AE334 PROPULSION SYSTEMS1

SPRING 2016
Instructor: Assist
Prof Harika S Kahveci
Teaching Assistants: Pinar
Eneren
and Tugba Tuncel

LABORATORY EXPERIMENT # 2
ISENTROPIC EFFICIENCY OF IMPULSE AND
LABWORK
1
REACTION TURBINES

Nozzle
Flow

INTRODUCTION:
This laboratory session involves performance measurements of different types of
turbines. The Turbines are machines that develop torque and shaft power using the
momentum changes in the fluid that flows through them. For the fluid to
Nozzles are critical components in a wide range of aerospace engineering applications
provide
large enough
momentum
must be
a significant
such
as turbines,
jet propulsion,
rocket change
systems there
and ejectors.
These
devices are pressure
designed to
difference
between
generate
a high
velocity inlet
jet of and
fluidoutlet.
at their exit plane. This jet may be used in several ways:
In
two types
of Turbines
studied,
they of
arethetypically
usedis in
this
Inexperiment
a turbine, nozzles
are used
to increasewere
the kinetic
energy
fluid, which
then
converted
to
shaft
work
through
a
rotor.
gas turbine engines: an impulse turbine and a reaction turbine. In an impulse
In rockets
and jet drop
propulsion,
of momentum
associated
with thethe
velocity
turbine,
the pressure
occursthe
in change
the stationary
elements
(e.g. stators),
changes in the nozzle provides most of the propulsion force.
impulse turbine used in this experiment was a single stage axial flow turbine. While
In ejectors and injectors, the changes of momentum of the jet, with its entrained fluid, is
in ato bring
reaction
the pressure
pressure
drop occurs both in the rotating element
used
aboutturbine
the desired
changes.
(e.g. rotors)
and nozzle,
the stationary
elements,
the reaction
turbineheat
usedtransfer
in this and
experiment
In an ideal
flow would
be reversible,
(i.e. without
without
was a single
radial
turbine.isentropic.
frictional
effects,stage
shocks,
etc.) flow
and therefore
The
objective of this labwork is to determine the effect of back pressure on the mass flow rate
OBJECTIVE:
exiting from a nozzle that is operating at a constant inlet pressure. Comparisons of the measured
mass flow rate will be performed with the theoretical value for a perfect gas flowing
The goal of
this the
experiment
isentropically
through
nozzle. is to calculate and analyze the efficiencies of an

impulse and a reaction turbine and to observe the variations in the torque and the
shaft power.

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:
The experimental setup is shown in figures below for each turbine. The inlet
pressure to the turbine and the shaft rpm are the controlled parameters. A glass
variable flow meter in the exhaust stream is used to measure the mass flow rate
going through the turbine. The inlet and exit temperatures of the turbine and the
forceacting on the turbine rotor are other parameters that can also be calculated.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
The experiment was carried out using the
following order:
1) Calculate ambient temperature and pressure.
2) Set the inlet gauge pressure to 50KN/m2.
3) Record the values at 6000, 8000, 10000 and 12000 rpm, Repeating each
measurement twice.
4) Values to be recorded are inlet and exit temperatures, force, and
mass flow rate.
The same steps are followed for both impulse turbine and reaction turbine.

Inlet Gauge Pressure

(P1, kN/m2)

Angular Velocity
(, rpm)

50
50
50
50

6000
8000
10000
12000

Turbine Mass Flow

Rate (, g/s)

Force
(N)

Inlet
Temperature
(T1, C)

Exit
Temperature
(T2, C)

THEORY:

Due to irreversibilities in a real turbine (e.g. friction), the actual work transfer
will be lower than that in an ideal machine.
The formula for calculating isentropic efficiency of a turbine is:
!"#$%&'_! =

!"#$%& !"#!a"#$ !!a"#$

!"#$%&'()* !"#!!"#$ !!!"#$

The efficiency can also be calculated in terms of shaft power:

!!a"# p"#$%

!"#$%&'_! = !"#$%&'()* !!"!!"#$ !!!"#$

Assuming a steady-state and negligible velocity and potential changes at the inlet
and exit of the turbine, the 1st Law of Thermodynamics can be written as:
!!!"# !!!"# = (! ! )

Further assuming = 0 and !!!"# = 0, the two efficiencies defined above would become
equal, since:
Actual turbine power = !!!"# = (! ! )

In the ideal case:

Ideal Turbine power = !!!"#_!"#$% = (! !! )
Isentropic enthalpy change = ! = !!!"#_!"#$%

where = ! for a calorically perfect gas.

The deviation of actual turbine output from the ideal output will be by the amount of energy
dissipation rate !!!"#_!"#$% !!!"# = (! !! ) .
!!!"# = . . = .

where is the shaft rpm and radius is 0.0145 m.

T2S can be calculated from the isentropic relationship:

!!
!!

=(

!!!
!!

!
!!!

Cp is assumed to be1005 J/kgK.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1) Calculate the turbine efficiency using both definitions given. Do this for both
types of turbines. Plot the variation of efficiency with rpm (i.e two for the
impulse turbine and two for the reaction turbine). Compare and discuss your
findings.
2) Calculate the energy dissipation rate.
3) Plot the variation of torque with rpm for both turbines and discuss.
4) Plot the variation of shaft power with rpm for both turbines and discuss.