UNIT - V

JET PROPULSION
 JET PROPULSION
Thrust/ propulsive force: force required to propel the aircraft forward at a
given speed.
Propeller: It is an indirect reaction device. A propeller handles relatively large mass of
air and accelerates it to rear ward at comparatively low speed. It is reaction to the rate
of change of momentum of mass of air, known as thrust which propels the aircraft, the
function of the engine being only to revolve the propeller at desired speed.
Jet propulsion system : when the work output of a gas turbine plant is used to produce
high velocity jet of hot gases and this jet is used to propel the vehicle in which systems
are mounted, such systems are known as Jet propulsion systems.
Propulsive devices Air breathing engines(ABE)
Air Breathing Non- Air Uses atmospheric as the main
Engines(ABE) Breathing fluid e.g: Aircraft engines.
engines(NABE)
Non-air breathing
Turbo jet engines(NABE)
Turbo fan Uses its own propulsive agent
Turbo prop Rockets
(liquid/solid) capable to
Ram jet operate beyond earth’s
Pulse jet atmosphere. e.g: rockets.
 Air breathing engines

Indirect
Indirect direct reaction DirectDirect
reactionreaction
• Propeller (only Indirect) • Turbo jet
• Turbo fan ( only direct) • ATHODYD
ATHODYD
• Turbo propeller (aero thermodynamic duct )
(combination of both indirect Ram jet
& direct) Pulse jet
Non- Air Breathing Engines(NABE)

Rockets

Solid propellant Liquid propellant

• Mono propellant
• Bi- propellant
 Operational Envelopes
Each engine type will operate only within a certain range of altitudes and Mach
numbers (velocities).
the approximate velocity and altitude limits, or corridor of flight, within which
airlift vehicles can operate. The corridor is bounded by a lift limit, a temperature
limit, and an aerodynamic force limit.
Operational Envelopes
Screw propeller( only Indirect Turbo jet(only direct)-no propeller
reaction)
Gas turbine power plant produces
The gas turbine unit is used just sufficient power to drive
Full expansion of gases takes compressor by partial
expansion in the turbine.
place in the turbine and Gases coming out from
total power developed by turbine which are at high
turbine is used to drive temperature and pressure is
the compressor and the expanded in a nozzle and
propeller. Power supplied produces a very high velocity
jet which gives a forward
to propeller is controlled motion to the aircraft by jet
by controlling the supply reaction. Turbo jet has higher
of fuel in the combustion propulsion efficiency at higher
chamber. speeds.
Suitable for aircrafts at 800kmph,
pilot passenger, long distance
aircrafts, military aircrafts,
guided missiles.
 Turbo propeller
(combination of indirect &direct reaction device)
(propeller + jet assistance.)

