POWERPLANT II
to power a propeller to
Module 1
History of Gas Turbine Engine
Principle of Jet Propulsion
o Newton’s Third Law of Motion – for
every force acting on a body, there
is an opposite and equal reaction
o High pressure goes to low pressure
o Newton’s Second Law of Motion –
force equals mass accelerated
(F=ma)
o Intake mass of air and accelerate it
wherein force is produced = thrust
History of Jet Propulsion
o Hero (250 B.C.) – devised a toy
that used the reaction principle
(aeolipile)
o John Barber (1791) – first patent
covering a gas turbine; had a
reciprocating type compressor
o Frank Whittle (1930) – first
successful turbojet engine
o Hans Von Ohain (1936) – first
aircraft that used jet engine –
“Heinkel He-178”
o Can be modified to reach
supersonic speeds
Propulsion Devices
o Air-Breathing:
- use atmospheric air + some
fuel as main propellant
- piston, gas turbine, and ramjet
engines
o Gas Turbine Engines
- Most aircraft jet engine
- Use high-temperature gases
produce a direct thrust by
expanding and accelerating
the exhaust gases through a
nozzle
o Non-Air Breathing:
- Rockets
- Carry entire propellant
(liquid/solid fuel + oxygen)
Propulsion Devices
o Main function of propulsion system:
provide a force to overcome the
aircraft drag (thrust)
o Done by accelerating a stream of
air
o Difference: the amount of air
accelerated
- Propeller: accelerated a large
volume of air by a small
amount
- Jet engine: accelerates a
small volume of air by a large
amount
Jet Engines – Basic Operation
o Air enters the intake duct (cowl)
o Air is compressed by the
compressor
o Air mixes with fuel in the
combustion chamber
o Fuel is ignited, pressure and
temperature raised
o Some of the pressure is used to
turn a turbine
o Turbine shaft drives the
compressor
 o Hot, high-pressure air is forced
through a nozzle
o The reaction force is the engine
thrust
o 8: icci, tdnt
Types of Jet Engines
o Ramjet
- Athothyd (aero-
thermodynamic duct)
- No rotating parts
- Divergent entry, convergent
exit
- Fuel burners
- Used at high velocity
o Pulse Jet
- No compressors and turbines
- Has shutter valve and fuel
supply
- Run at static conditions
o Scramjet
- Supersonic combustion ramjet
- Designed for supersonic flight
o Rocket Engine
- Designed for space
- Does not use atmospheric air
as a propulsive fluid
o Gas Turbine Engine
- Most practical form of jet
engine in use
- All events happen
simultaneously (intake,
compression, combustion,
exhaust)
Module 2
Types of Gas Turbine Engine
Turbo Jet
o air intake
o air is compressed in the
compressor
o burned in the combustion chamber
o expands and spins the turbine –
drives the compressor
o leaves the exhaust at high
velocities
o EPR – engine pressure ratio; ratio
of turbine discharge pressure to the
inlet air pressure
Turboprop
o Delivers power to a propeller
o Same as turbojet but this one has a
propeller
o Provide the best specific fuel
consumption of any gas turbine
engine (achieved at much lower
speeds)
Turboshaft
o Similar to turboprop
o Delivers power to a shaft to drive
something else
o Common in helicopter
Turbofan
o Consists of a multi-bladed ducted
propeller driven by a gas turbine
engine
o Difference: has a bypass (helps
efficiency of engine, thrust)
o Airline’s choice
o Forward-fan: fan mounted in front
of the compressor
o Aft-fan: fan mounted to the turbine
section Module 3
Sections of a Gas Turbine Engine
o Bypass engines
- Thrust ratio: thrust produced Engine Components
by fan vs thrust produces by o 5 major sections (ACCTE)
core exhaust o divided into 2 sections: hot & cold
- Bypass ratio: incoming air that
bypasses the core vs air that 1. air inlet (c)
passes through the engine 2. compressor (c)
core 3. combustors (h)
- Fan pressure ratio: pressure 4. turbines (h)
leaving the fan vs pressure
5. exhaust (h)
entering the fan
- Low bypass = 1:1
Air Inlet
- Medium bypass = 2:1 or 3:1
- High bypass = 4:1+ o built into the airframe
