The Gas Turbine of the Future

Philip J. Haley
Rolls-Royce Corporation
Indianapolis, Indiana
December 4, 2000

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Workshop: Goals and Technologies for Future Gas

Turbine Engines

Technologies Are Only Important As They Service The

Goals

The Goals Are Set By:

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The Customers
The Regulators
The Competitors

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Our Commercial Customers Want:

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Low Price (To Acquire, Operate, and Support)

Predictability of Engine Maintenance
Regulatory (Environmental) Compliance
Safety

Our Military Customers Want:

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Affordability (T/W, SFC, Flight Envelope, C.O.O. - 70%)

C.O.O. = Development, Production, O & S
Global Reach, Global Power
Reliability, Flexibility, Survivability

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Unanticipated Developments Which Could Cause

Technology Re-Directions:
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Sudden Environmental Regulatory Changes

World Economics Changes
Public Reactions to Perceived Safety Issues
Military Skirmishes, Wars

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Business Drivers Impacting Technology Development
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Historically, Governments Have Been the Leading Technology Sponsors

n Military Needs Pushed Envelopes
n Shifting to Common Core, Joint (with Civil) Development Themes
High Development/Certification Costs
n Conflict With Stockholder Needs
n Strategic Partnerships Help Address
High Costs of Technical Competence
n Industry Consolidation
n Partnering With Universities
n Outsourcing
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
Flight mach number

0.8

0.9

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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
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Community noise levels in the vicinity of airports represent a growth

barrier for commercial aviation.
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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

Local airport regulations restrict access and levy heavier user fees
on noisier aircraft

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)
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Lowering noise levels of the best current aircraft with todays technology would
lead to oversize, derated powerplants.

Other technology areas have potential for negative impact upon noise.

Reduced emissions combustion systems

Highly loaded turbomachinery

Dramatic reductions in engine noise will require fundamental changes to engine

cycle and component architecture.
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Drastically reduced exhaust velocities to control jet mixing noise

Fan designed for subsonic rotational speeds to eliminate noise related to

rotating shocks

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Forward Swept Fan
Reduced Buzzsaw tones - shock retention
Reduced BPF tones - increased R-S spacing
Requires high strength, low density material

Optimized Forced Mixer

Reduced jet mixing noise

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

Industrial

CAEP 4

25 ppm NOx

2000

Cruise and Climb Emissions Limits

15/9 ppm NOx

2005

2010

9/5 ppm NOx

2015

2020

APPROACHES

Advanced Fuel Mixers

Novel Configurations (i.e. Variable Geometry, Fuel Staging)

Advanced Cooling
Instability & Noise Control Methods

2025

Advanced analytical combustor design system

SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ACCURATE MODELS (Turbulence/Chemistry, Spray, Atomization, etc)
PROBABILITY DENSITY FUNCTION METHOD

Exit Temperature Traverse

LEAN PREMIXED LOW EMISSIONS C OMBU STOR

P DF MODEL RE S ULTS

Comb us to r

3D FLOW ANALYSES WITH ROLLS-ROYCE PRECISE

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

Single Crystal
Transpirational Cooling
Castcool

0.8

Advanced Film Cooling

0.6

Cost ($)

Relative Temperature Capability

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
Blades

Temperature capability

Uncooled
Turbine
Blades

Cooled
Turbine
Blades

Demonstrator
Technology

Production
Technology
CMC(?)

Cast Alloys
Wrought Alloys
1940

1960

1980

Year

SC Cast
DS Cast
Alloys
Alloys

2000

SC NiAI

2020

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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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Phils Prognosis
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Cycle
Suspension/Lubrication
Environmental
Controls & Diagnostics
Materials
Predictability
Minimized C.O.O.