Objective Objectives and problems to be solved:The project aims to enhance the characteristics of heavy-duty gas turbines by introducing advanced axial compressor designs with higher efficiencies, lower costs and improved reliability and maintainability. Compressors for gas turbines are complex, sophisticated and costly machines. Improvement in their design requires in first place an increase in design and test capability, both in terms of design accuracy and reduction of cost. Although gas turbines compressor technology is essentially following that of aero engines, they typically have specific features that make it impossible to directly transfer innovative features from aeronautical sector. For these reason, development can be effectively attained with multi-disciplinary research based on evolutive improvements of existing, well-validated machines. Due to cost and time reasons, these activities can be hardly attained by a single industrial or university entity. This project presents a multilateral and effective approach towards the solution of these problems. Description of work: The project is composed of theoretical and experimental activities for the design of advanced axial compressors for industrial gas turbines. The research includes the verification and improvement of tools for the aeromechanical design of highly loaded stages and the validation of tools for blade aeromechanical forced dynamic response calculation. An investigation on the major loss sources in high load stages, including end-wall leakage effects and aerodynamics of transonic front stages will be carried out. The methodology for forced dynamic response calculation is verified through dedicated compressor testing of new stage designs on existing facilities to gather benchmark data for unsteady flow definition and to verify both mechanical and aerodynamic performance predictions carried out with the new design systems. On the other side, the project addresses several subjects related to compressor performance and aeromechanics. These include validation of criteria for the optimal strain gauge locations to detect complex blade vibration modes as well as the selection and qualification of abradable coatings for compressor casings. The theoretical design of an active blade clearance control system for stationary compressor applications is carried out and evaluated in terms of its impact over the compressor architecture. The technology concerning abradable coatings and optimal strain gauge location are validated through several tests. Expected results and exploitation plans: The expected outcome consists in increased compressor efficiency up to 3% while increasing gas turbine efficiency up to 2-2.5%. This will decrease fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. The results will contribute to, among others, modelling of transonic, unsteady flows in compressors. The industrial partners plan to apply these results to their fleet of gas turbines, composed by small/medium and large units. A reduced time to market the product will improve the competitiveness of the European manufacturers (including many SMEs) and increase employment in Europe in this important and expanding market. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcontrol systemsengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaeronautical engineeringsocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementemploymentengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuels Programme(s) FP5-EESD - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Energy, environment and sustainable development, 1998-2002" Topic(s) 1.1.4.-5. - Key action Cleaner Energy Systems, including Renewable Energies Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator NUOVO PIGNONE S.P.A. EU contribution No data Address via Felice Matteucci 2 FIRENZE Italy See on map Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ALSTOM POWER SWEDEN AB Sweden EU contribution No data Address 612 82 FINSPAANG See on map Total cost No data ALSTOM POWER UK LTD. United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Waterside South LN5 7FD LINCOLN See on map Total cost No data ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Sweden EU contribution No data Address Brinellvaegen 60 10044 STOCKHOLM See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address South Road DH1 3LE DURHAM See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF FLORENCE Italy EU contribution No data Address 3,Via Santa Marta 3 50139 FIRENZE See on map Total cost No data
