Small gas turbine GTM-120 bench testing with emission measurements

The aim of this paper is to provide comprehensive bench testing results for small gas turbine engine with a strong focus on the flue gas emission measurements. After a short overview of small gas turbine GTM-120 design and working principles, the test bench developed at the Institute of Heat Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology is presented. Capability and accuracy of the sensors used in test bench are discussed in detail. Data acquisition software based on LabVIEW is also presented. Five separate sections representing successive engine stations have been distinguished. Experimental set of data of pressure and temperature on all of the stations is presented for the whole range of engine rotational speeds. Additionally, the engine thrust and fuel consumption data is provided. Special attention is given to the engine NOx and CO content in the engine exhaust gas, since turbine engine emissions are of great concern due to their adverse impact on natural environment. Experimental results are followed by the engine cycle parametric study for real engine thermodynamic cycle. Finally, future work plans regarding variable combustor chamber utilization for emission reduction from small gas turbine are discussed.