CHAPTER 1

1
 1. INTRODUCTION

A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into
useful work. A turbine is a mechanical device with at least one moving part called a rotor assembly,
which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades so that they move and
impart rotational energy to the rotor.

1.1 GAS TURBINE ENGINE

A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an
upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in
between.
The basic operation of the gas turbine is similar to that of the steam power plant except that air is used
instead of water. Fresh atmospheric air flows through a compressor that brings it to higher pressure.
Energy is then added by spraying fuel into the air and igniting it so the combustion generates a high-
temperature flow. This high-temperature high-pressure gas enters a turbine, where it expands down to
the exhaust pressure, producing a shaft work output in the process. The turbine shaft work is used to
drive the compressor and other devices such as an electric generator that may be coupled to the shaft.
The energy that is not used for shaft work comes out in the exhaust gases, so these have either a high
temperature or a high velocity. The purpose of the gas turbine determines the design so that the most
desirable energy form is maximized. Gas turbines are used to power aircraft, trains, ships, electrical
generators and even tanks.

1.1.1 CLASSIFICATION OF GAS TURBINES

Gas turbines can be broadly classified into two groups:-

i. Constant Pressure Combustion Gas Turbine

 Open Cycle Constant Pressure Gas Turbine

 Closed Cycle Constant Pressure Gas Turbine

ii. Constant Volume Combustion Gas Turbine

2
 1.2 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

In an ideal gas turbine, gases undergo three thermodynamic processes: an isentropic compression,
an isobaric (in constant pressure cycle) combustion and an isentropic expansion. Together, these make
up the Brayton cycle.

In a practical gas turbine, mechanical energy is irreversibly transformed into heat when gases are
compressed (in either a centrifugal or axial compressor), due to internal friction and turbulence. Passage
through the combustion chamber, where heat is added and the specific volume of the gases increases, is
accompanied by a slight loss in pressure. During expansion amidst the stator and rotor blades of the
turbine, irreversible energy transformation once again occurs.

If the device has been designed to power a shaft as with an industrial generator or a turboprop, the exit
pressure will be as close to the entry pressure as possible. In practice it is necessary that some pressure
remains at the outlet in order to fully expel the exhaust gases. In the case of a jet engine only enough
pressure and energy is extracted from the flow to drive the compressor and other components. The
remaining high pressure gases are accelerated to provide a jet that can, for example, be used to propel an
aircraft.

As with all cyclic heat engines, higher combustion temperatures can allow for greater efficiencies.
However, temperatures are limited by ability of the steel, nickel, ceramic, or other materials that make
up the engine to withstand high temperatures and stresses. To combat this many turbines feature
complex blade cooling systems.

The smaller the engine, the higher the rotation rate of the shaft(s) must be to maintain tip speed. Blade-
tip speed determines the maximum pressure ratios that can be obtained by the turbine and the
compressor. This, in turn, limits the maximum power and efficiency that can be obtained by the engine.
In order for tip speed to remain constant, if the diameter of a rotor is reduced by half, the rotational
speed must double. For example, large jet engines operate around 10,000 rpm, while micro turbines spin
as fast as 500,000 rpm.

3
 1.3 WORKING CYCLE

The gas turbine works on the principle of Brayton cycle. Brayton cycle is a constant pressure
cycle for a perfect gas.It is also called Joule cycle. The heat transfers are achieved in reversible constant
pressure heat exchangers. An ideal gas turbine plant would perform the processes that make up a
Brayton cycle. The cycle is shown in the fig below

Fig – 1 Working cycle of gas turbine

4
The various operations are as follows:

Operation 1-2: The air is compressed isentropically from the lower pressure p1 to the upper pressure p2,
the temperature rising from T1 to T2. No heat flow occurs.

Operation 2-3: Heat flows into the system increasing the volume from V2 to V3 and temperature from T2
to T3 whilst the pressure remains constant at p2.

Heat received = mcp(T3-T2)……………………(i)

Operation 3-4: The air is expanded isentropically from p2 to p1, the temperature falling from T3 to T4. No
heat flow occurs.

Operation 4-1: Heat is rejected from the system as the volume decreases from V4 to V1 and temperature
from T4 to T1 whilst the pressure remains constant at p1.

