Algor gas turbine performance modular tool: Map based modules development

Commercially available or in-house developed performance tools, mostly based on heat and mass balance, are nowadays widespread among Universities, consulting companies and utilities. Generally these software are based on main gas turbine measurable information and, yet accurate on global performance estimation, are limited in the level of insight on component performance they can provide and also in the range of analysis, generally limited to engine possible operating points. On the other hand, the tools adopted by OEMs generally differ for components (compressor, turbine and combustor) and secondary air system details. In ASEN experience ALGOR heat and mass balance software is used as a platform for system integrations between each disciplines by means of a modular structure in which a large number of modules, chosen from the available library, are freely connected allowing to potentially analyze any gas turbine engine configuration. This paper describes the structure and the implementation of latest ALGOR updates, developed by ASEN and University of Florence, aimed at creating new map based modules for compressor and secondary air system. With this approach, component performance coming from field data can be continuously adopted to refine the reliability of calculation. Furthermore, nonlinear phenomena occurring in stationary and rotating cooling passages can be evaluated only with devoted calculation tools, which output can be conveniently translated in flow functions maps. Thanks to ALGOR modular structure, with these newly available (map-interpolating) modules, additional levels of analysis are allowed, ranging from “cycle deck ” map-matching level, to mixed modelling in which map based modules are linked with 1D mean line analysis modules. Moreover their use can be also foreseen in ASEN conceptual design approach in which just map reference points are adjusted to reflect expected technological leaps required by engine upgrade.