• The turbo pro system used in

aircrafts. In this system the gases
are partly expanded in turbine
and partly in the nozzle. Nearly
80% expansion takes place in
turbine and remaining 20%in
nozzle. total power developed by
turbine is used to run compressor
and propeller. Forward motion is
given partly by propeller and
partly by jet produced by the
nozzle.
• Turbo propellers are efficient
propulsion devices for speed up
to 600kmph.
Turbo jet engine Screw Propeller engine
 Differences between turbojet and
turbo prop.
Turbo jet Turbo propeller
• All the air passes through the core • A propeller and a gear reducer is
engine, no propeller is used attached with turbine. Air flow rate
• Thrust developed is only due to jet is very high
• Supersonic or sonic speeds can be • Thrust developed by propeller 80%
attained and jet 20%
• Less power is produced. Turbine power • Only subsonic about M<0.8
is utilized by compressor alone.
• Weight & cost of Mfg. is less • More power is produced
• Efficiency is more, propelling at & • Weight & cost of Mfg. is more
above 800kmph. • High propulsive efficiency at low
• Poor fuel economy at low speeds speeds.
• Low take off thrust and poor starting • High fuel economy at low speeds
characteristics
• High take off thrust and good
• At high speeds there is no shock and propelling efficiency.
vibrations
• Speed and altitude are not limited • At high speeds there is shock and
flow separation
• Speed and altitude are limited.
 Turbo fan engine
All commercial jet aircrafts are turbo fans.
Low fuel consumption
Turbofan exhaust gas veocity < turbojet exhaust gas
velocity
Turbo prop and Turbo Fan
COMPARISON BETWEEN TURBOPROP AND TURBOFAN
Turboprop Turbo Fan
• Un-ducted fan is installed and • Small fan is installed
also diameter of the propeller is • High flight speed
more • Bypass air is 5-6 times that of
• Relatively low flight speed airflow through core engine.
• Air flow through propeller is 25- Bypass ratio is low.
50 times that of airflow through • Gear reduction is not necessary
the core engine. Bypass ratio is • Produces thrust by both hot jet
high. and from main nozzle and cold jet
• Thrust produced is due to bypassed through outer nozzle.
propeller and hot jet. • Propeller efficiency is low
• Gear reduction is necessary • Weigh per unit thrust is low
• Prpeller efficiency is high • Thrust specific fuel consumption
• Thrust speicific fuel consumption is higher.
is low
 RAMJET ENGINE(Lorin tube)
no compressor, no turbine,
ATHODYD-aero thermodynamic duct.
A ramjet, sometimes referred to as a flying stovepipe or an athodyd (an abbreviation
of aero thermodynamic duct), is a form of airbreathing jet engine that uses the engine's
forward motion to compress incoming air without an axial compressor or a centrifugal
compressor. Because ramjets cannot produce thrust at zero airspeed, they cannot move
an aircraft from a standstill. A ramjet-powered vehicle, therefore, requires an assisted
take-off like a rocket assist to accelerate it to a speed where it begins to produce thrust.
Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 (2,300 mph;
3,700 km/h). This type of engine can operate up to speeds of Mach 6 (4,600 mph;
7,400 km/h).
Engine consists of: Inlet diffuser, combustion chamber and Exit nozzle.
❑ Air entering diffuser is compressed by ramming effect and its kinetic energy is converted into
pressure in the diffuser is called Ram pressure.
❑ Diffuser has converging-diverging profile and air coming out from diffuser has high temp. much
above self ignition of the fuel.
❑ Fuel is injected into and mixed with air. At the end of diffuser a flame holder is provided for flame
stabilization. The stabilized flame ignites the subsequent fresh charge. The burning gases then
passes through the combustion chamber increasing in temp. and volume( and hence in velocity).
At the end of combustion chamber the gases pass through nozzle giving super sonic exhaust jet.
Ram effect: the pressure rise associated with decrease in velocity(deceleration) is called
ram effect.
Air fuel ratio’s: 15:1 are used. This produces exhaust temp. in the range of 2000 to 25000 C.
Application : missiles. Ramjet is always equipped with a small turbo jet which helps in
starting the ramjet.
 Ram effect and Ram pressure
• Simplest form of the thermal jet engine is Ramjet engine.
• It consists of diffuser, combustion chamber and discharge nozzle. There is
no compressor nor turbine.
• Air entering diffuser is compressed by ramming effect i.e. kinetic energy of
entering air is converted into static pressure in the diffuser.
• Diffuser has a convergent-divergent profile and air coming out of diffuser
has high temperature much above self iginition of fuel.
• Both supersonic and subsonic diffusers convert the kinetic energy of the
entering air into pressure rise. This energy transformation is called ram
effect and the pressure rise is called the ram pressure.
Ramjet
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
▪ light in wt., no moving parts, ▪ It will not operate
useful of wide variety of fuels
is possible. statically(i.e. when it is not
▪ Because of simplicity of the moving). Since it needs the
engine, ramjet develops velocity of incoming air for
greater thrust per unit wt. compression. Hence it
than any other propulsion
engines at supersonic speed needs a Turbo jet or rocket
with exception of rocket to boost it up a speed of
engine.
400kmph or more before it
▪ Ram jet is useful for Mach 0.7
to 3.0(850kmph to produce required thrust and
3600kmph). propel itself.
Ramjet

