Particle Deposition in Gas Turbine Engines: The Effect of Temperature on Mineral Particles' Behavior

Abstract

Deposition of dust minerals inside gas turbine engines is a serious problem for engine manufacturers. This phenomenon leads to damages inside the engine's components which raised an issue for maintenance teams and engine designers to account for the negative effects of dust mineral deposition. In this study, the effects of temperature on dust mineral mixes were investigated through a series of experiments. Quartz, Dolomite, Albite, Halite, Gypsum, and Hematite were milled and sized to approximately 0 – 10 μm in diameter. The effects of temperature on these pure minerals are known, however, the effect of temperature on mixes of pure minerals is not as clear. For this reason, the experiments consist of pure minerals combined to form different blends. These blends are then exposed to a defined temperature inside a kiln facility at The Ohio State University's Aerospace Research Center. The results in this study suggest a relationship between chemical composition and melting temperatures. In fact, melting temperatures can decrease with the existence of certain elements inside the mineral blend giving the deposit a high probability of sticking and eroding engine components. This research will provide modelers with insight about changes in mineral mixes and their packing densities due to temperature in a static setting. Thus, the results will increase the precision and accuracy in model prediction of particle deposition inside gas turbine engines.