Thermodynamics of Aircraft Jet

Engines
Engine Performance (Efficiencies)
Article: 5.2
Page 149 (text)
 Engine Performance Parameters
[Page 149]

• Engine Efficiencies:
– Propulsion Efficiency
– Thermal Efficiency
– Overall Efficiency
• Take-off Thrust
• Aircraft Range
• Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption
 Propulsion Efficiency (ηp)
• Synonyms: Propulsive, Froude Efficiency
• It is ratio of thrust power to the rate of production
of propellant kinetic energy.
ua
p 

m a 1  f ue 2  ua 2
2 2

… (1)

• A simplified version of eq (1) is obtained by introducing

following approximations:
– f << 1
– In thrust production contribution from the pressure term is
much smaller than the momentum term.
 Propulsion Efficiency (ηp)
• Since:   m a (1  f )ue  ua   Pe  Pa Ae
and ua
p 
   
m a 1  f  ue2 2  ua2 2  … (1)

– Applying the approximations:

  m a ue  ua  … (2)

 ua 
  m a 1  ue … (2a)

 ue 
m a ue  ua ua
– Put (2) in (1) and ignore f : p 
   
m a ue2 2  ua2 2
 Propulsion Efficiency (ηp)
• Simplifying:

p 
ue  ua ua 2ue  ua ua 2ue  ua ua

ue2 2 ua2 2  
ue2  ua2

ue  ua ue  ua 
ua
2
2ua 2ua ue
p    … (3)
ue  ua  1  ua u 1  ua 
e
 u e  ue 
 Propulsion Efficiency (ηp)
• Remember! Propulsion Efficiency (ηp) is in no sense
an overall power plant efficiency because the
unused enthalpy in the jet is ignored
• We derived eqs (2a) and (3) as:
ua
2
 ua  p 
ue
  ma 1  ue
 … (2a) and 1  u a  … (3)
 ue   ue 

• Note that:
– Thrust is maximum when ua = 0, i.e. under static
conditions but ηp is zero.
– ηp is maximum when (ua/ue)= 1, but then thrust is zero.
 Propulsion Efficiency (ηp)
• Conclusions:
– It is not realistic to try to maximize ηp of a jet
engine – other parameters are required to
evaluate it!
– Although ue > ua, the difference should not be
too great because more energy loss in exhaust
occurs.
 Propulsion Efficiency
• Note that propulsion efficiency is:
– A measure of the effectiveness with which the
propulsive duct is being used for propelling the
aircraft.
– It is not the efficiency of energy conversion within
the power plant itself!
 Thermal Efficiency (ηth)
• The conversion of fuel energy into propulsive power
takes place in two stages:
– Fuel energy into gas KE (gas power)
– Gas power into propulsive power
• Some of the gas energy is wasted in the form of:
– Heat in the jet efflux
– Kinetic heating
– Conduction of engine components
– Friction
 Thermal Efficiency (ηth)
• It means that not all the energy released from
the fuel is converted into useful gas power.
• The thermal efficiency of a jet engine is
viewed as:
– The useful work output divided by heat of
combustion of fuel
Wnet
– In terms of energy: th 
Qin
 Thermal Efficiency (ηth)

Wnet
th 
Qin
• For jet engines it is defined as:
Gas Power Produced
th 
Fuel Power Used
• Or
Rate of Increase in KE of Gas Stream
th 
Rate of Energy Release from Fuel
 Thermal Efficiency (ηth)
• Mathematically:
 ue2 ua2 
m a 1  f   
th   2 2
m f QR
• Using definition of fuel-air ratio:
 ue2 ua2 
1  f  2  2  … (5)

th   
fQR
 Thermal Efficiency (ηth)
• For f << 1 (1+ f) ≈1, eq (5) reduces to:
 ue2 ua2 
2  2
th   
1
2 u  ua2
2
e 
f QR f QR
• Finally the thermal efficiency is expressed as:
  u 2

ue 1   2 
2 a

  ue 
th  … (6)

2 fQR
 Thermal Efficiency (ηth)
• For turboprop and turboshaft engines, the thermal
efficiency is expressed as:

Ps
th  … 6(a)

m f QR
• Here: Ps is the shaft power!
Thrust and Efficiencies Comparison
• We had eqs (3) and (6):
2
ua   u 2

ue ue 1   2 
2 a
p    ue 
1  u a  and th 
  2 fQR
 u e

• Also thrust from eq (2a) as:

  m a 1  ua u ue
 e 
• Lets see their dependence on (ua/ue):
 Quick Review
• Net thrust:   m a (1  f )ue  ua   Pe  Pa Ae
• Propulsive efficiency:
– General expression:
ua
p 
   
m a 1  f  ue2 2  ua2 2 
– Full expansion & ignoring fuel-air ratio:
ua
2
ue
p 
1  u a 
 
 u e
 Quick Review
• Thermal efficiency:
– General expression:
 ue2 ua2 
m a 1  f   
th   2 2
m f QR

