Demonstration of a Gas Turbine-Scale Rotating Detonation Combustor Integrated with Compressor and Turbine Components at 7FA Cycle Conditions

GE Research, in collaboration with GE Aviation, University of Michigan, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, and University of Central Florida, will design, fabricate, and demonstrate operation of a rotating detonation combustor (RDC) at 7FA cycle conditions while integrated with upstream and downstream turbomachinery components. The project team will study the integrated system performance when operating over a range of natural gas and hydrogen fuel blends. RDC operation has been extensively studied at low-pressure operating conditions and without the presence of representative inlet and exit engine components. Therefore, the impact on performance and operability of the coupled components that represent the integrated gas turbine system is largely unknown. Furthermore, the performance impact of this coupled system at realistic gas turbine cycle conditions is also not well understood. This project will focus on studying the interactions between the RDC and the inlet air compressor/diffuser components and the interaction between the RDC and the downstream turbine inlet section.