Starting a Large Turbine Engine

Start-up of a GE LM1500 at the S&S Turbines test cell.
This is an industrial version of the J-79 turbojet, which powers the F-104 Starfighter and the F-4 PhantomII. In those planes, it has an afterburner, but the LM1500 does not.

The LM1500 makes about 15,000 Hp at 7200 rpm, and often runs for months, sometimes years at full power, 24 hours a day, non-stop.

First you hear the electric starter of the turbine-powered start cart.
When fuel flow begins, flames shoot from its exhaust.
This is due to a dirty fuel nozzle, and isn't harmful.

Then you hear the start cart accelerate to full rpm, at which time you hear a whoosh, as it blows air through the large blue hose to the air starter of the 1500.

The 1500 begins to turn, and as it gets to about 2,000 rpm, fuel is introduced and the engine lights off. You can tell when this happens by the heat waves coming out of the nozzle, at the rear. Also, you hear the revs increase more quickly.

The 1500 starts to accelerate, and after it reaches self-sustaining rpm, the operator in the booth gives a signal to the technician, and the start cart is shut down.

The 1500 continues to accelerate until it stabilizes at about 5,000 rpm.

Now you have your basic, idling large gas turbine engine.

To see this same engine cranked up to full power, making about 15,000 Hp, check out the other video I made of it called "Turbine Engine: full power"

You'll notice the earmuffs... they are on top of earplugs, because these things are deafeningly loud. They roar out the back, but have a piercing scream from the compressor (front). The poor camera's mic was unprotected, and that may explain the distorted audio.

We tested a J79 with afterburner in Dec 2006, and you can see that here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qZKKeg7lOr8