Streszczenie: This study investigates the use of a thermopressor to achieve highly dispersed liquid atomization, with a primary
focus on its application in enhancing contact cooling systems of the cyclic air for gas turbines. The use of a thermopressor results
in a substantial reduction in the average droplet diameter, specifically to less than 25 μm, within the dispersed flow. Due to
practically instantaneous evaporation of highly atomized liquid droplets in accelerated superheated air the pressure drop is
reduced to minimum. A further increase of the air pressure takes place in diffuser. In its turn, this allows for the compensation
of hydraulic pressure losses in the air path, thereby reducing compressive work. Experimental data uncover a significant decrease
in the average droplet diameter, with reductions ranging from 20 to 30 µm within the thermopressor due to increased flow
turbulence and intense evaporation. The minimum achievable droplet diameter is as low as 15 µm and accompanied by a notable
increase in the fraction of small droplets (less than 25 µm) to 40–60%. Furthermore, the droplet distribution becomes more
uniform, with the absence of large droplets exceeding 70 µm in diameter. Increasing the water flow during injection has a
positive impact on the number of smaller droplets, particularly those around 25 μm, which is advantageous for contact cooling.
The use of the thermopressor method for cooling cyclic air provides maximum protection to blade surfaces against drop-impact
erosion, primarily due to the larger number of droplets with diameters below 25 μm. These findings underline the potential of a
properly configured thermopressor to improve the efficiency of contact cooling systems in gas turbines, resulting in improved
performance and reliability in power generation applications. The hydrodynamic principles explored in this study may have wide
applications in marine and stationary power plants based on gas and steam turbines, gas and internal combustion engines
Abstract: This study investigates the use of a thermopressor to achieve highly dispersed liquid atomization, with a primary
focus on its application in enhancing contact cooling systems of the cyclic air for gas turbines. The use of a thermopressor results
in a substantial reduction in the average droplet diameter, specifically to less than 25 μm, within the dispersed flow. Due to
practically instantaneous evaporation of highly atomized liquid droplets in accelerated superheated air the pressure drop is
reduced to minimum. A further increase of the air pressure takes place in diffuser. In its turn, this allows for the compensation
of hydraulic pressure losses in the air path, thereby reducing compressive work. Experimental data uncover a significant decrease
in the average droplet diameter, with reductions ranging from 20 to 30 µm within the thermopressor due to increased flow
turbulence and intense evaporation. The minimum achievable droplet diameter is as low as 15 µm and accompanied by a notable
increase in the fraction of small droplets (less than 25 µm) to 40–60%. Furthermore, the droplet distribution becomes more
uniform, with the absence of large droplets exceeding 70 µm in diameter. Increasing the water flow during injection has a
positive impact on the number of smaller droplets, particularly those around 25 μm, which is advantageous for contact cooling.
The use of the thermopressor method for cooling cyclic air provides maximum protection to blade surfaces against drop-impact
erosion, primarily due to the larger number of droplets with diameters below 25 μm. These findings underline the potential of a
properly configured thermopressor to improve the efficiency of contact cooling systems in gas turbines, resulting in improved
performance and reliability in power generation applications. The hydrodynamic principles explored in this study may have wide
applications in marine and stationary power plants based on gas and steam turbines, gas and internal combustion engines
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