Increase the Efficiency of a Gas Turbine Unit for Gas Turbine Locomotives by Means of Steam Injection into the Flow Section

Samara National Research University, Department of Aircraft Engine Theory, Samara, Russian Federation

Abstract

In the modern world of railways, electrification is given great importance. Currently, more than 50% of all freight traffic carried out by electric traction. However, today, about half of the railways are not electrified, so it is necessary to use thermal engines to drive the locomotive. One of the possible variant is use gas turbine unit. The power of the gas turbine unit is given to the electric generator, and the electric motors drive the locomotive. In the present paper, as a power plant of a gas turbine locomotive, considered gas turbine unit with a twin -shaft gas generator of two schemes: 1- with steam supply to the inlet of the high-pressure turbine (into the combustion chamber) and 2- with steam supply to inlet of the free turbine. By CAE system of ASTRA, Collaboration operation lines calculated for different variants of steam injection. When the steam injected into the inlet of a free turbine and a high-pressure turbine. in the case of steam supply to the input of the free turbine and the high-pressure turbine there is a significant shift in Collaboration operation lines, which can lead to a decrease in the gas-dynamical stability of the compressors, and efficiency. To maintain the position of Collaboration operation lines, was applied the correction of the throughput capacity of free turbine nozzle vanes (by 15%). In the case of steam supply to the inlet of a free turbine, to ensure gas-dynamic stability of the compressors, a change in the throughput capacity of its nozzle vanes is required.