Author(s)

A. V. Soudarev, A. A. Souryaninov, V. V. Grishaev, V. Y. Tikhoplav & A. S. Molchanov

Abstract

Improving the environmental characteristics of gas turbine plants by the use of structural ceramic materials A. V. Soudarev, A. A. Souryaninov, V. V. Grishaev, V. Y. Tikhoplav & A. S. Molchanov Research Engineering \“Ceramic Heat Engines )’Center, St. Petersburg, Russia Abstract Gas-turbine engines (GTE) are widely applied to various branches of industry. The exhaust gases from GTEs contain a number of the components such as CO2, nitrogen oxides NOx, unburnt hydrocarbons CnHm, carbon monoxide CO, all these imposing a detrimental environmental effect. A reduction of the emissions of the above exhaust components could be reached only by cutting the fuel consumption in GTEs with maintaining their power at the same time, the latter could be achieved by increasing the working media’s initial temperature at the turbine inlet and reducing the air consumption on cooling the hot path elements. Application of the structural ceramics (SCMs) not requiring a cooling within the temperatures up to T8=1400-1500°C to all the elements of the high temperature path of GTE looks to be the most attractive concept of putting a reliable solution of the above-stated goals into effect. At such temperatures, the specific fuel consumption would be not in excess of 160-165 g/KW which is much less compared to the value of the specific fuel consumption in the existing engines (250-300 g/KW), particularly for GTE of 5 to 100 KW power (350-450 g/KW). It is obvious that proportionally to the specific fuel consumption reduction the gross exhausts of the toxic substances into atmosphere will be also diminished (i.e. by 1.5-1.5 times). At the same time, application of SCMs will improve as well the operating characteristics of engines (maneuvrability, maintainability, corrosion and erosion resistance, etc). It will allow a substantial reduction of their mass-size characteristics, use of alloyed steels and alloys which are short of supply. In perspective, the cost will also be notably cut.

Keywords