Heat rejected=mcp(T4-T1)………………………(ii)

1.4 Basic Components of Gas Turbine Engine

The main components of a gas turbine includes the following parts:

 Compressor
 Combustion Chamber
 Turbine
 Nozzle

Compressor: An air compressor is a device that converts power (usually from an electric motor, a
diesel engine or a gasoline engine) into potential energy by forcing air into a smaller volume and thus
increasing its pressure. The energy in the compressed air can be stored while the air remains pressurized.
The energy can be used for a variety of applications, usually by utilizing the kinetic energy of the air as
it is depressurized.

The compressor on the turbocharger serves the same function as the compressor on the turbojet engine.
It is used to compress a large amount of air into a small space and increase pressure. The compressor
wheel turns at a very high speed usually between 45,000 and 125,000 rpm. The larger truck

5
turbochargers turn about 75,000 rpm. The compressor wheel is usually made from an aluminum alloy. It
does not run at a high temperature so aluminum works fine. The temperature of the air will increase 200
to 4000F in the compressor. The compressed air exits the compressor into a diffuser. This is usually a
casting that increases in area so that the air will be slowed down and the pressure will increase. The
compressor end contains the impeller. It is usually an investment casting of aluminum alloy. The blades
should all be intact and not bent excessively. The curved portions of the blades near the center are called
the inducer vanes and are used to draw air into the compressor where the radial blades accelerate it. The
air then passes into the snail shaped housing called the diffuser.

Fig 2 - Compressor

Combustion Chamber: The combustion chamber is where fuel is added to the compressed air and
burnt to produce high velocity exhaust gas. Down the middle of the combustor runs the flame tube. The
flame tube has a series of holes in it to allow in the compressed air. It is inside the flame tube that fuel is
injected and burnt. There will be one or more igniters that project into the flame tube to start the mixture
burning. Air and fuel are continually being added into the chamber once the engine is running.
Combustion will continue without the use of the igniters once the engine has been started. The
combustion chamber and flame tube must be very carefully designed to allow combustion to take place
efficiently and reliably. This is especially difficult given the large amount of fast moving air being
supplied by the compressor. The holes in the flame tube must be carefully sized and positioned. Smaller

6
holes around where the fuel is added provide the correct mixture to burn. This is called the primary
zone. Holes further down the flame tube allow in extra air to complete the combustion. This is the
secondary zone. A final set of hole just before the entry to the turbine allow the remainder of the air to
mix with the hot gases to cool them before they hit the turbine. This final zone is known as the dilution
zone. The exhaust gas is fed from the end of the flame tube into the turbine.

Fig 3 – Combustion Chamber

Turbine: A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it
into useful work. A turbine is a mechanical device with at least one moving part called a rotor assembly,
which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades so that they move and
impart rotational energy to the rotor.

7
 Fig 4– Turbine

Nozzle: A nozzle may be defined as a passage of varying cross section through which heat energy of
steam is converted to kinetic energy. Its major function is to produce steam jet with high velocity. The
nozzle is fitted to the outlet of the turbine which is made up of mild steel.

Fig 5 - Nozzle

8
 1.5 USES OF GAS TURBINE ENGINE

Gas turbines find wide applications in the following fields:

 Supercharging
 Turbo-jet and turbo-propeller engines
 Marine field
 Railways
 Road transport
 Electric power generation
 Heavy Industries

9
 1.6 Advantage and Disadvantage of Gas Turbine Engine over I.C. Engine

Advantages

1. The mechanical efficiency of gas turbine (95%) is quite high as compared as I.C. engine (85%)
2. The weight of a gas turbine per horsepower developed is less than that of an I.C engine.
3. The gas turbine can be driven at very high speeds (30000 rpm) whereas this is not possible with
I.C engine.
4. The work developed by a gas turbine per kg of air is more as compared to an I.C. engine. This is
due to the fact that gases can be expanded up to atmospheric pressure in case of a gas turbine
whereas in I.C engine expansion up to atmospheric pressure is not possible.
5. In a gas turbine engine the ignition and lubrication systems are much simpler as compared to I.C.
engine.
6. The exhaust from gas turbine is less polluting comparatively since excess air is used for
combustion.

