Engine Simulation of AIRBUS A320 IAE 2500-A1

Objective
This coursework describes the modelling of a turbofan engine using a general purpose objectoriented simulation tool.
MATLAB is a tool that can be adapted to different fields through the creation of reusable
modelling component libraries representing parts or equipment of a physical system. These
libraries are developed using an object-oriented language. A flexible graphical user interface
allows for quick implementation of new models and rapid analysis of results. The turbofan
model developed is used for both steady state and transient performance simulation. Results
are presented and compared to those produced by an industry-accepted model. The possibility
to include the adaptively feature of the model to measured values is also demonstrated.

Description and specification:

Jet Engine is the gas turbine application for aircraft propulsion. Basic principle in a jet engine
is to accelerate a mass of fluid in the direction opposite to motion and thereby propelling the
aircraft forward by the thrust generated.
Turbofans are widely used engines for the modern civil-aircraft propulsion. A turbofan engine
is based on the principle that for the same power, a large volume of slower-moving air will
produce more thrust than a small volume of fast-moving air. Turbofan engines are of the
types separate jets turbofan and mixed turbofan with afterburner.

In the turbofan engine, the first compressor is termed a fan and supplies flow to a bypass as
well as a core stream. The core stream is the same as that of a turbojet and provides the hot
thrust; however, the core turbines also provide power to compress the fan bypass stream. The
bypass stream passes through the bypass duct, incurring a small total pressure loss. It then

enters the cold nozzle in the case of separate jets. The total thrust is the sum of those from
both the hot and cold nozzles. The purpose of the bypass stream of air is to generate
additional thrust with a high mass flow rate than to the low jet velocity, which improves
specific fuel consumption (SFC) relative to a pure turbojet. However, this results in lower
ratios of engine thrust to frontal area and weight. In the case of the mixed turbofan engine,
the core gas and the by-pass air streams are combined in a mixer upstream of a common jet
pipe with an afterburner and convergentdivergent nozzle to provide high jet velocities for
supersonic flight. It is often also beneficial to mix the two streams for turbofans without
afterburners.
The IAE-V2500 is a two shaft high-bypass turbofan engine which powers the Airbus A320family. V2500-A1 engine contains a 8-stage High pressure and 4-stage Low pressure axial
compressor and two-stage turbine (one high pressure and one low pressure). Its advanced
combustion chamber and 1.587m fan diameter offers a thrust range of 111Kilo Newton. A
high ratio of air flowing through the core engine, called the Bypass ratio, makes the V2500A1 engine more efficient.
IAE-V2500-A1 Turbofan Engine specification
Total Thrust
Bypass Ratio
Compression Ratio
Fan Diameter
Total Length
Weight
Specific Fuel Consumption at Max. Power
Number of Shafts

111Kilonewton
5.4 : 1
35.8 : 1
1.587m
3.2m
2327Kg
0.39
2

Introduction
A basic turbojet engine with an inlet, axial compressor, combustor, axial turbine and a
converging nozzle is built in MATLAB. Complete description of these components and their
dynamics is explained in this chapter.
The engine model is based on component volume dynamics. Isentropic processes are
assumed for the diffuser and the converging nozzle. Actual performance of the components in
the form of performance maps for the compressor and turbine are used. Every component is
described by the steady state characteristics, followed by a fictitious volume where mass and

energy storage takes place. Figure 2 shows the station numbering of the mathematical model
for the engine.
A mathematical model, based on the lumped parameter approach is used from the unsteady
one dimensional conservation laws described by a set of first-order differential and algebraic
equations. MATLAB Scripts were used for representing the component performance
characteristics from the performance maps and this data is used for the interpolation of the
real-time performance. Program representation for each component is explained along with
their dynamics.

Station numbering of turbofan engine.

Baseline Performance Analysis of V2500-A1 Turbofan Engine

Cycle Analysis:
The assumptions for the analysis of the turbofan engine cycle with losses are as follows:
1)
2)
3)

Perfect gas upstream of main burner with constant properties c , Rpc , Cpc , etc.
Perfect gas downstream of main burner with constant properties t , Rpt , Cpt , etc.
All components are adiabatic (no turbine cooling).

The T-s diagram of turbine engine with losses.

4) The efficiencies of the compressor, fan, and turbine are descried through the use of
(constant) polytrophic efficiencies ec

, ef , and et, respectively.

The steps involved in cycle analysis for fan stream of turbofan engine.
Fan Stream
Step 1: Uninstalled thrust of the fan stream Ff is given by

m
g

19

V
0

19

19

(1)

Rearranging gives:

a
g

0
c

V
a

19

19

19

1 P0
0

19

(2)

Step 2:

V 19

a
0

2
2
a 19 M 19 T 19 M 219
T0
a 20

(3)

M
Step 3:

19

Pt19
2

c 1 P19

c 1 c

(4a)

P
P

t19

P

P

19

where

19

fn

(4b)

T t19
T 19
T t19 T 0
T0
1 c
T t19
T0
Pt19 c
T 19
P19

Step 4:
(5a)

T
T

t19

Where

(5b)

Engine Core Stream

Step 1: Uninstalled thrust

m V
10

10

m V
c

A P
10

10

P
0

(6)