o provide a turbulent free supply of
o Ducted and Unducted Propeller air
Fan o air inlet duct: part of the airframe
- Ducted: bypass has cover and not the engine
- Unducted: bypass has no o recover as much of the total
cover pressure of the free airstream and
- Composite blades reduce deliver this pressure to the
weight and allows safe compressor (ram recovery)
operation at tip speeds than
o increase pressure, decrease
conventional blades
velocity

Types of Air Inlet
o mounting: engine, wing, fuselage
o shape:
- subsonic divergent (velocity
decrease, pressure increase),
- supersonic convergent
divergent (pressure increase,
velocity decrease)
- bell mouth (helicopter)
Compressor Section
o supply compressed air for
combustion
o compressor pressure ratio: outlet
pressure divided by inlet pressure
o increase the intake air pressure
20 to 30 times above the ambient
air pressure and move the air at a
velocity of 400 to 500 ft/s
o function:
- supply air in sufficient quantity
to satisfy the requirements of
the combustion burners
- supply bleed air for various
purposes in the engine and
aircraft
o types:
- centrifugal flow: uses
centrifugal (inner to outer)
- axial flow: steady flow
(includes fans)
Bleed Air
o cabin pressurization, heating, and
cooling
o de-icing and anti-icing equipment
o pneumatic starting of engines
Centrifugal Flow Compressor
o parts: impeller/rotor, diffuser,
manifold
o high pressure rise per stage – 8:1
o configuration:
- single-stage (dual sided
impeller)
- double-stage
Advantages:
o simple manufacture
o low cost
o low weight
o low starting power requirements
o operating efficiency over a wide
range of rotational speed
Disadvantages:
o large frontal area
o practical limits on the number of
stages
Axial Flow Compressor
o two elements: rotor and stator
o rotor
- rotating
- stainless steel & titanium
- bulb type/ fir tree/ dove tail
- shroud: protect from bending
forces
o stator
- stable
o pressure stage: each row of rotor
blades and stator vanes
 o 1 stage: 1.25:1 (pressure ratio)
o Spool
- Multi: allows different
compressor speed
- Dual: low pressure, low speed
(N1) and high pressure, high
speed (N2)
- Triple: low, intermediate, high
Advantages:
o High peak efficiencies
o Small frontal area
o Straight through flow
o Increased pressure rise by
increasing number of stages
Disadvantages:
o Difficult manufacturing
o High cost
o High weight
o High starting power requirements
Compressor Stall
o Has airfoil and angle of attack
o Engine inlet air becomes
turbulent
o Contamination or damage
Hung Stall
o Severe
o Can impair engine performance
Combustion Section
o Burn the fuel-air mixture (has
certain percentage)
o Basic elements:
- Combustion chamber
- Fuel injection system
- Ignition source
- Fuel drainage system
Fuel Injection System
o Deliver finely atomized spray to
ensure thorough mixing with the
incoming air
Ignition Source
o High-energy capacitor discharge
system
o Produces 60-100 sparks per
minute = ball of fire
Fuel Drainage System
o Drains unburned fuel after engine
shutdown
Combustor Chambers
o Multiple Can Type/ Tubular
o Annular Type
o Can-Annular Type/ Tuboannular
o Characteristics
- Efficient
- Effective
o Primary Air: 25-35 percent (heat)
o Secondary Air: 65-75 percent
(cool)
o Flameout – wrong fuel ratio
- Lean die out: low fuel
pressure, weak flame
- Rich blow out: overly-rich fuel,
insufficient airflow

Turbine
o Transforms portion of kinetic
energy in the hot exhaust gases
into mechanical energy to drive
the compressor and accessories
o Four basic elements
- Case
- Stator
- Shroud
- Rotor
o Growth/creep – phenomena in
which extreme stress on turbine
blades may cause the turbine
blades to grow in length due to
severe centrifugal loads imposed
by high rotational speeds
o Increase velocity, decrease
pressure
Turbine Blades
o Fir tree slots
o Two types
- Impulse: change direction of
airflow, no change in gas
pressure or velocity
- Reaction: produce turning
force, increase gas velocity