Disadvantages

1. Thermal efficiency of simple turbine cycle is low (15-20%) as compared to I.C. engine (25-30%)
2. It is difficult to start a gas turbine as compared to an I.C. engine.
3. The gas turbine blades need a special cooling system.
4. The main demerit of a gas turbine engine is that it has very poor thermal efficiency at part loads,
as the quantity of air remains same irrespective of load, and output is reduced by reducing the
quantity of fuel supplied.
5. Because of the use of nickel-chromium alloy, the manufacture of the blades is difficult and
costly.
6. For the same output the gas turbine produces five times more exhaust than I.C. engine.

10
CHAPTER: 2

11
2. OBJECTIVES

 To select a suitable automotive gas turbine design for reference.

 To study various literature of design and construction.
 To construct an automotive turbocharger based Gas Turbine Engine.
 Performance Evaluation

We make a thorough performance evaluation of turbojet engine based on the following

parameters at different rpms:

 Thrust
 Sound intensity
 Inlet air velocity and temperature
 Compressor temperature
 Combustion Chamber temperature
 Turbine temperature
 Nozzle temperature
 Thrust specific fuel consumption

12
CHAPTER: 3

13
3. LITERATURE SURVEY
P Balashanmugam et al. [1] rotated the turbine by means of exhaust gas with blower arrangement.
Exhaust gas is used to rotate the blower and this air is given to the ignition input supply. Here the
authors measured the Vehicular Exhaust emission [(Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydro carbon (HC),
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX)] of Suzuki engine (100 cc) using MEXA-584L
Gas analyzer for gasoline powered vehicles. The real time values were compared with standard ones,
and the level qualified.
Peter Spittle [2] explains some of the principles involved with emphasis on the selection of materials
for fan blades and turbine blades, that operate reliably in exceedingly hostile environments through his
paper Gas turbine technology. In this paper he discuss about the cutting edge technologies used in the
creation and operation of the gas turbine engines.
John Kyle Thoma et al. [3] California Polytechnic State University, San Luis O bispo, California,
93407 have designed and built a fully-functioning, self-sustaining gas turbine engine. The engine was
constructed around a Holset HE351 VGT automobile turbocharger, containing compressor and turbine
assemblies on a common shaft. They used propane as fuel. The goal of the project was to achieve
complete combustion within the combustion chamber while keeping the flame tube structurally sound
and the efficiency high. The intent of the project was to supplement the existing propulsion experiments
for Cal Poly’s Aero401 course with a second gas turbine experiment. Due to the setbacks, the project
will not be ready to use as a complete lab experiment, however this work-in-progress will be available
for future students to learn from and complete, as many of the necessary components have already been
designed and fabricated.
Edwin H. Springer [4] successfully built a turbojet engine using an ordinary truck turbocharger, some
exhaust tubing and materials found around most automotive repair shops. He constructed the
turbocharger/turbojet engine that run on propane or diesel/jet fuel.

14
CHAPTER: 4

15
 4. Automotive Turbocharger based gas turbine engine

4.1 Turbocharger

A turbocharger is a device fitted to internal combustion engines to increase power. In a normal car
engine the amount of power the engine produces depends on how much fuel is being burnt in the
cylinders. In a non-turbocharged engine a mixture of air and fuel is drawn into the engine as the piston
moves down in the cylinder. The ideal mixture is 14.7:1 air to fuel (by weight) for gasoline. This is
called the stoichiometric ratio. The turbocharger is simply a device to force more air into the engine.

To increase the amount of air in the engine the turbocharger uses a compressor. The compressor consists
of a finned wheel that spins at high speed in a specially shaped housing called a volute. Air is drawn into
the center of the compressor wheel and accelerated as it is flung to the outside of the wheel. The volute
channels and slows the air which causes its pressure to increase. Increasing the pressure means you can
now have more air in a given space, such as the space inside a cylinder. The amount by which the air is
compressed is called 'boost'.

