Gas Turbine Applications

LM 2500, Allison 501, The Plant

Objectives

LM 2500 Gas Turbine Engine - specific components, specifications, systems Allison 501 Gas Turbine Generator Set purpose and operation Interrelationship of supporting systems and operations Engineering plant lineups

Gas Turbine Power Plants

Gas generator section

Power section

Compressor Combustion chamber Gas generator turbine

Power turbine

LM 2500

In DDGs and CGs, have 4 engines In FFGs, have 2 engines Engines are shock mounted to minimize noise and allow for protection Advantages of LM 2500

Compact & light Easy to maintain & repair Quick start time (~ 1 min)

LM 2500

LM 2500 Components

Starter

Pneumatic - driven by pressurized air 16-stage, axial flow (17:1 compression ratio) Has some controllable pitch vanes to provide proper air flow and prevent stall

Compressor

LM 2500 Components

Combustion Chamber

Annular design 30 fuel nozzles

LM 2500 Components

Gas Generator Turbine

HP Element only High speed Split shaft to allow varying output speeds while maintaining constant generation of energy 6 sets of nozzles and blades Lower speed than GGT

Power Turbine

LM 2500 Engine Control

Gas Generator Turbine

Produces energy available for power turbine Controlled by throttles - alters fuel flow Runs at set continuous RPM Speed depends on quantity of exhaust gases from gas generator turbine & propulsion load Double helical, double reduction, locked train reduction gears

Power Turbine

LM 2500 Characteristics

Stage efficiency = 92.5% R&D: 30,000+ hrs of op-testing Two versions available:

LM 2500-20 (22,500 shp) LM 2500-30 (30,000 shp) USN warships

LM 2500 Engine Control

Speed Governor

Used to prevent power turbine from exceeding speed limit (104%) Reduces fuel to gas generator section which reduces gases to power turbine

Overspeed Trip

If governor fails, trip secures fuel to LM 2500 to shut it down (108%)

CRP Propeller & Propulsion Shafting

Shaft is hollow to provide flow of oil to propellers LM 2500 cannot operate at < 5,000 RPM (corresponds to ~11 kts for DDG) Pitch of blades controlled hydraulically through pistons and gears Pitch must be adjusted to go slower than 11 kts

CRP Propeller & Propulsion Shafting

In order to go faster than 11 kts, shaft RPM increased In order to go astern, pitch varied to reverse flow Overall purpose

Controllable pitch to improve efficiency Reversible to allow for ahead/astern flow with single direction rotation of shaft

Plant Lineups

Disadvantage of gas turbine

VERY poor partial load fuel economy

LM 2500s connected to reduction gears via pneumatic clutch Three possible lineups

Full Power Split Plant Trail Shaft

Plant Lineups

Full Power Lineup

2 turbines/shaft with 2 shafts (4 turbines) Max speed > 30+ kts 1 turbine/shaft with 2 shafts (2 turbines) Max speed = 30 kts

Split Plant Lineup

Trail Shaft Lineup

1 turbine/shaft with 1 shaft (1 turbine) Other shaft windmilling Max speed = 19 kts

Air Intake & Exhaust

Must minimize space and weight Must keep air inlet losses to a minimum to ensure maximum performance Intake has screens/filters to ensure clean, filtered air at all times

Air Intake & Exhaust

Exhaust generates thermal and acoustic problems

Possible damage to personnel & equipment Increased detection & weapons guidance from heat (IR signature)

Silencers and eductor nozzles used to silence and cool exhaust

Air Intake & Exhaust

Allison 501 Gas Turbine Generator Set (GTGS)

Used to generate electricity Three 2000KW GTGS

Any two can supply electrical needs of ship Separated by 3 water-tight bulkheads to minimize potential battle damage

Single Shaft Waste Heat Boiler

Uses heat of exhaust to generate low pressure steam for auxiliary purposes

Allison 501

Safety Features

Automatic Shutdown on:

High Vibration Cooling System Failure Module Fire (UV Flame Detection) High Turbine Inlet Temp Low Lube Oil Pressure Power Turbine Overspeed

Battle Override

Ship Layout

Operating Stations

Propulsion Plant Comparisons

Introduction

Overall, various different propulsion designs - to choose, must consider:

Operational requirements Construction requirements Manpower requirements Thermodynamic efficiency

Design Considerations

Minimal size and weight Reliable & easy to maintain Cost efficiency & budget Fuel efficiency over wide power range Shock resistant to handle stress Quiet & safe Manpower & training

Conventional Steam Plant

Advantages:

Efficiency @ cruising speeds Reliability Good performance @ partial loading Usefulness for auxiliary functions

Disadvantages

Large & bulky w/ large manpower reqs Long start-up time Large fuel storage & low endurance

Nuclear Power Plant

Advantages

Endurance, reliability, speed No air required for combustion No NBC warfare problem High costs & weight for shielding Long startup time Manpower & training requirements Radiological problems

Disadvantages

Diesel Plant

Advantages

High efficiency @ all loads Low initial cost and specific fuel cost (SFC) Reliability Few operators needed Capacity limitations & space considerations High maintenance & overhaul High lube oil consumption Noise

Disadvantages

Gas Turbine Plant

Advantages

Light weight & compact Short startup time Reliable & quiet High full-load efficiency
Large quantities of air (NBC problems) Large fuel storage Low efficiency @ partial loads

Disadvantages

Hybrid Plants

Overall goal: small, more fuel efficient engines for normal ops while retaining ability to shift to high power units when needed Examples:

CODAG, CODOG: (Diesel and/or GT) COGAS (RACER): (GT & Steam ) CODAS: (Diesel & Steam)

Summary

Diesel plant is a hacker!

Most efficient Easy to construct and operate Good versatility

Gas Turbine with CRP screws is a winning combo

Efficient and reliable Good for mass-production missile sponges

Summary

Most versatile is nuclear plant

Tremendous endurance overcomes inefficiency Saves space and energy If you consider fuel storage for other plants, it is actually lighter & less expensive

Questions?