PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research, Coimbatore

GAS DYNAMICS AND JET PROPULSION

(COMPRESSIBLE FLUID FLOW)

JET PROPULSION

Avinash Kumar R
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
PSG iTech, Coimbatore – 641062
Ph: 8943057433
Email: [email protected]
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 1
UNIT – IV JET PROPULSION
9
Theory of jet propulsion – thrust equation –
Performance parameters - thrust, power and
efficiency. Operation, cycle analysis and
performance of ram jet, turbojet, turbofan, turbo
prop and pulse jet engines.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 2

JET
PROPULSION

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 3

 EARLY AIRCRAFT ENGINES
Besides gliders, balloons and airships were the first airborne
vehicles and therefore first to be propelled; in the beginning they
flew with the winds

Later on attempts were made to propel them by means of

propellers driven by a steam engine and then with battery operated
electric motor

For bigger and faster aeroplanes (heavier than air flying vehicles)
more advanced, powerful and reliable engines were required

Developments in the piston type petrol engines and gas turbines

in the later half of the nineteenth century gave fresh impetus to the
art and craft of aircraft propulsion

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 4

TYPES OF AIRCRAFT ENGINES
All aircraft engines are air breathing in contrast to rocket engines
which carry their own supply of fuel and oxidize

Internal combustion engines of both the reciprocating and turbine

type are used for aircraft propulsion
Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 5

GAS TURBINE ENGINES

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 6

 Ideal Cycle

Actual Cycle
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 7
 Components of Gas Turbine Engines
Compressors
Ambient air is sucked by the compressor (axial or centrifugal type)
through an inlet diffuser; the pressure of the air is raised by the
compressor besides a small rise through the diffuser
The types of compressors, which are commonly used, are of
two types, centrifugal and axial flow types

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 8

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 9
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 10
High pressure air from the compressor supports combustion (2s
— 3) in the combustion chamber; this occurs at constant pressure
in the ideal cycle

The air is supplied in three streams-(a) primary air which is

about 15 per cent of the total, initiates the combustion of the
atomised fuel entering the combustion chamber

About 30 per cent of air (secondary air) is introduced to

complete the combustion

The remaining quantity of air (about 55 per cent) known as

tertiary air is used only to dilute the high fuel-air ratio mixture
and lowering down its temperature to safe limits for the turbine

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 11

The air-fuel ratio of the high pressure and temperature gases
entering the turbine may approximately vary from 50 to 150

The fuel-air mixture is ignited by means of a high voltage device

at the time of starting the engine

Once a flame is established it propagates to other sections of

the combustion chamber

Various methods are employed to stabilize the flame.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 12

Turbines
The hot gases from the combustion chamber at the designed
pressure temperature expand (3 — 4s) adiabatically through one or
more turbine stages and the exhaust nozzle

In the turboprop engine the turbine stages drive the compressor
and the propeller respectively

In the turbojet engine the entire turbine output is consumed in

driving one or more compressors

In the turbofan engine different turbine stages drive the fan and
the compressors separately

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 13

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 14
Tail Pipe
Hot gases after expanding through the turbine enter the exhaust
pipe which is also known as jet pipe or tail pipe

This is provided with a convergent type exhaust or propelling

nozzle where the gases expand further to the ambient pressure

 The velocity at the exit is very high corresponding to higher

values of the pressure ratio across the nozzle: thus the thrust
caused by the exhaust gases is high which is the case in the turbojet
engines

In the turbo prop engines the thrust due to the exhaust gases is
much smaller compared to that produced by the propeller

Heat rejection during the exhaust (4s-1) does not occur within the
engine; therefore, this is not a closed circuit cycle
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 15
After Burner

Exhaust gases from the last turbine stage have a large quantity of
oxygen which can support the combustion of additional fuel

If the thrust of the engine is desired to be increased without

changing the physical dimensions of the compressor. turbine etc.
additional quantity of fuel can be burnt in a section of the jet pipe
to increase the velocity of the jet; this process is known as reheating
or afterburning

In order to obtain favorable conditions for efficient combustion

the velocity of the gases is reduced in the reheat section by
providing a diffuser after the turbine exit

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 16

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 17
Reheating can also be used for a short time to obtain increased
thrust for special purposes such as military operations and take-off

 It should be possible to increase or decrease the cross-sectional

area of the propelling nozzle corresponding to the variation of
volume flow rate due to reheat.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 18

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 19
 Turbo-prop engine

Propfan engine

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 20

The turbo-prop engine
The gas turbine engine drives the propeller (through a reduction
gear) in a turboprop engine

The turbine develops enough power to drive the propeller besides

the compressor

Thrust is produced by the increase in the momentum flux of a

large mass of air passing through the propeller

Since turboprop engines are used in smaller aircrafts at

comparatively lower speeds (u < 800 kmph) the gas turbine engines
employed are small

For low power and flow rates one or two stage centrifugal
compressors are commonly used
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 21
The turbine is of the axial type; separate turbine stages are
sometimes employed to drive the compressors and the
propeller.

