Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Semi-Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Engine
A small semi-closed gas turbine was designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the cycle the cycle feasibility with exhaust gas recirculation. The demonstrator unit comprised a low pressure spool compressor and turbine supercharging a high pressure spool compressor and turbine, whose exhaust passed through a recuperator, and was subsequently split, one half being recirculated to the high pressure spool compressor inlet via an intercooler, and the remaining half expanded across the low pressure spool turbine. The design and fabrication phases proceeded on schedule but commencement of engine development testing encountered mechanical difficulties. These were eventually resolved and shakedown testing of the demonstrator accomplished prior to final contractual delivery. The demonstration program was funded under a NASA LeRc contract NAS3-27396.