Air Extraction and LBTU Coal Gas Combustion in Gas Turbines for IGCC Systems

The primary objective of the cold flow experiments is to study the effects of air extraction from two sites in a heavy-frame gas turbine: (1) the engine wrapper or manholes and (2) the compressor/combustor prediffuser inlet. The experiments involve a scale model of components of a state-of-the-art, US made gas turbine between the compressor exit and the turbine inlet Specifically, the purpose is to observe and measure how air extraction affects the flow distribution around the combustor cans and the impingement cooling flow rates on transition pieces of the combustor. The experimental data should provide turbine manufacturers the information needed to determine their preferred air extraction site. The secondary objectives for the experiments are as follows: (1) to identify regions with high-pressure losses, (2) to develop a dam base which will validate computational fluid dynamic calculations, and (3) to establish an experimental facility which may be used to assist the US industry in improving the aerodynamic design of nonrotating components of a heavy-frame gas turbine.