Heat Rejection and Temperature Limitations

The LM2500 Gas Turbine is designed to operate with inlet-air temperature from -65 to +130F and
engine-space ambient temperature from -20 to +140F. It is recommended that the engine be installed
inside an enclosure to protect it from the weather and shield operating personnel from engine heat and
noise. The enclosure must be ventilated for cooling of the gas turbine. Although the enclosure can be
negative or positive pressure, positive pressure is preferred from the gas turbine bearing sump sealing
and venting system standpoint.
Heat is released from the gas turbine by radiation and convection from hot surfaces and by hot-air
leakage from flanges and struts. Cooling must be provided to maintain casing temperature below the
maximum allowable as shown on Figure 1.
Figures 2 through 4, for use in designing the cooling system, show estimated temperatures of the gas
turbine casings and exhaust duct as functions of various values of heat flux for ambient temperature
from -20 to +120F and for various power settings. Sufficient cooling air must be provided to limit the
engine casing temperatures as shown on Figures 2 through 4. The cooling air should be uniformly
distributed to prevent warping of the engine; this applies both during operation and when the engine is
shut down. Direct impingement of forced cooling air on the engine casings is to be avoided. The
emissivity of the gas turbine casing surfaces is 0.8.
Figure 1. LM2500 Maximum Allowable Casing Temperatures
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Figure 2. Estimated Engine Casing Temperatures for LM2500
Base Load Power, Ambient Temperature = 59qF
Figure 3. Estimated Engine Casing Temperatures for LM2500
Base Load Power, Ambient Temperature = - 20qF
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Figure 4. Estimated Engine Casing Temperatures for LM2500
Base Load Power, Ambient Temperature = 130qF
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If the gas turbine is installed within a building or open room, the room ventilating and cooling system
should be designed to prevent any reingestion of hot exhaust gases into the room. Hot exhaust gases
could prove detrimental to engine control devices, electrical devices and accessory components, as well
as to other peripheral equipment within the room.
Figure 5 describes casing temperature as a function of time after the engine has been shut down. This
figure applies to either (1) an emergency shutdown from full power or (2) a normal shutdown from idle
and is based on no cooling airflow during the shutdown and no radiation from the surrounding surfaces.
Figure 5. LM2500 Estimated Non-dimensional Engine Average
Surface Temperature after Shutdown from Full Power
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Normally a secondary airflow of 15% to 30% of engine airflow is sufficient to keep the gas turbine
exterior surfaces cool. The exact quantity is a function of the air velocity over the engine and the
radiation characteristics of the Purchasers enclosure walls, and must be determined by heat transfer
analysis. Cooling flow initial estimates of 32 lbs/s (14.5 Kg/s) for regions with ambient temperatures
below 85F (30C), and a flow of 35 lbs/s (16 Kg/s) for regions with ambient temperatures above below
85F (30C) are recommended starting points. Air velocity of the cooling air should be at least 9.8 ft/s (3
m/s), average. The cooling air must meet as a minimum the same contaminant limits as the inlet air to
the gas generator.
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Scale model flow tests of the proposed engine cooling system should be considered as a part of the
overall installation design. It is essential that local cooling flow velocities and flow directions through
the engine compartment be considered to ensure a satisfactory installation. Such testing could be
combined with any inlet/exhaust system model testing being done.
In addition to the casing temperature limits, there are limitations on the maximum temperatures of the
electrical and instrumentation devices mounted on the Gas Turbine. Cooling air adjacent to the engine
must be provided to maintain the engine electrical and instrumentation devices within the limits
described below. The controls and accessories are only minor sources of heat. Components containing
fuel and/or oil are cooled by the media they handle while the engine is operating and, therefore, only
heat soak-back after shutdown must be considered for these items. During engine cooldown, the flow of
air through the engine must not be restricted.
During commissioning the Purchaser should arrange to record actual skin temperatures of the
components listed in this Table.

Maximum Allowable Temperatures of Engine Mounted Components.
Component Maximum Temperature, F (C)
Gas Generator Speed Pickup (2) 225 (107)
Lube Supply RTDs 220 (104)
Variable Stator Vane Actuators 350 (177)
Gas Generator Accelerometer Connector 400 (204)
T48 Sensors (At Lug) 600 (316)
T48 Interface Connector 400 (204)
T3 Sensor at Connector 400 (204)
Lube and Scavenge Pump 300 (149)
Chip Detectors 350 (177)
Starter (Optional) 250 (121)
UV Flame Detectors (Optional) 200 (93)
Power Turbine Speed Sensor Connector 400 (204)
Vibration Sensor Connector 400 (204)
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