A parametric starting study of an axial-centrifugal gas turbine engine using a one-dimensional dynamic engine model and comparisons to experimental results: Part I - Model development and facility description

A generic one-dimensional gas turbine engine model, developed at the Arnold Engineering Development Center, has been configured to represent the gas g enerator of a General Electric axial-centrifugal gas turbine engine in the six kg/sec airflow class. The model was calibrated against experimental tes t results for a variety of initial conditions to insure that the model accu rately represented the engine over the range of test conditions of interest . These conditions included both assisted (with a starter motor) and unassi sted (altitude windmill) starts. The model was then exercised to study a va riety of engine configuration modifications designed to improve its startin g characteristics, and, thus, quantify potential starting improvements for the next generation of gas turbine engines. This paper discusses the model development and describes the test facilities used to obtain the calibratio n data. The test matrix for the ground level testing is also presented. A c ompanion paper presents the model calibration results and the results of th e trade-off study.