and pressure
o Cooling
- Convection/ film: from
compressor bleed air
- Transpiration: ducted to the
vanes
- Active tip clearance control
(ACC): control the thermal
expansion rate of the turbine
case
o Counter rotating: for gyroscopic
effects and reducing engine
vibration
Exhaust Section
o Three components
- Exhaust cone: combine hot air
flow from turbines
- Exhaust duct/ tailpipe: from
exhaust cone to nozzle
- Exhaust nozzle: provides
exhaust gases final boost in
velocity (converging &
diverging)
o Converging Exhaust Nozzle –
velocity increase, pressure
decrease
o Converging-Diverging Nozzle –
continuous increase in velocity
o Mixer unit - Mix bleed air and hot
exhaust gas
o Variable Geometry Nozzle –
converging (increase velocity)
o Afterburners – accelerate exhaust
gases (increase thrust);
combustion
----------------------------------------------------
o Thrust reversers – help braking
motion of aircraft
 o Noise suppressors – suppress
internal noise due to fan,
compressor, turbine blades by
design
o Accessory section – power both
engine and aircraft accessories
(generators, pumps); lubrication –
lessen friction (gearbox)
Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)
o Electrical power for airsys
o Bleed air for engine starting
o Bleed air for air conditioning/
pressurization and wing anti-
ice flight
Laboratory Module 1
Disassembly of Gas Turbine Engine
Gas Turbine Engine Overhaul
o Cost of maintaining an engine in
service is considered at the
design stage
o Time between overhauls (TBO)
o “on condition” maintenance
o Modular construction –
disassemble per section/parts
o Operator, airworthiness authority,
manufacturer
Overhaul Procedures
o Disassembly
- Vertical/ horizontal
- Main subassemblies/modules
Pratt & Whitney JT8D
o Cleaning
- Each component
- Oxide deposits and dirt
- Prepare for plating, anodizing,
painting
- Specific cleaning solutions
and agents
o Inspection
- Visually
- Establish general condition;
crack inspection
- Several methods (magnetic,
ultrasonic, etc.)
o Repairs
- After breakage, elongation,
etc.
- Welding (different techniques)
o Balancing
- Unbalance: rotors (vibration,
stress)
- Methods: single plane (static)
& two plane (dynamic)
- Distribution of weight
o Assembling
- Vertical/ horizontal
- Sub-assemblies/ modules in
separate areas
- Inspection checks are also
made
o Testing
- Sea level test cell
- Run at ambient temperature
and pressure conditions
Laboratory Module 2
Parts Identification
o Turbofan
o Low bypass airliner sized engine
 o Most widely used airliner sized
engine in aviation
o Powerplant of Boeing 727,
Boeing 736, McDonell Douglas
DC-9
o Fully ducted (12,500-20,000
pounds of thrust)
General Motors Allison Company
Model 250
o Turboshaft
o Helicopters
o Now: Rolls Royce engine
o Most widely used helicopter
engine
o Two-shaft turboshaft:
compressor, six-stage axial
attached to one-stage centrifugal
compressor
o Reverse flow can-type
combustor, two-stage high
pressure turbine (N1), two-stage
low pressure turbine (N2)
Pratt & Whitney Company of Canada
PT6
o Turboprop
o Commuter and business aircraft-
sized engine
o Most widely used
corporate/commuter sized
turboprop engine in the world
o Two-shaft turboprop with a
combination three-stage axial and
single stage centrifugal
compressor
o Annular reverse flow combustor,
single-stage high pressure
turbine (N1), single-stage low
pressure turbine (N2)
GE/Snecma CFM56
o Turbofan
o High bypass airliner sized engine
o Joint venture between GE and
Safran Aircraft Engines
o Boeing 737-600 through 737-900,
Airbus A320 and A340 families
o Two spool, high bypass turbofan
o Single stage fan, 4 additional
stages making up the low
pressure compressor, nine stage
high pressure compressor
o 17 different modules that are
enclosed within three major
modules as an accessory drive
module
- Fan major module
- Core engine major module
- Low pressure turbine major
module
- Accessory drive module