The compressor wheel must run at very high speeds (up to and over 100000 rpm) to give useful levels of
boost. The compressor wheel is connected to one end of a shaft which runs through the central core of
the turbocharger. The shaft usually runs in plain bearings which need constant lubrication. Oil under
pressure must be pumped through the central core constantly. When it is turning the shaft is essentially
'floating' on a cushion of oil. The oil also helps remove heat generated by friction. Without proper
lubrication a turbocharger will very quickly fail. The core of the turbocharger may also contain passages
through which cooling water is circulated.

At the opposite end of the shaft from the compressor is the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel is also
contained in a volute housing but in this case hot exhaust gases from the engine are fed in from the edge
of the housing and flow out from the center of the wheel. The flow of hot gas causes the wheel to
accelerate to the very high speeds the compressor needs to provide a lot of boost. Once the gases have
passed the turbine wheel they flow through the normal exhaust system of the engine. Because too much
boost can actually be damaging to an engine a way of limiting the turbine wheel speed is often needed.
One way of doing this is with a waste gate. The waste gate allows the hot exhaust gases to bypass the
turbine wheel. Instead of driving the turbine the gases simply flow through an alternate passage in the
turbocharger directly into the exhaust.

16
4.2 Selecting a Turbocharger
Almost any automotive turbocharger can be converted into a self-sustaining gas turbine engine.
However, depending on the application, some are better suited than others. For this project, it was
desired to use a larger turbocharger that had an established history of reliability. Two of the most
reputable turbocharger manufacturers are Garrett and Telco. Both of these companies manufacture
turbochargers that are supplied as original equipment on production vehicles ranging from sports cars to
diesel trucks. Diesel engine turbochargers are typically manufactured for maximum service life given
their application. In years past, turbocharger performance was not heavily emphasized on diesel engines,
as long as long as point performance was satisfied by the manufacturer.
Recently however, the increase in the emissions regulations coupled with rising fuel costs have pushed
the development of extremely reliable high performance turbochargers for diesel engine applications.
One of the most effective ways to cut emissions on diesel engines and improve performance is to
maintain the proper fuel-to-air ratio overall operating conditions. In the past, “turbo lag” was
characteristic of turbo diesel engines during acceleration.” Turbo lag” is a condition that results from the
turbocharger’s inability to quickly increase airflow rate within creasing fuel flow rate. Because airflow
lagged behind the increase in fuel flow, a fuel-rich condition occurred, causing incomplete combustion.
This is characterized by heavy black smoke exiting the exhaust and is often observed by motorists on the
highway. Turbocharger manufacturers have greatly reduced this problem by implementing mechanisms
on turbochargers to make them spool quicker. This enables the turbocharger to increase manifold
pressure much faster and therefore, be much more sensitive to changes in fuel flow rate. Huge increases
in engine efficiency and drastically reduced emissions have resulted from the implementation of such
mechanisms. These mechanisms all simply function to make the turbocharger more responsive to
throttle input. Waste gates and variable vane geometries are the two primary mechanisms currently in
use, and simply make use of the continuity equation. By decreasing flow area, flow velocity increases.
This increase in velocity causes the turbine wheel to spool faster, which makes it more responsive to
changes in flow rate. Waste gates were the first solution and simply divert excess exhaust flow around
the turbine, and feed it directly into the exhaust pipe. This allows the use of a smaller turbine which is
more sensitive to the exhaust flow rate. However, the disadvantage to this type of design is that the small
turbine housing is often prone to “surging”. If the waste gate is not precisely controlled, the small
turbine will over-speed the compressor for a given engine operating condition, and feed too much air to
the engine. The rapid change in speed of the compressor or “surge” is the end result and can be
damaging to the turbocharger. Although waste gates have been successfully used on many engines, the

17
use of variable vane geometries has recently replaced waste gates since they offer much more precise
control over the flow in the turbocharger, and tend to eliminate surging problems. Instead of
permanently making the turbine smaller as done with waste gates, vanes in the turbine or compressor are
moved to restrict or open up airflow as needed. By doing this, the effective size of the turbocharger can
be varied based on the amount of exhaust flow, and the turbocharger does not have to be designed for
single point performance as done in the past. For the gas turbine constructed in this project, we wanted
to have the ability to evaluate the engine’s performance as a function of several different variables; one
of which was turbine geometry. After researching and pricing several different turbochargers, the K27
Telco was chosen. One of the characteristics of this turbocharger that makes it desirable for this project
is the variable vane geometry mechanism in the turbine housing. Using this mechanism, turbine
performance can be evaluated for different vane settings, which was one of the original goals of this
project.

