Lecture-3 Prepared under

QIP-CD Cell Project

Jet Propulsion

Ujjwal K Saha, Ph. D.

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
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 Power Generation
At sufficiently large
sizes, gas turbines are
cheaper, lighter and
more efficient than
steam turbines or
engines.

At sufficiently large sizes, gas turbines are

cheaper, lighter and more efficient than steam
turbines or engines. Furthermore, they require less
space and can be quickly brought into operation.

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 They do not require elaborate foundations and can
be dropped on a simple concrete pad. In a matter of
weeks, a gas turbine can be delivered, hooked up to
the grid and a fuel source, and be in operation.

On a day-to-day basis, gas turbines can be started

and operational in a matter of minutes, whereas
steam turbines (and their associated equipment) can
take hours to start-up. For these reasons, gas turbines
have found a niche in the medium sized, peak
generating stations power plants that are turned on
and operated intermittently during periods of high
demand.

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Industrial Uses
Gas turbines can be found in
a number of industrial
processes. One of the more
common applications is driving
the compressors used on
natural gas pipelines. These
units are often automated so
that only occasional on-site
supervision is required.

Small portable gas turbines with centrifugal

compressors have also been used to operate pumps.
They can be found in oil refineries as part of the Houdry
process (where pressurized air, passing over a catalyst
burns off accumulated carbon).
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Marine Applications

Because gas turbines can deliver a lot of power (up

to 20,000 horsepower) while remaining lightweight
and compact, they have been incorporated into the
designs of many types of ships by the worlds navies.
They are also used in merchant ships.

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Transportation

Gas turbines have been tested in locomotives and

automobiles. In spite of their small size and weight
compared to their power output, they have not been
wildly successful because they are inefficient at
partial loads (or idling), and have low thermal
efficiencies.

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 Auxiliary Power Unit

The APU is a small gas turbine located in the tail

cone of an aircraft, which provides energy for
engine start. This is a very classical gas turbine with
centrifugal compressor and multistage axial turbine.
The APU is electrically started (or using compressed
air from auxiliary ground power system) and then
converts energy from compressed air to shaft
power.

To start the system, an air valve is opened by the

start switch after which the operation of the valve
and starter is automatic.

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Auxiliary Power Unit

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Basic Turbojet
Inlet/Diffuser
Compressor
Combustor/Burner
Turbine
Nozzle

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Performance Parameters :
Turbojet
ma = mass flow of air
m f = mass flow of fuel
m = ma + m f
ma >> m f
m f 0
m = ma

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 Ambient pressure p a

pa
pj
Ppropulsive duct
cj
ca
pa
Ca = inlet air velocity (flight speed)
Cj = exhaust jet velocity.
Pa = atmospheric pressure.
Pj = exit pressure.
Aj = exit area.
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 Thrust
Thrust = momentum thrust + pressure thrust

caused by the
pressure forces
acting externally
to the duct.
F = m ( C j C a ) + A j ( p j pa ) (1)
when p j = pa (Optimum expansion)
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(1) F = m( Cj Ca )
F = mCj mCa ( 2)
Net thrust intake
gross
momentum thrust momentum drag

Our assumption
p j = pa

(
F = m C j Ca ) (2)
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either to produce a high C j of small m
or to produce a low C j of high m
{ For required thrust}

Efficient combination of two variables

can be understood by the following
analysis.
Best Combination ????

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Analysis :
Power/ energy input = m f Q f

Power/ energy available = Propulsive power

Power/ energy useful = Thrust power

= m ( C j Ca ) Ca
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 Two Components of Propulsive Power

a) produces the thrust power = thrust power

= m ( C j Ca ) Ca
b) produces a jet with an absolute KE
= m (C j C a )
1 2

m (C j Ca ) C a + m (C j Ca )
1 2
Propulsive Power =
2

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Propulsive Efficiency
Thrust power
propulsive =
Propulsive power
m ( C j Ca ) Ca
=
m ( C j Ca ) Ca + m ( C j Ca )
1 2

2
Ca
=
Ca + (C j Ca )
1
2
2C a
=
C j + Ca
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Now, F = m (C j C a )
2C a
P =
C j + Ca
when C a = 0, F = Maximum, P = 0
(under static condition)
when C j = C a (C j / C a = 1), F = 0,
but P = maximum
C j must be > C a
Difference should not be too high.
This is the reason for the development
of a family of units.
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Propulsive Units

Turboprop
Turbofan Cj
m Turbojet
Ramjet

Fuel Burner Combustion Chamber

Air Intake Propelling Nozzle

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Choice depends on specification
Range of aircraft
Cruise speed
Maximum rate of climb

Significance p : Measure of effectiveness

of propelling a vehicle/aircraft
And NOT the efficiency of
energy conversion.

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Thermal Efficiency
Propulsive power
thermal =
Power input

m ( C j Ca ) Ca + m ( C j Ca )
1 2

= 2
mf Qf

m ( C j Ca ) Ca + ( C j Ca )
1
= 2
mf Qf
2Ca + C j Ca
m ( C j Ca )
= 2
mf Qf

m ( C j 2 Ca 2 )
1
= 2
mf Qf
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 Overall Efficiency

overall = thermal propulsive

m ( C j Ca ) Ca
=
mf Qf

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TSFC and Specific Thrust

Amount of fuel consumed per unit THRUST

m f Kg
TSFC =
F N s

Amount of THRUST produced per unit mass of air

F N S
FSP =
ma Kg

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 mf 1 ma
f = or =
ma f mf
mf
TSFC = compares the engine's
F
performance based on fuel consumption

fm a f
TFSC = =
F FSP

FC a Ca
Also, overall = =
m f .Q f TSFC.Q f
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Specific Thrust :

F
FSP =
ma

gives an indication of the relative size of the

engine producing the same thrust.
Engine Size Thrust Required f ( ma )

ma = ACa
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Summary

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