The turbine exhaust is allowed to expand in the propelling,

nozzle but the jet thrust is much smaller compared to the
propeller thrust

 The large diameter propellers cannot run at high speeds on

account of mechanical and aerodynamic limitations

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 22

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 23
Some advantages of the turboprop engines are

On account of higher thrust at low speeds the take-off roll is

short requiring shorter runway

The specific fuel consumption (TSFC) based on thrust is low

 Propulsive efficiency within the range of operation is high

Thrust reversal is easily achieved with variable pitch propeller

blades.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 24

The disadvantages are:

Application is limited to lower speeds and altitudes

On account of large diameter propeller the landing gears have to

be longer

 Engine is heavier and more complicated

Use of centrifugal compressor stages increases the frontal area

 Higher weight per unit thrust

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 25

The turbojet engine
The entire engine is housed in a cylindrical shell like casing
which is attached to the wings or the nacelle

The power developed in the turbine stages is wholly consumed in

driving the compressor or compressors and the auxilliaries

The high pressure and temperature gas from the combustion

chamber expands through the turbines and the propelling nozzle
with considerable pressure drop

On account of the large overall pressure ratio required across the
turbine stages and the propelling nozzle the compressor section has
many stages

In some designs the low pressure and high pressure multi-stage
compressors are driven separately by separate turbine stages
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 26
Since the turbojet engine is employed in high speed aircrafts
the static pressure rise through the inlet diffuser is significant

The turbojet engine handles comparatively smaller quantities

of air flow through a large velocity differential

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 27

Some advantages of the turbojet engine are:

 Suitable for long distance flights at higher speeds and altitude

 Lower frontal area and shorter landing gears.

 Lower weight per unit thrust at design speed and altitude.

 Pressure rise through the inlet diffuser is significant.

 Reheat can be employed for increased thrust.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 28

 The disadvantages are:

Take-off roll is longer requiring longer runway

TSFC is comparatively higher at lower speeds and altitudes

Uneconomical on short distance flights

Lower thrust and propulsive efficiency at lower speeds.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 29

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 30
The turbofan engine

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 31

 The turbofan engine with aft fan

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 32

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 33
Some advantages of the turbofan engine are:

 Short take-off roll due to increased thrust at low speeds.

Comparatively quieter engine.

More efficient flow in fan nozzle on account of short length and

low speed.

Weight per unit thrust is lower than the turboprop system.

Thrust is higher than that in turbojet engine.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 34

The disadvantages are:

Increased frontal area and drag

Separate thrust reversers are needed for the hot and cold jets. if
they are separate

TSFC is higher compared to the turboprop engine

Engine is heavier and more complicated compared to the

turbojet engine

Lower speed limit (M< I) than that of the turbojet engine.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 35

Ramjet Engine
When the flight speed of a turbojet engine is very high say in the
range of Mach number 2 to 4 the pressure rise in the diffuser (ram
pressure) is very high

At this flight speed the contribution of the compressor to the

total static pressure rise is insignificant

Therefore. it can be removed from the engine along with its

prime mover—the turbine

In this manner a thrust producing device (engine) is obtained

which does not have compressor and turbine.

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 36

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 37
Pulsejet Engine or Flying Bomb

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 38

Pulsejet engine has the following main advantages:

It is simple in construction and cheap; therefore, it can be mass

produced in a short time

It does not have the turbine and compressor, allowing it to employ
high temperatures

It is suitable for one-time military use

It was used by Germany in the world war as buzz-bomb or V-1

missile

Its chief disadvantages are:

High vibration and noise level

Gas
Limited altitude
Dynamics and Jet and flight speed. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Propulsion 39
THRUST
PROPELLER THRUST

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 40

JET THRUST

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 41

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 42
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 43
 Total Thrust

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 44

Propulsive, Thermal and Overall Efficiencies

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 45

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 46
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 47
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 48
Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 49
Specific Fuel Consumption

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 50

Specific Thrust or Impuse

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 51

Gas Dynamics and Jet Propulsion Department of Mechanical Engineering 52