No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND AERO. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Anthony Henry James Eastland. / M.S.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Turbomachinery plays an important role in the efficiency of power generation and combustion processes used in the automotive and aerospace industries. The potential for fulfilling future energy needs has been identified in both civilian and military applications, for example micro gas turbines (MGTs) used in unmanned aireial vehicles (UAVs). The goal of this thesis was to build a performance testing facility for small-scale centrifugal compressors, for use in MGTs. The objectives of this study were mainly achieved through experimental work. In addition to the experimental work, numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software were performed to substantiate the experimental results. The project methodology followed the process whereby a compressor performance map is constructed from experimental data and compared to map obtained from theoretical data. The test facility consists of a turbocharger fitted with an experimental compressor section. The turbocharger turbine is driven by unheated compressed air. Sensors, data acquisition and ancillary equipment required to perform performance test measurements, were obtained and installed on the test facility. Performance curves at three different rotational speeds were successfully obtained for the experimental compressor. When compared to the CFD results there was good qualitative agreement, although deviations in the results increased with rotational speed. In addition a second impeller design was tested which correlated well with the theoretical data. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Turbomasjinerie speel 'n belangrike rol in die doeltre endheid van kragop- wekking en verbrandingsprosesse wat in die motor- en lugvaartbedryf gebruik word. Die potensiaal om in toekomstige energiebehoeftes te voorsien is in beide burgerlike en militêre toepassings uitgewys, byvoorbeeld mikrogastur- bines (MGT's) wat in onbemande vliegtuie (OLV's) gebruik word. Die doel met hierdie tesis was om 'n prestasietoetsfasiliteit vir kleinskaalse sentrifu- gale kompressors te bou wat in MGT's gebruik kan word. Die doelstellings van hierdie studie is hoofsaaklik deur eksperimentele werk behaal. Daarbe- newens is numeriese simulasies met gebruikmaking van sagteware vir bereke- ningsvloeidinamika (BVD) gedoen om die eksperimentele resultate te staaf. Die projekmetodologie volg die proses om 'n kompressorprestasiekaart uit eks- perimentele data op te stel en dit te vergelyk met 'n kaart wat uit teoretiese data bekom is. Die toetsfasiliteit bestaan uit 'n turboaanjaer wat met 'n eksperimentele kompressordeel toegerus is. Die turboaanjaer se turbine word deur onverhitte druklug aangedryf. Sensors, dataverwerwing en bykomstige toerusting, wat benodig is om prestasietoetsmetings mee te doen, is bekom en op die toetsfasiliteit geïnstalleer. Prestasiekrommes is vervolgens by drie verskillende omwentelingsnelhede suksesvol met die eksperimentele kompres- sor bekom. In vergelyking met die BVD-resultate was daar goeie kwalitatiewe ooreenstemming, ofskoon afwykings in die resultate vergroot het namate die omwentelingspoed toegeneem het. Daarby is 'n tweede stuwerontwerp getoets wat goed met die teoretiese resultate korreleer.