(56c) Performance Prediction and Testing of Cryogenic Liquefied Gas Reaction Turbines

A new general performance equation has been previously presented for fixed geometry hydraulic reaction turbines and it has been shown to have a more accurate representation of liquefied hydrocarbon gas reaction turbine performance. This paper develops further equations relating the affinity laws and the conservation of energy and momentum laws to predict efficiency curves and the best efficiency point.

Due to the nature of the cryogenic environment in which liquefied gas reaction turbines operate, acquiring dependable test data presents a unique set of conditions. This paper also reviews the current testing techniques developed and used by Ebara International Corporation (EIC).

The presented equations are the most general, as well as most accurate tools for turbine performance prediction. Actual test data from an EIC liquefied gas reaction turbine is used to investigate the presented equations.