENSITY FUNCTION METHOD 3D FLOW ANALYSES WITH ROLLS-ROYCE PRECISE
LEAN PREMIXED LOW EMISSIONS C OMBU STOR Exit Temperature Traverse
P DF MODEL RE S ULTS Comb us to r Te m pe rature (K)
Pre mixin g Mod ule
R a dia l Swirle r 1 60 0
1 40 0
1 20 0
1 00 0
8 00
6 00
4 00

CONVENTIONAL (EBU) MODEL Te mp e rature (K)

1 60 0
1 40 0
1 20 0
1 00 0
8 00
6 00
4 00

Conventional Models Fail for Premixed Combustors

COMPREHENSIVE FUEL INJECTION MODEL

S pra y dis pers io n

S e co ndary
a to miza tio n
Main fuel
Air Lig am ents
Multico mpo ne nt
Fuel Eva po ra tio n

Air
Pilo t fue l
Filming

All Key Liquid Fuel Spray Processes Modeled Accurate Simulation of Production Combustors

MSA-cds2
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Premixed/prevaporized combustion system
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Controls and diagnostics offer payoffs towards key customer - driven
goals
Themes:
• Simplicity Yields Reliability and Low Cost
• Advanced Diagnostics Predict Maintenance Needs
• Active Controls Improve Performance and Life
Likely Technical Developments:
• Distributed Controls Using Low-Cost Electronics
• Sensors for Fundamental Parameters and Health Monitoring
• Non-Linear Engine Models to Minimize Sensors
• Fuel Pump/Metering Simplicity, Robustness, and Safety
• Diagnostics/Prognostics for Performance Trending
• Intelligent Sensing of Operator Intent
• Active Controls: Turbine Tip Clearance, Mag Bearings, Combustion Stability,
Compressor Stall, Vibration, Multivariable Integration
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Turbine cooling technology has greatly enabled performance & reliability

1 Single Crystal
Transpirational Cooling
Relative Temperature Capability

Castcool
0.8

Advanced Film Cooling

0.6

Cost ($)
Film cooling

0.4 Impingement Cooling

Radial Cooling
0.2
Uncooled

0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
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Materials remain the single greatest barrier, and enabler, for gas turbine performance.

• Thrust/weight has increased 4X+ since 1950

- materials are single greatest contributor

• Reliability and cost are materials driven, and integrally

interwoven with performance.

• The time lapse between major materials innovation and

application is typically 15-25 years.
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Coatings will continue to yield high payoffs
against oxidation, corrosion, and erosion.

VSJ-1723
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Turbine temperature progression reflects materials,
cooling design, and aerodynamics
Coated
Turbine Demonstrator
Blades
Technology

Uncooled Cooled
Turbine
Temperature capability

Turbine Production
Blades Blades Technology

CMC(?)

SC NiAI
SC Cast
DS Cast Alloys
Cast Alloys Alloys
Wrought Alloys

1940 1960 1980 2000 2020

Year
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Metal matrix composites can yield significant weight payoffs.

AADC IHPTET compressor featuring Ti mmc blings

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Ceramics offer potential step jumps in temperature and weight,

but significant design challenges

Si3N4 turbine rotor after 1000-hour cyclic durability test

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Phil’s Prognosis
l Cycle
l Suspension/Lubrication
l Environmental
l Controls & Diagnostics
l Materials
l Predictability
l Minimized C.O.O.