Rearranging gives:

F c a0 m10 V 10
A10 P10 1 P0
M
0

gc
a0
P10

mc
mc
mc

(7)

m10 1 f

mc
Step 2:

(8a)

Where

m10 mc mb mITB

(8b)

f f b f ITB
(8c)

b
fb m

mc

(8d)

f ITB

mITB
mc
(8e)

Step 3:

A10 P10 1 P0

.
P

10
mc

Multiplied by

10

a0 a0
m10
A10 V 10 c R c T 0
(9)

rearranging gives:

T 10
A10 P10 1 P 0 1 f Rt
T 0 a0

gc
P10
R c V 10

mc
a0

Step 4:

P10

(10)

Uninstalled thrust for the engine core becomes:

F c a0 1 f V 10
M 0 1 f

gc
a
0
mc

Step 5.

1 P0

V 10

a0

M 210

T 10

Rt
T 0 1 P0 1
Rc V 10
P10 c

a0

(11)

t Rt T 10
c Rc T 0
(12)

From the total pressure and mach number relation

10

P t10
2

t 1 P10

(13)

T t10

T 10
T t10 T 0
T0

T t10
T0
P t10
t
T 10
P10

where

t
(14a)

Pt10 P 0
r d LPC HPC b HPT ITB LPT n
P10
P10
(14b)

T t10
r d LPC HPC b HPT ITB LPT n
T0
(14c)

(Isentropic)

Tt 4
T0 r HPC LPC

(Isentropic)

Step 6: Applying the First Law of Thermodynamics and ideal gas relation to the
main burner, neglecting kinetic and potential energy changes:

C
h
pc T t 3
PR b
b
mc
mb
m4 C pb T t 4

(15)

T t0
mc C pc T 0 T t 2

Multiplying the above equation with

c r

, and re-arranging gives:

b hPRb f b
1 f b b
C pc T 0
(16)

fb

c r b
h PRb
b b
C pc T 0

Solving for fb

(17a)

b
where

C pb T t 4
C pc T 0

T t0 T t2
;

for the case adiabatic (17b)

 c HPC LPC
(17c)

Step 8: Applying the first law to each individual compressor and turbine, neglecting kinetic
and potential energy changes:
.
.
W LPC mc C pc T t 2.5 T t 2

Power balance for LPC:

W HPC

Power balance for HPC:

W HPT

Power balance for HPT:

m. C pc T t 3 T t 2.5
c
m. C pb m HPT T t 4 T t 5
4

.
.
W LPT m6 C pt m LPT T t 6 T t 7

Power balance for LPT:

(18)

(19)

(20)

(21)

.
.
W f m F C pc T t13 T t 2

Power balance for Fan:

(22)

W HPC W HPT
For an ideal turbofan the work relation is given by:

(23)

1
.

mc C pc T t 2.5

Multiplying both sides by

HPC

gives:

C pb
1 f b HPC b m HPT 1 HPT
C pc
(24)

HPT 1

Solving for HPT:

1 HPC
C pb
HPC b m HPT
C pc

(25a)

Tt 4
T0 r c

b
where

(26b)

LPT,LPC, and the fan are connected by a single shaft; therefore for an ideal turbofan, the
.

W LPC

W. W.
f
LPT

work relation is given by:

(27)

1
.

Multiplying both sides by

LPC

mc C pc T t 2

1 f 1

gives:

C pt
1 f T t 6 m LPT 1 LPT
C pc
T t2
(28)

LPT 1

1 LPC 1 f
1 f C pt T t 6 m LPT
C pc T t 2

Solving for LPT:

Where

(29a)

T t6
LPC HPC b HPT ITB
T t2

ITB

(30b)

Tt 6
T0 r c b HPT
(31c)

Step 9:

The total uninstalled thrust per unit mass flow rate intake is given by:

Fc FF
.
.
F
m
m
F
c
.
1
m0
Step 10:

The thrust specific fuel consumption S is give by:

(32)

f ITB

F m.
0

(33)

Component Hierarchy of turbofan engine

Modelling Method
The first step in creating a model of a physical system is to identify the components and ports
to be modelled. Identification of components and ports stems from the nature of the modelled
system and the laws that govern its operation. The modular nature of a turbofan engine makes
this identification a straight forward process. Above figure shows the various components and
the type of ports (interfaces) of a basic gas turbine library, used in the construction of the
turbofan engine model. The component hierarchy adopted (order of inheritance) aims to
reduce code duplication and enhance code re-use of existing and tested components. A key
concept in this respect is the use of abstract components; these do not represent physical
components but rather hold data and methods that other components inherit from them. It
should be noted that a hierarchy tree such as the one shown in figure is not static, but it
evolves and can be continuously optimised as the library expands, by moving components
along the line according to their functionality. Next, the modelling of the ports and
components is described and the methods for dynamic and adaptive modelling are presented.

CONCLUSIONS
An object-oriented simulation environment was used to create a re-usable
library

of

gas

turbine

engine

components.

complete

aero-

thermodynamic model of a typical civil two spool turbofan engine was

developed in the form of MATLAB Script. The results agree well with those
produced by an industry-accepted model. Further transient simulations

were performed to study the sensitivity of the model predictions to

various dynamics effects.