Course Listing
GENERAL
Turbomachinery Design and Performance
This course provides the most comprehensive introduction and overview
currently available of the design and performance of all types
of turbomachines. The essential elements of axial and radial turbomachinery
design and performance are presented. Starting with the fundamental
principles of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and structural
mechanics, all of the essential turbomachinery concepts are covered.
The emphasis is directed towards providing a sound understanding
of the basic principles which govern the flow through any turbine,
pump, compressor, or fan, together with failure mechanisms, and
life prediction methods. Problem solving sessions are included.
Mechanical Design of Rotating Machinery
This is a mechanical design course in turbomachinery, focusing on structural dynamics, rotor dynamics, and bearing design. A strong emphasis is placed on considering manufacturing and assembly practices in the design process. The course will cover the basic design concepts, demonstrate basic principles with common laboratory and test equipment, and give practical examples. The subject matter is applicable to a new engineer, experienced project engineer, or group supervisor looking to enhance his/her understanding of potential problem areas in the mechanical design of turbomachinery.
Fundamentals of Fluid Systems
The object of this course is to provide a background to the design and analysis of fluid systems. The fundamentals of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics are reviewed, and these are then applied to piping systems, pumps, fans, nozzles, and diffusers. As a result, participants should be able to analyze piping systems including flow restrictors, to select and match a pump to a given system, and to specify a pump or fan for a given requirement. This course is appropriate to engineers with some thermal science background but are new to fluid systems or who require a refresher. It is also suitable for managers, sales, and maintenance engineers who need to improve their understanding of fluid systems.
Experimental Techniques for Turbomachinery Development
Students are introduced to a variety of instruments and transducers
available for performance, flow, and structural measurement in
turbomachines. They will understand the importance of high quality
test data in design and development, and the procedures necessary
to obtain and process that data. They will understand how to specify
and design test programs to achieve necessary goals.
The course is highly practical. Participants will make several visits to the laboratory to view demonstrations of instruments and equipment described in the lectures. They will have opportunities for hands-on experience in simple but practical measurements and data reduction.
Laboratory and test stand work is at the heart of all machinery development programs. This course provides engineers with a comprehensive understanding of experimental evaluation and practical development for all types of turbomachines.
APPLICATION-ORIENTED COURSES
Turbocharging the Internal Combustion Engine
This is the only course for industrial engineers providing a comprehensive presentation of the design principles of turbochargers, engine-turbocharger matching, and the performance of turbocharged engine systems.
Lectures will cover the characteristics, design, and performance of the principal turbocharger components. Methods of ensuring that the compressor and turbine are correctly matched to the engine are described. The utilization of exhaust gas energy by the turbocharger in various types of engine is also covered. Advanced turbocharger system concepts such as variable geometry and compounding are described. Special emphasis is placed on the problems confronting the engine industry today, including the need for fuel economy and reductions in exhaust emissions, and how turbocharging influences these demands.
Gas Turbine Technology
This course is a comprehensive introduction and overview of the
gas turbine engine and its principal components. Coverage includes
turbojet, turbofan, and derivative engines for power generation,
and the course is intended to provide a simple and self-contained
description of the principles and understanding of these engines.
Extensive use is made of modern computer-based design and analysis
tools to illustrate and expand on topics covered in the course.
In this way participants will be exposed to the best current design
practices. It is appropriate for starting engineers, and engineers
experienced in other fields who find themselves called upon to
undertake work in this area.
An overview of recently developed techniques that are finding their way to application today is offered. These include non-linear methods and methods based on artificial intelligence techniques. The use of different types of neural networks and the application of genetic algorithms to gas turbine diagnostics are discussed. Methods providing probabilistic information is also presented, including probabilistic neural networks and Bayesian belief networks.
COMPRESSORS
Centrifugal Compressor Design and Performance
The course is both a state-of-the-art review of the technology
base for these machines and also a practical guide for designers.
