Greening the future of transport by using a regenerative variable geometry gas turbine engine

Gas turbine engines are cleaner, have multi-fuel capability, and a lower volume to power ratio than piston engines. A main disadvantage of gas turbine engines in automotive use is their poor part-load efficiency. As transport engines spend most of their operating life at part-load; a gas turbine engine that achieves a wide range of high-efficiency should be used. This paper aims to develop a computer model to simulate the performance of regenerative gas turbine engines for transport use. A computer program for the performance prediction was designed based on the characteristics of each component in the engine and the compatibility between them. The influence of a variable power turbine setting-angle on engine performance was investigated. Compressor and turbines maps were used in a particular form; hence, each point on the map has a specific value of rotational speed, pressure ratio, mass flow rate, and efficiency. Variation in effectiveness of the regenerator was considered. Variable pressure drop and mass flow rate across the combustion chamber and the regenerator were included.