SCRAM JET ENGINE

A scramjet ("supersonic combustion ramjet") is a variant of a ramjet airbreathing jet
engine in which combustion takes place in supersonicairflow. As in ramjets, a scramjet
relies on high vehicle speed to compress the incoming air forcefully before combustion
(hence ramjet), but whereas a ramjet decelerates the air to subsonic velocities before
combustion, the airflow in a scramjet is supersonic throughout the entire engine. That
allows the scramjet to operate efficiently at extremely high speeds.
Ramjet Powered Supersonic Aircraft

German V-2 Bomber

 Pulse jet engine( flying bomb)
(no compressor, no turbine)
can be used for pilot less operation
A pulsejet engine (or pulse jet) is a type of jet engine in which combustion occurs
in pulses. A pulsejet engine can be made with few or no moving parts,and is capable of
running statically (i.e. it does not need to have air forced into its inlet typically by
forward motion).
Pulsejet engines are a lightweight form of jet propulsion, but usually have a
poor compression ratio, and hence give a low specific impulse.
One notable line of pulsejet engines includes the pulse detonation engine which
involves repeated detonations in the engine, and which can potentially give high
compression and reasonably good efficiency.
▪ Air is drawn into the system through a set of valves, and fuel is sprayed into
the incoming air.

▪ Combustion occurs and pressure is built up in the closed combustion region,

closing the inlet valves and then accelerating the column of gas in the tailpipe
outward.

▪ The escape of gases in exhaust permits the combustion gases to expand,

and the inertia of the out moving column of gases leaving the system lowers
the pressure in the combustion chamber, allowing a fresh charge to enter
through the inlet valve and repeat the cycle.

▪ To start this process it is necessary to initiate air flow through the duct, often
with the help of a high pressure air source.

▪ Once started and injected with fuel, the device is self-sustaining, requiring no
further spark. The fuel flow is steady, and ignition is accomplished by the
residual flame.

▪ The frequency of the pulses determines the thrust and depends upon the
volume of the combustion region and the length of the tail pipe.
▪ The pulsejet, usable at subsonic speeds, in its present state of development
is inferior to turbojet in over-all propulsive efficiency.
 Pulsejets - operation
1) A spark plug initiates the combustion process inside the
combustion chamber when the inlet valves are closed
2) Combustion occurs in an enclosed chamber and is
approximately a constant volume process
3) Combustion is nearly an explosion in that enclosed
volume and raises the pressure and temperature to high
values
4) The high pressure and temperature forces the gases to
flow out of the tail pipe and nozzle
5) Evacuation of the combustion chamber results in pressure
drop – that opens the spring loaded inlet valve and air
comes in from the intake
6) The spring loaded inlet valves are normally closed and
open only when the pressure difference across it is
attained.
Operation of Pulse jet

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
▪ propulsion unit is simple and ▪ High vibrations and noise level
cheap for subsonic flights(600 ▪ It can fly for short period of
to 800kmph).
time( 30 to 60min.)
▪ It can produce static thrust
because of compressed air ▪ When the speed
starting and can accept a increases(>800kmph)it would
variety of liquid fuels without be difficult to keep the
affecting performance. shutters in a closed poistion
▪ No compressor and turbine because the ram pressure will
▪ Suitable for one time military be greater than the pressure in
use, can be adopted for combustion chamber.
pilotless aircraft ( German VI ▪ It is propulsion efficiency is
missile(BUZZ BOMB). lower than turbojet engines.
Comparison between Ram jet and Pulse jet engine
Ram Jet Pulse Jet
• Construction is simple, consisits • Consists of mechanical valves and
of diffuser, combustion chamber spring arrangement with diffuser,
and nozzle combustion chamber and nozzle.
• Flow of air is continuous and • Flow of air is intermittent and not
steady thrust is produced. continuous. No steady thrust is
produced.
• Mach number is supersonic • Mach number may be subsonic
• Stagnation temperature is very • Stagnation temperature is
high comparatively less.
• Combustion process is almost at • Combustion is ideally a constant
constant pressure. volume process.
• It does not produce thrust at rest. • It can develop thrust at zero
speed.
• Pulsejet • Similar to ramjet in simplicity, but
operating on different principle, is pulsejet, used in
German V-1.
German HeinkelAircraft
Modern pulsejet powered aircraft
 The BrahMos (designated PJ-10) is a Akash (Sanskrit: Ākāśa "Sky") is a medium-
medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise range mobile surface-to-air missile
missile

