Aircraft engine performance parameters

Specific fuel consumption (sfc)

➢ It is defined as the mass flow rate of the fuel consumed for unit thrust produced.
.
m fuel
Specific fuel consumption (sfc) = 
F
Unit is in (kg/hr)/kN
. .
m fuel mi f
sfc =  .
= 
F mi Fs

For a tubojet engine, F s = (1 + f )ue − U
f f
 sfc = 
(1 + f )ue − U ue − U
➢ The fuel consumption rate is determined by the air intake rate (to set a certain maximum
flame temperature). The air intake rate is roughly determined by the engine frontal area
(engine size). Therefore sfc increases with the engine size.
➢ For turbofans and turboprops, additional thrust is developed by the cold stream. Hence
thrust increases without any the addition of fuel. Therefore these engines have a lower
sfc.

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Specific fuel consumption (sfc)

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Propulsive efficiency
➢ It is a measure on how effectively the engine power is used to power the aircraft. Deals
about unused kinetic energy available with the hot gas exiting from nozzle
➢ Propulsive efficiency, p is defined as the ratio of power delivered to the aircraft to the
power output of the engine.

Thurst  aircraft speed

p =
Exit KE - Inlet KE

FU
p = .
1 1 . 2
me ue − mi U
2

2 2
Assume f is very small and the nozzle is at optimum expansion
U 
2 
=  e
2 2U u
p = =
+ 1 ue + U 1 +  U 
ue
U u 
 e

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Propulsive efficiency
➢ It is a measure on how effectively the engine power is used to power the aircraft. Deals
about unused kinetic energy available with the hot gas exiting from nozzle
➢ Propulsive efficiency, p is defined as the ratio of power delivered to the aircraft to the
power output of the engine.
2
p =
ue
+1
U

ue
U

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Thermal efficiency
➢ Thermal efficiency, T is defined as the ratio of power output (kinetic energy) of the
engine to the rate of thermal energy available from the fuel in the engine.

1 . 2 1 . 2 1  m. + m . u 2 − 1 m. U 2
me ue − mi U  i fuel  e i
2  2
T = 2
.
2 = .
m fuel QR m fuel QR
where Q R = Heat of reaction of the fuel
  U 2 
 2
u U  u 2 1 −   
2
mi (1 + f ) −
.
e
 e  
 2 2    ue  
T = .

m fuel QR 2 fQR

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Overall efficiency
➢ Overall efficiency, o is defined as the ratio of power delivered to the aircraft to the rate of
thermal energy available from the fuel in the engine.
 o =  p T
2
U  U 
2  1 −  
=  e   ue 
u
 U   2 fQ  U  2
1 +    R
 
 ue   U  ue 
2

U 
1 −  
o =  ue 
 Q  U 
f  R2  
 U  ue 

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Specific impulse and Range
➢ Specific impulse, Isp is defined as the thrust produced per unit fuel weight flow rate.
➢ Unit is in seconds

F
I sp = .
g m fuel

Consider an aircraft under steady level flight conditions.

Thrust (T) = Drag (D)
Lift (L) = Weight of aircraft (W)
(L/D) – Lift to drag ratio is an importance aircraft
performance parameter
 L W m g
Thrust T = F = D = = = ac
(L D ) (L D ) (L D )
where m ac = Total mass of aircraft at any instant of time

m fuel =
d
(m fuel ) = − d (mac ) = rate of decrease of total mass
dt dt

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Specific impulse and Range

F m g 1
I sp = = ac
gm fuel (L D )  
− g (mac )
d
 dt 
 (mac ) = −
d m ac
dt I sp (L D )
If ds is the distance travelled in time dt, then we can write
dmac dmac ds dmac
= = U
dt ds dt ds
dmac m ac dmac 1
U =−  =− ds
ds I sp (L D ) m ac UI sp (L D )
Assume U , I sp and ( L / D) are constants
m 
ln  ac , 2  = −
1
(s2 − s1 )
m
 ac ,1  UI sp ( L D )
m 
s2 − s1 = Range = UI sp (L D ) ln  ac ,1 
 mac , 2 
Note that mac , 2 = mac ,1 − m fuel where m fuel = mass of fuel burned during the flight
 mac ,1 
s2 − s1 = UI sp (L D ) ln  
m −m 
 ac ,1 fuel 

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Aircraft engine performance parameters
Specific impulse and overall efficiency
By definition
FˆU
o =
m fuelQR
 
FˆU U  Fˆ 
o = =  d 
− (mac )QR − (mac ) 
d QR 
dt  dt 
 ˆ
But −
d
(mac ) = mac = 1  mac  = 1  F 
dt I sp (L / D ) I sp  (L / D )  I sp  g 
 
 
U  Fˆ  Q
o =    UI sp = o R
QR  1  Fˆ   g
 
 I sp  g  
  
Substitute in the range formula
 Q  L   mac 
s2 − s1 =  o  R   ln  
 g D 
   ac m − m 
fuel 

Hence the rnage is directly proportional to the overall efficiency

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Ideal cycle analysis of engines
Ideal cycle analysis
➢ It describes the thermodynamic changes of the working fluid as it flow through the
engines.
➢ Determines the performance of engines at different aircraft operational conditions
(design conditions).
➢ Relates engine performance parameters (thrust, specific fuel consumption, etc.) to:
1) design choices (compressor pressure ratio, fan pressure ratio, etc.)
2) design limitations (compressor exit pressure, turbine inlet temperature, etc.)
3) flight conditions (flight Mach number, ambient temperature, etc.)

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Ideal cycle analysis of turbojet engines
Assumptions
➢ Compression and expansion process in the inlet, compressor, turbine and nozzle are
isentropic (there are no losses in stagnation pressure).
➢ Combustion is complete and occurs at constant pressure.
➢ Mass of fuel added in the combustor is negligible compared to the mass of air flowing
into the combustor.
➢ The working fluid is perfect gas with constant specific heats.
➢ There is complete expansion of hot gas flowing through the nozzle.

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Ideal cycle analysis of turbojet engines
Turbojet engine
➢ Air inlet: captures air and delivers efficiently to the compressor
➢ Compressor: increases air pressure and temperature
➢ Combustor: increases temperature of incoming air by burning the mixture of air and fuel
(aviation kerosene). Fuel is supplied via an injection system.
➢ Turbine: extracts energy from the hot gas and runs the compressor
➢ Nozzle: accelerates the gases further

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science
 Ideal cycle analysis of turbojet engines
Nomenclature adopted in the analysis

Aircraft Engines (AE 242)

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science