Status of the Automotive Ceramic Gas Turbine Development Program

A seven-year program, designated “Research and Development of Automotive CGT,” commenced in June 1990 with the object of demonstrating the potential advantages of ceramic gas turbine engines for automotive use. This program has been conducted by the Petroleum Energy Center (PEC) with the support of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. The engine demonstration project in this program is being handled by a team from Japan Automobile Research Institute, Inc. (JARI). This paper describes the activities of the first year of the seven-year program, and includes the project goals and objectives, the program schedule, and the first-stage design of an experimental automotive ceramic gas turbine (CGT) engine and its components. The basic engine is a 100 kW, single-shaft gas turbine engine having a turbine inlet temperature of 1350°C and a rotor speed of 110,000 rpm. The primary engine components including the turbine hot flow path components have been designed using monolithic ceramics and are scheduled to be produced during the second year of the program.