BrahMos shown at IMDS 2007 Akash missile being test fired from Integrated Test Range
Type Cruise missile (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha
Air-launched cruise missile Type Mobile Surface-to-air missilesystem
Anti-ship missile
Land-attack missile Place of origin India
Surface-to-surface missile Service history
In service 2009-present
Used by Indian Army
Place of origin India / Russia Indian Air Force
Production history
Service history
Designer DRDO
In service November 2006
Manufacturer Ordnance Factories Board
Used by Indian Army Bharat Dynamics
Indian Navy Bharat Electronics
Indian Air Force
Produced 2009-present
[1]
Production history No. built 3000 missiles
Manufacturer BrahMos Aerospace Specifications
[1]
Limited Propellant integral rocket motor/ramjet
Unit cost US$2.73 million booster and sustainer motor
[2]
Variants Ship-launched Operational 30 km (19 mi)
Surface-launched range
Submarine-launched Flight ceiling 18 km (59,000 ft)
Air-launched [2]
Speed Mach 2.5
BrahMos-II
A Pratt & Whitney U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles An F-15 with its two
F100 turbofanengine intake ramps in
for the F-15 different positions
Eagle being tested in
the hush
house at Florida Air
National Guard base.
The tunnel behind
the engine muffles
noise and allows
exhaust to escape.
 Concorde supersonic passenger plane

is a British-French turbojet-
The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde

powered supersonic passenger airliner that was operated from 1976 until
2003. It had a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04, with seating for
92 to 128 passengers.
Introduced: 21 January 1976
Retired: 24 October 2003
Top speed: 2,179 km/h
Engine type: Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593
First flight: 2 March 1969
Did you know: The final flight of a Concorde worldwide took place on
26 November 2003 with a landing at Filton, Bristol, UK.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
RAMJET AND PULSEJET
RAMJET PULSEJET
• It does not use non return • It uses non return shutter
shutter valves. valves
• These are self-starting
• These are not self-starting
• These are suitable for subsonic
• It can travel at supersonic speeds
speeds • Partly the combustion is done
• Flow of air and combustion is supersonic diffuser section
and remainder is done in
are continuous subsonic diffuser section
• Since it is suitable for the • Entire combustion is done at
subsonic speeds, subsonic diffuser section.
 Rockets propulsion
# carry both fuel & oxidizer
# doesn't depend upon atmosphere(envinorment)
# high thrust is produced
# can operate in vacuums
• Applications:
– Signalling and fire works display
– Long range artillery
– JATO( jet assisted takeoff): giving additional thrust during takeoff
eg. Ramjet engine.
– All type of guided missiles
– Launching of satellites
– For space ships
– Weather and sounding rockets (to carry weather monitoring
instruments to space)
– Aircraft propulsion
 Classification of Rockets
• Based on sources of energy employed:
– Solar rockets
– Nuclear rockets
– Chemical rockets
– Electrical rockets.

• On the basis of propellant

– Liquid propellant
– Solid propellant
– Hybrid propellant

• On the basis of applications

– Space rockets
– Military rockets
– Weather OR sounding rockets
– Aircraft propulsion.