Fig 6 – Telco Turbocharger

18
CHAPTER: 5

19
 5. CONSTRUCTION OFTHE TURBOCHARGER TURBOJET ENGINE

Fig 7- Schematic view of a turbojet engine

Once the turbocharger has been chosen the next step is to plan how to build the combustion chamber and
how to mount the turbocharger to the test stand. Since there is very little vibration, the turbocharger can
be mounted solidly to the test stand. Turbojet engines operate at high temperatures and produce
considerable thrust. A test stand must be constructed in such a manner that it can be fastened to a solid
anchor of some sort. A welded steel test stand that will support the engine at a reasonable working
height and support it while running. Some method must be used to mount the turbocharger to the test
stand.

The following parts of the turbocharger turbojet engine are constructed-

o Test Stand
o Combustion chamber
o Fuel system
o Lubrication system
o Ignition system
5.1 Test stand

We used three mild steel rods and clamped one end to the top of combustion chamber other end to the
test stand using nut-bolt system. The dimension of the table was 30” x 36”. The stand consists of two
shelves .The top and bottom steel trays are shelves from a steel shelving unit. Four wheels are welded to

20
the bottom corners. The lower shelf holds the pipes of the lubrication system and the lube oil tank in the
side upper part of the lower shelf and on the upper part we mounted the turbojet. The important thing is
that the stand be substantial and not collapse under stress. The exact dimensions are not important as
long as it will hold all of the parts required. The stand shown in the picture works very well. A plate is
constructed with two rods hinged at the lower shelf of the test stand. The dimension of the plate is 10”x
10’’ and is placed exactly at the center of outlet nozzle dia.

Fig 8: Test Stand

5.2 Combustion chamber

The combustion chamber is the key element of the engine. This is where fuel is mixed with compressed
air and burned, causing the air to expand and drive the turbine wheel. A shield called a “combustion
liner” is designed to allow some air to mix with the fuel and burn, while the remainder of the air is used
to cool the steel parts.

The holes in the combustion liner are adjusted to allow the right amount of air to mix with the fuel so
that combustion can occur. If the holes are too large, the incoming pressurized air will blow out the
flame. If the holes are too small, there will not be enough oxygen to support combustion. If the holes at
the fuel inlet end are too small, the flame will have to travel down the combustion liner until enough

21
oxygen has entered to support combustion. This will cause the combustion to occur in the inlet to the
turbine and overheat the turbine.

The main housing of the combustor is a piece of mild steel pipe 6inch in diameter and 14inch long. On
either end is a flat flange with six equally spaced holes to allow attachment of end plates. Between the
combustor housing and the turbocharger exhaust inlet is an adapter plate.

Fig 9 – Operation on lathe

Fig 10 – Making of the flame holder

The adapter plate has rectangular hole that exactly match the rectangular inlet on the turbocharger. The
plate has studs attached to either side. Four studs on the turbocharger side match up with the four
mounting holes on the turbocharger exhaust inlet. Six studs on the opposite side of the plate match up
with the six holes on the end of the combustor housing. The adapter plate also has a special fitting that
couples the end of the flame tube onto the plate. This fitting matches the circular end of the flame tube

22
to the rectangular holes in the adapter plate. The flame tube is a slide fit into the circular part of the
fitting and this locates the flame tube centrally inside the combustor housing.

Fig 11 – Tapering of mild steel pipe to fit to the dia of the turbine

Fig 12 – Construction of the conical combustion chamber section

The flame tube will be made from 4inch diameter mild steel pipe approximately 7inch long and it
contain holes along its length to allow air to enter the tube in a controlled manner. At the other end of
the combustor housing is the end plate. In the center of the end plate is a threaded hole into which the
fuel injector is screwed. The injector consists of a brass hose fitting with a copper tube soldered to the
inside of it. The copper tube is squashed almost flat at one end. The flattened end will spray the LPG
fuel down the center of the flame tube. Next to the injector is another threaded hole for a normal
automotive spark plug. The spark plug gap is opened up to around 3mm. The ignition system actually
generate sparks over 5mm long.

