Theodosios Korakianitis

Models for Predicting the Performance of Brayton-Cycle Engines

Gas turbine performance is the result of choices of type of cycle, cycle temperature ratio, pressure ratio, cooling flows, and component losses. The output is usually given as efficiency (thermal, propulsive, specific thrust, overall efficiency) versus specific power. This paper presents a set of computer programs for the performance prediction of shaft-power and jet-propulsion cycles: simple, regenerative, intercooled-regenerative, turbojet, and turbofan. Each cycle is constructed using individual component modules. Realistic assumptions are specified for component efficiencies as functions of pressure ratio, cooling mass-flow rate as a function of cooling technology levels, and various other cycle losses. The programs can be used to predict design point and off-design point operation using appropriate component efficiencies. The effects of various cycle choices on overall performance are discussed.

Microturbine/fuel-cell coupling for high-efficiency electrical-power generation

Microturbines and fuel cells are currently attracting a lot of attention to meet future users needs in the distributed generation market. This paper addresses a preliminary analysis of a representative state-of-the-art 50-kW microturbine coupled with a high-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The technologies of the two elements of such a hybrid-power plant are in a different state of readiness. The microturbine is in an early stage of pre-production and the SOFC is still in the development phase. It is premature to propose an optimum solution. Based on todays technology the hybrid plant, using natural gas fuel, would have a power output of about 389 kW, and an efficiency of 60 percent. If the waste heat is used the overall fuel utilization efficiency would be about 80 percent. Major features, parameters, and performance of the microturbine and the SOFC are discussed. The compatibility of the two systems is addressed, and the areas of technical concern, and mismatching issues are identified and discussed. Fully understanding these, and identifying solutions, is the key to the future establishing of an optimum overall system. This approach is viewed as being in concert with evolving technological changes. In the case of the microturbine changes will be fairly minor as they enter production on a large scale within the next year or so, but are likely to be significant for the SOFC in the next few years, as extensive efforts are expended to reduce unit cost. It is reasonable to project that a high performance and cost-effective hybrid plant, with high reliability, will be ready for commercial service in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century. While several microturbines can be packaged to give an increased level of power, this can perhaps be more effectively accomplished by coupling just a single gas turbine module with a SOFC. The resultant larger power output unit opens up new market possibilities in both the industrial nations and developing countries.

On the propagation of viscous wakes and potential flow in axial-turbine cascades

This paper investigates the propagation of pressure disturbances due to potentialflow interaction and viscous-wake interaction from upstream blade rows in axialturbine-blade rotor cascades. Results are obtained by modeling the effects of the upstream stator viscous wake and potential-flow fields as incoming disturbances on the downstream rotor flow field, where the computations areperformed. A computer program is used to calculate the unsteady rotor flow fields. The amplitudes for the rotor inlet distortions due to the two types of interaction are based on a review of available experimental and computational data

Analytical Open-Circuit Magnetic Field Distribution of Slotless Brushless Permanent-Magnet Machines With Rotor Eccentricity

Analytical expressions for the no-load magnetic field distribution of slotless brushless permanent-magnet (PM) machines with static, dynamic, and mixed rotor eccentricities are presented. The proposed analytical expressions can be used for slotless brushless PM machines with any radius-independent magnetization pattern. The analytical expressions and the results for six different magnetization patterns are presented. Based on the analytical magnetic field distribution, the line and phase back-electromotive force waveforms, local traction components and unbalanced magnetic forces are obtained. The analytical results are compared with those from finite-element analyses to validate the derived expressions.

Analytical Magnetic Field Calculation of Slotted Brushless Permanent-Magnet Machines With Surface Inset Magnets

This paper presents an analytical magnetic field calculation for slotted brushless permanent-magnet (PM) machines equipped with surface inset magnets. The analytical expressions can be used to calculate both open-circuit and armature reaction field distributions. Although the expressions can be used for brushless PM machines with any magnetization pattern, the results of the open-circuit magnetic field are presented for three different magnetization patterns: radial, parallel, and Halbach. Different winding structures, such as overlapping, nonoverlapping with all teeth wound and nonoverlapping with alternate teeth wound, can be considered to compute the armature reaction field distribution. The analytical expressions can be used for the surface inset magnet structure with airspace between the magnets and the iron interpoles but they cannot be used in the case of brushless machines with surface mounted magnets. The calculations account for slotting and slot-opening effects via the subdomain technique. The analytical results for a four-pole, six-slot brushless PM machine with three magnetization patterns and nonoverlapping winding are presented and evaluated by comparing them with those obtained from the finite element method.

Analytical Magnetic Field Distribution of Slotless Brushless Machines With Inset Permanent Magnets

An analytical open-circuit magnetic field distribution for slotless brushless machines with inset permanent magnets is presented. Three different magnetization patterns (radial, parallel, and Halbach) have been considered and their results compared with each other. The induced back-electromotive force (EMF) is also presented for each magnetization pattern. The effects of iron inter-pole on the magnetic flux density and back-EMF have been studied. To verify the model, the results have been compared with those obtained from finite element analyses (FEA).

Parametric Performance of Combined-Cogeneration Power Plants With Various Power and Efficiency Enhancements

The design-point performance characteristics of a wide variety of combined-cogeneration power plants, with different amounts of supplementary firing (or no supplementary firing), different amounts ...

Numerical comparison of hemodynamics with atrium to aorta and ventricular apex to aorta VAD support.

We report the first attempt to study with numerical methods ventricular assist device (VAD) models and the effects of various inlet VAD cannulations, coupling physical explanations and numerical investigation conclusions with clinical research results. We compared the hemodynamic response with VAD support by using two distinct VAD-inlet cannulation configurations: left atrium to aorta and left ventricular apex to aorta. Impeller pump and displacement pump VADs are considered. Constant VAD flow rate and counterpulsation motion models are simulated. The native cardiovascular system is modeled using the concentrated-parameter method by considering the flow resistance, vessel elasticity, and inertial effect of blood flow in cardiovascular system individual segments. Impeller and displacement pump dynamic models are represented by corresponding inlet and outlet flow rate changes in the VADs. Results show that the two VAD inlet cannulation configurations produce similar cardiac response (flows, pressures, volumes), except that when the VAD flow approaches the 100% assisting condition, the peak left ventricular systolic pressure and diastolic volume increase slightly in the left atrial cannulation, whereas they drop markedly in the left ventricular apex cannulation, suggesting increased ventricular wall tension and ventricular dilatation in the left atrial cannulation and that hemodynamically the left ventricular apex cannulation is more advantageous.

Pulsed thrust propellant reorientation - Concept and modeling

The use of pulsed thrust to optimize the propellant reorientation process is proposed. The ECLIPSE code is used to study the performance of pulsed reorientation in small-scale and full-scale propellant tanks. A dimensional analysis of the process is performed and the resulting dimensionless groups are used to present and correlate the computational predictions of reorientation performance. Based on the results obtained from this study, it is concluded that pulsed thrust reorientation seems to be a feasible technique for optimizing the propellant reorientation process across a wide range of spacecraft, for a variety of missions, for the entire duration of a mission, and with a minimum of hardware design and qualification.

Modeling of impulsive propellant reorientation

The impulsive propellant reorientation process is modeled using the (Energy Calculations for Liquid Propellants in a Space Environment (ECLIPSE) code. A brief description of the process and the computational model is presented. Code validation is documented via comparison to experimentally derived data for small scale tanks. Predictions of reorientation performance are presented for two tanks designed for use in flight experiments and for a proposed full scale OTV tank. A new dimensionless parameter is developed to correlate reorientation performance in geometrically similar tanks. Its success is demonstrated.