2/3/2015

Gas Turbine and Jet Propulsion

Xin Zhang
Room: 2577C.
Telephone: (852) 3469-2220
Email: aexzhang@ust.hk

1.1. Introduction to propulsion

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Why propulsion
Aircraft is a feasible alternative for long distance travel (>3 hrs)
Aircraft is a good option for high-speed travel (>300km/h)

What is propulsion
To push forward or drive an object forward
Thrust is generated through the application of Newton's ? law of
action and reaction.
In an aircraft engine a working fluid is accelerated and the reaction to
this acceleration produces a thrust force on the engine

Momentum
Net force on CV = Momentum flux out Momentum flux in

Control Volume (CV)

Momentum in

Momentum out

Thrust is produced if there is an increase in momentum of the

working fluid

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The environmental impact of air transport

Environmental noise a local nuisance near airports*, a
major constraint on the growth of air transport
NOx emissions a threat to local air quality and public
health
Carbon emissions (fuel burn) a contributor to global
warming .. currently 3% of global carbon emissions +
contrails
* En route noise may be an issue with new propulsion systems
5

WHO guidelines for community noise

Noise-induced hearing impairment
Interference with speech communication
Sleep disturbance
Cardiovascular and physiological effects
Mental health effects
effects of noise on performance
effects of noise on residential behaviour and
annoyance
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Newtons laws of motion

First law
= 0

=0

Second law
=

When viewed in an inertial reference frame, an object

either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant
velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.
The vector sum of the forces on an object is equal to
the mass m of that object multiplied by the acceleration
vector of the object

Third law

When one body exerts a force on a second body, the

second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in
magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body

Lateral and longitudinal accelerations

Longitudinal acceleration:
a=

V1 V1
=
t
s

V2
R

Lateral acceleration:
V1
2

a=

V2
R

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Classification of gas turbine engines

There are four main types of aerospace propulsive devices:

Piston engine
Gas turbine engines
Ramjets
Rockets

Airbreathing

The list is given in ascending order of vehicle flight speed.

Method of thrust generation

In addition to thermodynamic cycle, the method of thrust
generation can differ for each of these engines
Engine type

Working
fluid

Cycle

Thrust generation

Piston

Air

Intermittent

Propeller, rotor

Gas turbine

Air

Continuous

Jet, fan, propeller, rotor

Ramjet

Air

Continuous

Jet

Rocket

Various

Continuous

Jet

Newtons 2nd law of motion

Force = rate of change of momentum

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Variants and hybrids

Obvious examples
Turbine powered

Turbojet
Turbofan
Turboprop and turboshaft
Propfan

Non-continuous combustion

Less obvious hybrids

Turboramjet
Turborocket
Ram-rocket
Liquid air cycle engines (LACE)

Q. What dictates choice of engine types?

A1: Vehicle mission vs. engine capability
The vehicle must operate within a flight corridor which is governed by
Lift limit (loss of lift at high altitude and/or low speed)
Aerodynamic force limit (excessive structural loading at high speed and
low altitude)
Temperature limit (excessive aerodynamic heating at high speed)

Engine capability is determined by

Ability to provide sufficient thrust
Ability to operate with adequate fuel economy, as indicated by, for
example, the engines specific impulse:
=

where FN is the thrust, is the total mass flowrate of stored propellant

(fuel+oxidiser), and is the Earths gravitational constant at sea level.

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Q. What dictates choice of engine types?

A2: Economics
Development cost
Purchase cost
Operation cost

A3: Reliability and safety

Mean time between overhaul (MTBO)
Mean time between failure (MTBF)

A4: Technology and legislation

Aerothermodynamics
Materials
Emissions
Others (fuels, lubrication, cooling).

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Rocket propulsion
Combustion
chamber

Propelling nozzle

Combustion
chamber

Propelling nozzle

Fuel
O2

Rocket propulsion

Fuel
O2

Working fluid is the exhaust products (no momentum in)

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Propeller propulsion

Air

Propeller propulsion

Air

Working fluid is Air (momentum inflow from incoming air)

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Lorins concept for jet propulsion (1913)

Combustion
chamber

Air

Fuel

Propelling nozzle

Exhaust

Lorins concept for jet propulsion (1913)

Combustion
chamber

Air

Fuel

Propelling nozzle

Exhaust

Working fluid is Air & Exhaust gases

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Lorins concept for jet propulsion (1913)

Combustion
chamber

Air

Fuel

Propelling nozzle

Exhaust

No rotating parts ~ Ramjet principle

Requires high speed flight velocity

Whittles turbo-jet 1930

(Co-inventor Ohain 1936)
Combustion
chamber

Turbine Propelling nozzle

Compressor

Vin

Exhaust

Vjet

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Whittles turbo-jet 1930

(Co-inventor Ohain 1936)
Combustion
chamber

Turbine Propelling nozzle

Compressor

Vin

Exhaust

Vjet

The compressor and the turbine are

turbomachines: Machines which transfer
energy from or to working fluid through the
fluid-dynamic action of rotating blade-rows

Whittles turbo-jet 1930

(Co-inventor Ohain 1936)
Combustion
chamber

Turbine Propelling nozzle

Compressor

Vin

Exhaust

Vjet

Thrust ~ mass flow x (Vjet Vin)

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Gas turbine cycle

2

3 4

P3
Turbine entry
temperature

3
P2

5
2
Entropy
Work input to actual compressor is greater than work input for the ideal one!
Actual turbine produces less work than the reversible, adiabatic one!

Gas turbine cycle

=

Work out Heat in Heat out

=
Heat in
Heat in
P3

Turbine entry
temperature

P2
Heat in

Entropy

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Gas turbine cycle

=

Work out Heat in Heat out

=
Heat in
Heat in
P3

Turbine entry
temperature

P2

Heat out

Entropy

Gas turbine cycle

=

Work out Heat in Heat out

=
Heat in
Heat in
P3

Turbine entry
temperature

P2

Useful work+
Lost work

Entropy
Lost work

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Gas turbine cycle

=

Work out Heat in Heat out

=
Heat in
Heat in
P3

Turbine entry
temperature

P2

Useful work+
Lost work

Entropy
Lost work

Gas turbine cycle

Work out Heat in Heat out

=
Heat in
Heat in

Turbine entry
temperature
As turbine entry temperature (TET)
and pressure ratio rises useful work
to heat input rises

Pressure ratio

Higher efficiency
Higher specific work ~ thrust : weight

Useful work+
Lost work

Entropy
Lost work

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