23
 Fig 13 – Construction of the flame holder

Fig – 14 Flame holder

On the side and at one end of the combustor housing is attached a short tube 80mm in diameter. This is
the inlet where air from the turbocharger compressor is introduced into the combustor housing. Air
entering here should help cool the hot end of the flame tube and also, as the air is not blowing directly
onto the holes in the flame tube, it should not affect the shape of the flame. The combustor housing is
symmetrical apart from the air inlet. The end plate and adapter plate may be attached to either end
allowing to have the air inlet positioned near the fuel injector. This seems to be the more usual way of

24
doing things. A short piece of high temperature gasket will duct the air between the turbocharger
compressor outlet and the air inlet on the combustor housing.

Fig 15 – Combustion Chamber with nozzle fitted

Fig 16 – Schematic View of the combustion chamber.

Fig 16. Is an assembly schematic of the combustion chamber. The bottom plate and the ring are welded
to the 6” diameter exhaust tubing. The liner is spot welded to the top plate. We need to be very careful
when welding so as not to warp the top plate. It must seal with a gasket or pressurized fuel and air will

25
escape. Both the top and bottom gaskets can be high temperature gasket material from an automotive
store. The ¼” pipe coupling allows the fuel nozzle to be screwed into the lid. A ¼” pipe nipple can be
screwed into the other end. A 14mm nut is welded to fit the spark plug. This will allow the electrode to
project through the lid just about the right amount.

5.3 Fuel system

The fuel used in the setup is Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The motivating factor in using LPG is that
it has a high calorific value, low weight and better mass flow rate which help in better combustion. The
fuel system consist of two LPG cylinders of 2.5 kilograms each. The cylinders are connected to the
combustion chamber with the help of high pressure gas pipes. Both the cylinders are connected
separately to the combustion chamber as it gives a better flow rate which would help in better
combustion. The flow rate is checked with the help of flow control valves attached to each of the
cylinders. The fuel enters the combustion chamber through three brass nozzles.

Fig 17 –Connection of the fuel system

26
The gas from one cylinder enters the chamber while the other is kept closed. Once the combustion starts
the gas from the other cylinder is opened which helps in creating the required pressure inside the
combustion chamber for the turbine to run and generate the required thrust.

Fig 18 – LPG cylinders connected to the nozzle of the combustion chamber

5.4 Lubrication system

Most turbochargers are equipped with hydrodynamic bearings. The bearing itself is a sleeve made from
an aluminum alloy. The bearings are designed to have an excess of clearance on the turbine shaft. The
bearing is flooded, under pressure, with light oil. The oil provides lubrication as well as cooling. When
the turbocharger is running, the oil fills the gap between the bearing and shaft and the metal parts do not
touch. This is an excellent bearing for this particular application since the turbine runs at extremely high
temperatures and some sort of mechanism is needed to carry the heat away from the bearings. The oil
gets very hot though.

27
 Fig 19-lube oil pump

The lubrication system consists of a 5-litre lube oil tank, a battery driven Bajaj oil pump of model 52 AL
0256. Lube oil is drawn from the tank into the pump. The pump has a return line to the tank since it is a
positive displacement pump and is moving fuel all the time it is running. Any fuel that is not used by
the engine is returned to the tank. The oil pump that we used is a 12V DC motor which is usually fitted
on bikes.

Fig 20 – Lubrication system with the lube oil tank

28
5.5 Ignition system

The fuel in the combustion chamber is ignited by means of a ignition system which comprises of a spark
plug and a circuit board .The spark plug is connected to the circuit board and as we switch on the board
continuous sparks are seen in the spark gap of spark plug .These sparks come in contact with the LPG
gas in combustion chamber and the combustion starts.

Fig 21-circuit diagram of the board

29
CHAPTER: 6

30
 6. STARTING PROCEDURE OF THE ENGINE
Starting of the gas turbine engine is done based on the following four systems –

i) Fuel supply system

ii) Ignition system

iii) Air supply system

iv) Lubrication system

For the fuel supply system, two LPG gas cylinders are connected to the combustion chamber of the gas
turbine engine through copper pipes and high pressure gas pipes. Three nozzles are fitted to the top of
combustion chamber to spray fuel at controlled rate. At first the gas from one cylinder is opened at a
steady rate. After that air is supplied to the compressor of the turbocharger with the help of a blower in
such a way that the compressor blades start rotating. Now comes the ignition system. A spark plug is
mounted on a 14mm nut on the top of the combustion chamber which is connected to a circuit board.
Continuous spark in the spark gap of the spark plug is seen when the switch of the circuit board is turned
on.

