A high speed marine vessel, powered by three LM1600 gas turbine engines, is being converted from a high speed racing vessel to a luxury yacht. The vessel’s geometry is being modified to include a centerline walkway to provide passage to the aft deck.
A scale model of the vessel’s air intake system was tested to determine if the modified design complied with performance specifications determined by the engine manufacturers. It was found that the total pressure loss and distortion of the engine inlet air was within performance limits. However, the swirl angles of the inlet air for the center engine exceeded limits locally.
System modifications were devised and tested to improve the quality of intake air. The modifications decreased swirl angle magnitudes to generally within engine manufacturer’s specifications. Additionally, the expansion of spaces devoted to the other ship systems did not significantly impair the aerodynamic performance of the air intake systems.
