Abstract:
Sustainable engine systems are undoubtedly one of the main topics at the
centre of the recent scientific debate. A significant number of novel thermodynamic
concepts, partly based on gas turbine engines, are available in the
open scientific literature and have been scarcely investigated. Cranfield University
has developed an integrated, modular, multi-disciplinary framework of
computational software called Techno-economic Environmental Risk Analysis
(TERA) to assess complex, thermodynamic cycles from an integrated point
of view.
The present study completes a TERA work on sustainable power systems
in two steps. Initially, the entire TERA methodology is applied to the
aviation field with the integration of a set of modules to investigate three
novel, turbofan, aircraft engines. Namely, the mentioned concepts are featured
by: a counter-rotating core for short range (GTCRSR), an active core for
short range (GTACSR), and an inter-cooler for Long Range (GTICLR). The
optimised design specifications of the GTCRSR engine show a reduction of
more than 7% of block fuel in comparison to the reference engine, more than
6% for the GTACSR and almost up to 5% for the GTICLR.
Subsequently, a library of electric power generation future technology
concepts has been built to be merged in the TERA for energy framework,
developing the relevant computational codes. The power plants chosen encompass
different domains of the field and are: the Advanced Zero Emissions
Power plant — AZEP (carbon capture and storage concept); a supercritical
steam turbine power plant (for nuclear applications); a land-based wind farm
working in synergy with a conventional power plant. Multiple, specific control
strategies for the fossil fuel and nuclear power plant have been identified to
handle the power output down to 60% of the design point for the AZEP and
slightly below 80% for the nuclear cycle. Hourly performance simulations of
typical days representative of each season of the wind farm in combination
to conventional gas turbine engines have been investigated for different size
(from 223 MW to 5 MW at full load).