• On the basis of number of stages

– Single stage rockets
– Multi stage rockets

• On the basis of size and range

– Short range small rockets
– Long range large rockets.
 Propellant rockets
i)Solid propellants ii)Liquid propellants

i) Heterogeneous or composite i) Mono propellant:

Liquid propellant contains both fuel+
propellants: oxidizer
ii) Bi- propellant:
Oxidizer Fuel & oxidizer stored separately
Nitrates and perhlorates in cylinders.

Fuel Commonly used oxidizers:

Polymers,plastic,polyvinylchloride liquid oxygen(LOX),
hydrogenperoxide, tetraoxide,
ii) Homogeneous propellants nitric oxide.

oxidizer + fuel Commonly used fuels:

Nitro glycerine, nitrocellulose Gasoline, liquid hydrogen,
hydrazine, ethylalcohol, liquid
fluorine.
iii) Hybrid propellant: liquid oxidiser + solid fuel.
 Solid propellant rockets
Use solid fuel + solid oxidizer as propellants
Solid fuel: plastic or resin materials
Oxidizer: nitrates or perchlorates etc.
Fuel and oxidizer are mixed in a single propellant grain and
packed into a steel shell or case.
A cylindrical star shaped cavity is provided for combustion in
the centre along the axis.
Liner isprovided between case and propellants to protect the
case from high temperature. Igniter is located at top to
start the combustion or chemical reaction between fuel
and oxidizer, once flame front is established combustion is
self sustaining.
Solid propellant rockets are comparately simple and higher
Adv: no moving parts, no need of feed system, lighter for short range.
Dis advantages: it is to be large to store entire propellant & strong enough
to with stand high pressures and temperatures. Suitable for short
durations. (Pressures= 40 to 140 bar & temperature = 16000C to 30000C)
 Liquid propellant rockets
Propellants are in liquid state
Propellants are stored in containers outside the combustion chamber.
Propellants are injected into combustion chamber where combustion
takes place.
Hot gases are expanded through nozzle and finally ejected to atmosphere
with a very high velocity.
Reaction of high velocity gas jet produce thrust on the rocket engines.
Liquid propellant is also used to cool the rocket engine by circulating fuel
around the walls of combustion chamber and nozzle. This reduces
temp. and CC walls and nozzle and prevent failures.
Cooling also allows for use of inexpensive material for combustion
chamber.
Liquid propellant rockets are used for high specific impulse and long
firing time are desired.
Application: aircrafts, missiles space flights, space ships
Advantages:
Duration of operation can be increased
Cooling retains material strenght and allows to use less expensive materials.
Size of combustion chamber is small
Ability to discontinue the combustion at any time is possible.
Easy to control rocket by controlling propellant flow.
Disadvantages:
Design is complex & costly
They require feed pumps.
Highest heat value
low toxicity and corrosiveness
Reliable and smooth ignition
Stability and ease of handling and storing

Oxidizer Fuel
Liquid oxygen Liquid hydrogen
Nitric acid Ethyl alcohol( ethanol)
Gasoline
Aniline
Differences between solid propellant and liquid
propellant rockets.
Solid propellant Liquid propellant
rocket rocket
Fuel and oxidizers are premixed Liquid fuel and liquid oxidizer are
to form a charge stored separately
Used for short duration Used for longer duration
Simple in design and does not Complex in design and requires
require pumps & controls. pumps and controls
Difficulty to control burning as Easy to control as well as cooling
well as cooling of of combustion chamber
combustion chamber
Size of combustion chamber is Size of combustion chamber is
large for a given output smaller for a given out put
Easy to handle the unit. Difficult to handle the unit.
Cryogenic:
Liquid oxygen (LOX, O2) and liquid hydrogen (LH2, H2) : –
Space Shuttle main engines,
Ariane 5 main stage and the Ariane 5 ECA second stage,
BE-3 of Blue Origin's New Shepard,
first and second stage of the Delta IV,
Ares I, Saturn V's second and third stages, Saturn IB, and Saturn I as well
as Centaur rocket stage, the first stage and second stage of the H-II, H-IIA, H-
IIB, and upper stage of the GSLV Mk-II and GSLV Mk-III.

Liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (CH4) : –

Raptor (SpaceX) and BE-4 (Blue Origin) engines
One of the most efficient mixtures, oxygen and hydrogen, suffers from the
extremely low temperatures required for storing liquid hydrogen (around 20 K
or −253 °C) and very low fuel density (70 kg/m³, compared to RP-1 at
820 kg/m³), necessitating large tanks that must also be lightweight and
insulating.
Lightweight foam insulation on the Space Shuttle external tank led to
the Space Shuttle Columbia's destruction, as a piece broke loose, damaged its
wing and caused it to break up on atmospheric re entry.
 The Geosynchronous Satellite
Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-III),
also referred to as the Launch
The Space Shuttle was a
Ariane 5 is a European heavy- Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) is a three-
partially reusable low Earth
stage medium-lift launch
orbital spacecraft system operated by lift launch vehicle that is part of
vehicle developed by the Indian
the U.S. National Aeronautics and the Ariane rocket family, Space Research
Space Administration (NASA) as part an expendable launch organisation (ISRO). It is designed
of the Space Shuttle program system used to deliver payloads to launch satellites
into geostationary transfer into geostationary orbit and is
orbit (GTO) or low Earth intended as a launch vehicle for
orbit (LEO). crewed missions under the Indian
Human Spaceflight Programme
Orbiter and the
external tank, flanked
by the two solid
rocket boosters
Space Shuttle Endeavour being transported by a Shuttle
Carrier Aircraft
 Thrust Augmentation
turbo jet engines need additional thrust during take-off.
Thrust Augmentation(boosting)
can be achieved by
• Water-methanol injection
• Reheating or after burning • Bleed-burn cycle.
• (An afterburner (or a reheat) is a
component present on some jet
engines, mostly those used
on military supersonic aircraft. Its
purpose is to provide an increase
in thrust, usually for supersonic
flight, takeoff, and combat situations.
Afterburning is achieved by injecting
additional fuel into the jet pipe
downstream of (i.e. after)
the turbine. Afterburning
significantly increases thrust at the
cost of very high fuel consumption
and decreased fuel efficiency,
limiting its practical use to short
bursts)
Reheating or After burning Water-methanol injection:
Turbo jets operate with 4 to 5 times as much A mixture of water and methanol is injected
air as is required for combustion of fuel to into combustion chamber
limit gas temperature at the entrance to Water evaporates and there is an increase in
turbine. Thus turbine exhaust has enough mass flow giving greater thrust. Loss of
water is compensated by dissociation
air to support for further combustion.
effect of methanol (alternatively)
Availability of excess air in the exhaust of Water is injected into compressor. This
turbo-gas turbine allows burning of increases the compressor pressure ratio in
additional fuel before it reaches the addition to increased mass flow.
nozzle. This increases mass of gases and Thrust produced is directly proportional to
velocity of exhaust gases which result in mass flow rate ,density of incoming air is
boosting the thrust. substantially increased by cooling i.e.
It is widely used method for thrust mixture of water+ alcohol is sprayed over
agumentation in coming air. evaporation of liquid
extracts heat from in coming air. this
It is simple and increase of 25% of thrust can cooling gives an increase in both pressure
be achieved, however specific fuel ratio and mass flow rate. This results in a
consumption increases considerably. thrust increase by about 20%.
In after burning system fuel is injected into This is used for small thrust augmentation.
gas stream after the turbine.
Bleed – burn:
A small amount of high-pressure air
from compressor is bleed to an
auxiliary combustion chamber by-
passing the turbine.
Additional fuel is burnt in auxiliary
combustion chamber and
products of combustion are
expanded in a separate exhaust
nozzle. This gives additional
thrust to the unit.
This method gives max. thrust
augmentation, but fuel
consumption is high.
Method is used where only for large
take-off thrust is required.