The range of application of centrifugal compressors is very wide,
and their design and use is an important engineering industrial
activity. Each area of application brings its own requirements
to compressor design. Requirements of range, durability, and cost
may compromise an efficient aerodynamic design, and must be recognized
and accommodated in the design process. All these issues are addressed
during the course.
The course begins with a thorough review of centrifugal compressor technology and one-dimensional design optimization. The level of confidence in stage analysis, using the best current data and models, is discussed and illustrated.
The design process is described in depth, including presentations of quasi-3D flow field calculations to predict loading levels, and 3D inviscid and viscous calculations for flow field prediction and design optimization. The use of CFD for compressor design optimization is discussed.
Axial Fan and Compressor Technology
This course provides a fully comprehensive survey of all aspects of axial fan and compressor technology. It begins with an introduction and overview of the basic concepts which provide a basis for design technology. Subsonic and transonic blade design methods are covered, from the traditional and still highly respected approach using base profiles such as the NACA series, to the most modern techniques which rely heavily on computational flow analysis.
A particular feature of the course is the emphasis on compressor flow limitations due to stall, rotating stall, and surge. The latest understanding of the origins and characteristics of these phenomena is described, together with the techniques which have been developed to control them and extend the stable operating range.
PUMPS
Centrifugal Pump Design and Performance
This course is designed to help engineers design, test, and run
pumps and systems that are more effective, more economical, and
more reliable. Engineers will come to understand the best state-of-the-art
design practices and learn the latest theories on performance,
cavitation, dynamic forces, and noise. The course will review
the latest advances in design tools, and will provide expert and
relevant instruction to designers on pump design optimization.
The course begins with an extensive survey of the current technology base for pump design, covering impellers, diffusers, volutes, and other flow elements. The limitations on pump operation and range due to stall and other instabilities are described. Special attention is given to problems and design issues specifically associated with pump flows, namely cavitation, unsteady flow, and vibration. The analysis of stress and vibration in centrifugal pumps will be covered in detail.
Emphasis is placed on modern methods available to the pump designer for blade layout and design, using flexible geometric techniques associated with hydrodynamic loading calculations and the computational fluid dynamic analysis of pump flows. The advantages and limitations of such analyses are reviewed thoroughly by the instructor.
Selection, Troubleshooting, and Preventative Maintenance of Centrifugal Pumps
This is a course for pump operating and maintenance engineers, and engineers concerned with pump specification, installation, use, and fault detection and diagnosis. The course includes:
- Centrifugal pump basics
- Pumping system guidelines and analysis
- Centrifugal pump specification and selection; specification writing
- Mechanical seals, bearings, and lubrication basics
- Centrifugal pump troubleshooting approaches
- Vibration test methods
- Vibration specifications
- Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance
- Representative case histories
TURBINES
Axial and Radial Turbine Design
This course will provide both design and application engineers with a deep understanding of turbine performance. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on the basic flow physics as reflected in both axial and radial turbine performance. Techniques by which a design can be optimized for new applications are emphasized, and the complete process for producing new designs or developing new components for existing machines is described, from the beginning to the final detailed design. Throughout the course, the effective use of modern computer systems, CFD, and FEA stress analysis codes is emphasized.
Lectures will cover the characteristics, design, and performance of axial, mixed, and radial flow turbines. Ancillary components such as exhaust diffusers are also discussed. A section of the course is devoted to turbine life, the factors which limit life, and the techniques to estimate it. Turbine testing techniques are also discussed.
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS
Computational Fluid Dynamics for Turbomachinery Design
This is a course for new and existing users of CFD analysis methods for the design of all types of turbomachinery. The emphasis is on helping designers to understand and get the best out of CFD tools. Particular emphasis is placed on the influence that parameters such as grid density and turbulence models have on the solution accuracy. The effects of blade row interaction and the techniques available for modeling such interactions are also discussed. Extensive use is made of case studies drawn from a wide variety of applications.
