| dc.description.abstract | An accurate assessment of the performance of an industrial gas turbine, in service, has been the goal of many test programs initiated by users and manufacturers alike. The rewards of such programs often are quite skimpy because of the difficulty of obtaining an accurate measurement of some of the basic engine parameters necessary for this assessment, power output being one of the more obstinate parameters. The author has been indirectly involved, during the past two and a half years, in devising and carrying out factory and field performance tests which had, as a primary purpose, a lessening of the uncertainties involved in measuring and interpreting these parameters. Where possible, direct measurement of power output, turbine inlet temperature and air mass flow was utilized for comparison with other, less direct methods of measurement. Those installations in which electrical power is the end product are the most compliant, since the electrical generator driven by the turbine provides an accurate determination of power output. On the other hand, a load consisting of a pump or compressor presents a much less accurately determined picture of power output. It is those installations having the latter type of loading device which have been the subject of the investigations reported in this paper. | en |