– Full expansion & ignoring fuel-air ratio:

  ua2 
u 1   2 
2
e
  ue 
th 
2 fQR
Thrust and Efficiencies Comparison
• We had derived the expressions:

  m a 1  ua u ue
 e 
  u 2

2
ua ue 1   2 
2 a
ue   ue 
p  and th 
1  u a  2 fQR
 
 u e

• Lets see their dependence on (u/ue):

Thrust and Efficiencies Comparison
ua
2
ue
p 
ua/ue 0.0 0.5 1.0 1  u a 
 ue 

ηp 0 0.67 1
  ua2 
ηth Max 2 u 1   2 
2
0.375u fQR 0 e
 ue 
th  
e
τ Max 1

2 ma ue
0 2 fQR

Observations:   m a 1  ua u ue

 e 
1. For ua/ue = 0, ηp is zero but ηth is maximum
2. For ua/ue = 1, ηp is maximum but ηth is zero
3. Thrust is maximum under static condition but
decreases to zero as the flight velocity approaches
the flow exhaust velocity!
Thrust and Efficiencies Comparison
• Graphically the trend is represented as:
Propulsive Efficiency Thermal Efficiency
1 1

ηp ηth

Ua/ue Ua/ue
0 0.5 1 0 0.5 1
• Conclusion: comparison is inconclusive, we need some
other parameters to measure the engine performance!
 Overall Efficiency (ηo)
• Ratio of useful work done in overcoming drag to
the energy in fuel supplied.

m a ua ue  ua 
• Thus:
o  … 9(a)

m f QR
• ηo can also be obtained by multiplying ηth and ηp:

o   p th 
2ua

ue  ua ue  ua 
… 9(b)
ue  u a 2 fQR
 Overall Efficiency (ηo)
• Thus:
o 
2ua

ue  ua ue  ua 
ue  u a 2 fQR
ua ue  ua  m a ue  ua ua ua
o   
fQR m f QR m f QR

• For f<<1, it can be shown that:

ua
ue … 9(c)
 o  2th
1  u a 
 
 u e 
 Overall Efficiency (ηo)
• Consider eq 9(a), put m f  fma
• Thus: m aua ue  ua  ua ue  ua2
o  
fm a QR fQR  u  u 2 
ue2  a   a  
• Or  ue  ue  
• Note that: o 
fQR
– At (ua/ue)=1 ηo=0
– At (ua/ue)=0 ηo=0
• ηo is maximum if (ua/ue)=½
• It means that if flight velocity is half of the exhaust velocity
then ηo is maximum!
 Overall Efficiency (ηo)
• Analysis:
– ηo = f (ua/ue & ηth)
– Also ηth depends upon velocity ratio
• It means that efficiency of the aircraft engine is
linked to the aircraft speed.
ηo

0 ½ 1 ua/ue

24
Thermodynamics of Aircraft Jet
Engines
Take-off Thrust and TSFC
Article: 5.2
Page 151 (text)
 Take-off Thrust
• Ability to provide static or low-speed thrust of
an aircraft turbine engine is an important
characteristic.
• It enables the aircraft to take-off under its
own power!
 Take-off Thrust
• Static Thrust:
– Consider general thrust equation:
  m a (1  f )ue  ua   Pe  Pa Ae … (1)

• Introducing assumptions:
– Static conditions i.e. ua=0
– Neglect pressure term in thrust equation
– f<<1 i.e. (1+ f )≈1
• Then eq (1) becomes:   m a ue 
 Take-off Thrust
• Static Thrust:
• Thus specific static thrust becomes:


 ue … (2)
m a
• Equation (2) shows that:
• Specific static thrust (static thrust per unit mass) is
directly proportional to the exhaust jet velocity!
 Take-off Thrust
• Fuel Considerations:
• Lets examine how thrust depends upon
exhaust velocity for a given fuel flow rate!
• This analysis is important:
– To specify difference b/w turbojet, turbofan and
turboprop etc.
– Choice of propulsion system for typical
application.
 Take-off Thrust
• Fuel Considerations:
– We had:
th 
   
m a 1  f  ue2 2  ua2 2  … (3)
m f QR
– For static conditions (ua=0, f<<1), eq (3) becomes:

th 
 

m a ue2 2 m aue ue  … (4)
m f QR 2m f QR
– From eqs (2) and (4):
m aue  m a  ue
th  
2m f QR 2m f QR
 Take-off Thrust
• Fuel Considerations:
– Rearranging: 2thm f QR
 … (5)
ue
– Eq (5) shows that for a given fuel flow and thermal
efficiency (ηth) the take-off thrust is inversely
proportional to the exhaust velocity!
• In other words:
Take-off thrust can be increased by accelerating a
large mass of air to a smaller exhaust velocity!
 Thrust per unit Mass (Sp. Thrust):  m
a

Importance:
• Determines fuel economy
• Roughly determines the engine size for a given thrust
requirement.
• The hot air flow roughly determines the size of basic gas
generator as peak temperature limits (or fuel-air ratio) are
approximately the same for high performance engines.
• Note that ue is related to maximum temperature (Tmax),if air
mass is increased in combustion chamber, mixture is lean and
ultimately there will be no flame.
• If air mass has to be increased, by-pass is used.