The Impact of Turbine Inlet Temperature on Life Cycle Cost Considering Engine Thermodynamic Cycle

The life cycle cost (LCC) of an engine is closely related to its thermodynamic cycle design parameters. This study aims to establish a quantitative relationship between turbine inlet temperature (TIT) of a turboprop engine and its LCC by considering several factors, such as firmware production and maintenance, and thermodynamic cycle schemes. Existing research and experimental results were reviewed and summarized. The correlations between TIT and economic indicators, including production costs, fuel consumption rate and maintenance costs, were formed with the help of both thermodynamic analysis of the engine and the empirical results of economical, constructing a quantitative model linking LCC to TIT. A cost-effectiveness analysis based on the PW123 turboprop engine indicated that an optimal TIT exists which minimizes the cost per unit power. Results show that increasing the compressor pressure ratio reduces the LCC per unit power but does not alter the TIT corresponding to the minimum LCC. In contrast, increasing the regenerator effectiveness reduces the life cycle cost per unit power and increases the TIT corresponding to the minimum LCC.