Journal Article

Authors

Wisdom, J. C.; Atkin, M. L.; Lhuede, E. P.; and Morley, W. J.

Title

The coal burning gas turbine in Australia

In

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Transactions

Imprint

vol. 3, Institution of Engineers Australia, May 1961, pp. 29-

Description

[Authors credentials: J. C. Wisdom, MMechE AMIEAust; M. L. Atkin, AMIEAust; E. P. Lhuede, BMechE; and W. J. Morley, AMIEAust]

Abstract

First generation open cycle industrial gas turbines have proved expensive in initial capital cost and it is imperative that cheap liquid and solid fuels be used to render operation of this engine economic. Overseas experiments with solid fuel usage which are described, have achieved limited success and there is evidence that the main problems of turbine blade erosion and deposition due to the presence of fly ash in the working gas can be reduced to feasible proportions with further development.
Australian experiments with brown coal have shown that efficient high intensity combustion can be achieved together with steady engine operation. Contrary to the findings of preliminary rig experiments, severe blade erosion
was encountered as well as ash deposition when an engine was operated without ash separation equipment. The papers are mainly concerned with describing the design and operation of the brown coal combustor and fuel handling system and the results of preliminary full-scale engine runs using brown coal. A discussion of the results indicates the importance of feed
preparation and combustion control on the fouling process.

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People

• Wisdom, John Cromwell (1919 - 2001)