Pathan - A new approach to gas turbine diagnostics

The health of the various gas turbine components leaves a signature in the gas path so complete gas path analysis yields an understanding of engine state. Since instrumentation cannot be fitted in engine hot regions there are available two non-complimentary sets of information: manufacturer-supplied new engine performance; incomplete gas path data for the degraded engine. Pathan synthesises these, producing an analysis describing actual performance of the engine and its components while instrument scatter, outage and calibration drift are automatically eliminated. This is a position paper. Examples are given of results gained from in industrial engine although an aeronautical example using jet thrust has been successful. High accuracy, which holds tip well with reducing instrument streams, results so while Pathan is improved with an increased installed instrumentation, it retains accuracy with a deficient instrument package. It therefore opens up a range of operational options for new installations and retrofit.