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Factors affecting Thrust-Effect

of pressure, velocity,
temperature changes of air
entering the compressor
By
S.R.Shyam Sundar

Thrust Equation
Net thrust
where
ma (1+f) ue= momentum thrust
(Pe-Pa) = Pressure thrust

ma = mass flow rate


f = fuel ratio
ue = exhaust velocity
u = flight speed
Pe = Pressure at exit

Factors affecting the thrust


Air velocity (forward speed)
Engine RPM
Mass air flow
Fuel flow rate
Temperature
Altitude & Density
Bleed air and power extraction

Air speed
Engine benefits from a ram effect.
At high speeds (greater than M=0.4) air becomes compressible
producing an area of relatively high pressure in the intake.
Drag also increases with speed but the ram effect dominates.

Engine RPM

Very little thrust is developed at low rpm as compared with the high
thrust at high rpm
Amount of air pumped by compressor is the function of its rpm

Mass air flow


The most significant variable in the thrust equation is mass air flow.
Many factors affect the mass airflow, the most important being air
temperature, pressure, because these factors determine the density of
the air entering the engine & ram effect.

Fuel flow rate


Fuel flow rate determines energy transferred to the flow.
Burning of more fuel results in increased thrust.

Air Density & the effect of Temperature & Pressure


Air density has a profound effect on the thrust produced. The volume of the
air flowing through the engine is relatively fixed for any particular rpm by
the size and geometry of the inlet duct system. But since the thrust is
determined by mass, not the volume of air, any increases in its density
increases the mass and thus the thrust.
As the temperature of the air increases its density decreases. Therefore the
thrust produced by the engine decreases.
As the air pressure increases, its density increases, causing thrust produced
by the engine to increase.
Density ratio= K (P/T)

Altitude effect
Altitude has a double effect on thrust. As the altitude increases, the air
becomes colder and denser, up to the beginning of stratosphere. This causes
the thrust to increase.
But at the same time, the increase in altitude causes decrease in pressure,
thus a decrease in density and corresponding decrease in thrust. Since the
loss of thrust caused by decreasing pressure is greater than the increase
caused by decreasing temperature.
Thus the thrust decreases as the
aircraft ascends.

Bleed air and power extraction

Engines equipped with the cabin pressurization ,


secondary flows need the bled air from compressor
This results in low pressure in the burner and lower mass
flow at the nozzle and thus reduction in the thrust

Effect of pressure
Air enters the compressor at a pressure less than the ambient
This can be over come by the ram effect as the airplane speed
increases
Hence there will be a considerable increase in total pressure in the
successive stages of compression.
Ratio of fuel flow, exit area of the nozzle determines the pressure ratio
The density increases with increase in pressure.

Effect of temperature
Air enters the compressor at the sea level temperature of 150C
Due to compression temperature gradually climbs to a point
determined by the number of compressor stages.
Increase in temperature decreases the density of the intake air hence
the power needed to compress the increases resulting in the thrust
decrease.

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