Impact of Energy Storage Requirements on Gas Turbine Performance and Operability PhD

Cranfield University

This PhD project will focus on developing, evaluating, and demonstrating advanced fault diagnosis solution to a new laboratory scale aircraft fuel system test-rig to enhance reliability, maintainability and readiness of the aircraft fuel system.

The idea of extracting pressurised air from stationary gas turbine engines for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system can be beneficial for reinjection back into the machine during periods of high power demand. This reinjection of compressed air augments the power output of the engine as a result of the increased pressurised air mass flow. The effects of high air flow extractions and varied rate of reinjections at the exit of the compressor are of interest at steady-state and transient operations. Improvements in ramping capabilities are to be investigated, alongside these implications on mechanical integrity in a flexible operation.