Department of Engineering
Gas turbines are widely used to generate power and propulsion. For over 50 years, components in gas turbines have been cooled using air bled from the compressor. However, designers are still unsure what thermodynamic penalty this cooling has on component efficiency. There isn’t even a consensus on how to define the efficiency of a cooled turbine. My PhD research demonstrates, for the first time, a novel mathematical method capable of defining and calculating cooled turbine efficiency. In partnership with Rolls-Royce, I helped implement this method into design tools. This understanding opens the door to innovative future turbine designs.
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