The air from the blower gets mixed with the LPG in the combustion chamber and due to the spark
produced by the spark plug, the combustion begins in the combustion chamber and the engine gets
started. Simultaneously the oil pump is turned on so that the lubricant flows through the turbocharger to
prevent it from damaging. After that the gas flow is slowly increased by turning on both the cylinders
steadily .The air that is supplied first from the blower to the compressor is at a distance of about one
meter from the compressor and after the engine gets started the blower is gradually brought closer to the
compressor. This is done so that the gas turbine engine comes to a self- sustaining state.

31
CHAPTER: 7

32
 7. Observation & Calculation
Blower air flow – 27.1m/sec

Blower air flow at a distance of 1m-5.5m/sec

Table no - 1

Test rpm Thrust Inlet Inlet Comp. Comb. Turbine Nozzle Decibel Weight Weight of Mass
0
run kg air air outlet Chamber C temp temp of cylinder Flow
vel. temp temp0C cylinder final(kg) (g/sec)
m/sec °C initial(kg)
1 3459 .04 1.3 24 26.7 72 220 179 65 8.470 8.395 .4166
2 4580 .06 2.7 26.6 35 80 228 190 66 8.400 8.221 .4306

Observation-
It has been observed that the rpm of the gas turbine engine was quite low. This was because the
combustion did not actually take place at the combustion chamber. The combustion took place near the
turbine which is why the temperature level in the turbine increased highly which resulted in the
reduction of rpm.

The turbine was run for about 3 to 4 minutes and it was found to be self-sustaining but we stopped the
turbine for safety measures as we noticed leakage of LPG gases around the turbine outlet.

The sound intensity within 1 meter from the turbine was found to be around 65-66 decibels which is
quite low.

33
CALCULATION

Fig 22- Moment Diagram

Thrust produced by the engine is calculated as –

Let the thrust produced be given as F
From moment equations we have,
F*16=0……………………….. (1)
5.88*19.5=0………………….. (2)
Solving (1) and (2)
F*16=5.88*19.5
I.e. F= 7.166 Newton
N.B: 5.88N is the thrust produced by the exhaust gases on the hinged plate.

THRUST SPECIFIC FUEL CONSUMPTION

Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption (TSFC) or simply specific fuel consumption is an engineering term
that is used to describe the fuel efficiency of an engine design with respect to thrust output. It is thrust
specific which means that the fuel consumption is divided by thrust.
TSFC for thrust engines (e.g. turbojets, turbofans, rocket engines etc.) is the mass of fuel needed to
provide the net thrust for a given period. E.g. g/ (s.N) (grams of fuel per second-newton). Mass of fuel is

34
used rather than volume for the fuel measure since it is dependent of temperature. TSFC is the mass of
fuel burnt by an engine in one hour divided by the thrust that the engine produces.
Mathematically, TSFC is the ratio of engine fuel mass flow rate to the amount of thrust produce by
burning the fuel.
Calculation of TSFC
Mass Flow rate = 3.58 kg/hr
Thrust of the engine = 7.166 N
Therefore, TSFC = 3.58/7.166
= 0.50 Kg/hr.N

35
CHAPTER: 8

36
 8. RESULTS
The following parameters for the gas turbine engine has been found-

Table no - 2

PARAMETERS READINGS

RPM 4580

SOUND INTENSITY 66 dB

THRUST 7,166 N

TSFC 0.50 kg/hr.N

37
CHAPTER 9

38
 9. EQUIPMENTS USED
The following equipment were used in measuring the various parameters of the gas turbine engine-

Digital tachometer- This is used to measure the rpm at compressor outlet. The tachometer we used was
of model EQUINOX EQ-811B.

Fig 23-Digital tachometer

Thermo anemometer- It is used to measure air velocity. Its model is EQUINOX EQ-618B.

Fig 24- Thermo anemometer

39
Decibel meter-It is used to measure the sound intensity produced by the gas turbine engine. The model
is EQUINOX EQ-805.The range of the decibel meter is (30-130) dB

Fig 25- Decibel meter

Infrared Thermometer-It is used to measure temperature at different points of the gas turbine engine.
The model is EQUINOX EQ-8839

Fig 26-Infrared thermometer

40
CHAPTER 10

41
 10. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Evaluation of different parameters of the gas turbine engine is a serious process. From the starting of the
system to the time it being switched off, various parameters needs to be considered. A series of
evaluation has been done on the system based on the rpm attained by the turbo. For starting the gas
turbine engine , fresh air is blown through a blower at a speed of 5.5 m/s such that the fuel i.e. LPG and
the air mixes thoroughly in the combustion chamber and is ignited by the spark plug ignition system.

Air is blown through the blower unless the turbo reaches its self-sustainable rpm. The rpm is measured
at the inlet of the compressor with the help of a tachometer. Along with the inlet air velocity the
temperature is also evaluated. Temperatures at different points of the system are also observed.
Temperatures at the compressor outlet, combustion chamber, turbine and nozzle outlet are measured
with the help of an infrared thermometer.

The thrust exerted by the exhaust gases is also calculated. In order to calculate the thrust produced, a
hinged plate is welded to the bottom of the stand. The hinged plate is connected to a spring balance. As
the exhaust gases from the nozzle strikes the plate, the plate moves. As a result the spring balance shows
a deflection. The deflection shown by the spring balance thus can be used to calculate the thrust exerted
by the exhaust gases.

42
Fig-27 Turbocharger turbojet engine

Fig 28- turbocharger turbojet engine

43
CHAPTER 11

44
 11. CONCLUSION
The results of the combustion chamber tests correlate well with what would be expected in many
aspects. Though it could have been better in case of achieving a desired rpm. The turbocharger used
was collected from a scrap yard and hence its performance was not up to the mark. Replacing the
turbocharger with a new one will help in achieving the desired rpm of a turbojet engine. LPG is a light
fuel with high calorific value which helps in fast combustion. If the flow of fuel supply to the
combustion chamber could be increased then the air fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber will
be perfect thus help in fast combustion. Although the design of combustion chamber was according to
what a turbocharger requires in running the turbine and safe from any gas leakages still its design can
be improved. Moreover we succeeded in making a thorough performance evaluation of turbojet engine
based on the various parameters such as thrust, sound intensity, inlet air velocity and temperature,
compressor and turbine temperature, combustion chamber and nozzle temperature etc.

45
 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK
 The desired rpm of a gas turbine engine is around 40,000.In our case the desired rpm was not
attained so we need to select a good conditioned turbocharger.
 The combustion did not take place actually at the combustion chamber so to get a perfect
combustion the design of the combustion chamber must be improved.
 The fuel that we used was LPG .Though it is a very light gas and have high calorific value but its
flow was not enough to create perfect combustion to run the turbine .High speed diesel or
kerosene as fuel would boost the combustion resulting in achieving a high rpm.

46
REFERENCES

[1].P Balashanmugam1*, E Elakiya1 and Sunayana Sharma; Performance Analysis On a Turbocharged

Two Wheeler Engine.

[2].Peter Spittle; Rolls-Royce plc, Ansty, Coventry CV7 9JR, UK;

[3]. John Kyle Thoma1, Daniel Shehan1, Benjamin Naravage1, and Jacob Melvin1
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, 93407;”Design, Fabrication, and
Testing of an Automotive Turbocharger-Based Gas Turbine Engine”

[4]Edwin H. Springer;”Constructing A Turbocharger Turbojet Engine have discussed about constructing

an automotive turbocharger based gas turbine engine.”

[5] Tsai, Lauren; Design and Performance of a Gas-Turbine Engine from an Automobile Turbocharger.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, MA :s.n.,
2004.

[6] Nishimoto, Keane T; Design of an Automobile Turbocharger Gas Turbine Engine. Department of
Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, MA: s.n., 2003.

[7] R.K Rajput;Thermal Engineering,eighth edition,2010.

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