Powerplant

Piston Engine Four Stroke Cycle

 Turbocharger
• The turbocharger is an exhaust-driven device, which raises the
pressure and density of the induction air delivered to the engine.

• It consists of two separate components: a compressor and a

turbine connected by a common shaft.

• The turbine and its housing are part of the exhaust system and
utilize the flow of exhaust gases to drive the compressor.

• The compressor section houses an impeller that turns at a high rate

of speed. The compressor supplies pressurized air to the engine for
high altitude operation.
 Turbocharged Engine

The turbine has the capability of producing

manifold pressure in excess of the
maximum allowable for the particular
engine. In order not to exceed the
maximum allowable manifold pressure, a
bypass or waste gate is used so that
some of the exhaust will be diverted
overboard before it passes through the
turbine.
 Supercharger
• A supercharger is an engine-driven air pump or compressor that
increases manifold pressure and forces the fuel/air mixture into the
cylinders.

• A supercharger is driven by the engine (directly connected to the

crankshaft) through a gear train at one speed, two speeds, or
variable speeds.

• In addition, superchargers can have one or more stages. Each stage

provides an increase in pressure. Therefore, superchargers may be
classified as single stage, two stage, or multistage, depending on
the number of times compression occurs.
Power output of normally aspirated engine compared
to a single-stage, two-speed supercharged engine
Turbocharger vs. Supercharger
• Turbocharger gives power at a certain
RPM.

• Supercharger gives power at any given

RPM.
 Basic Components Of A Gas Turbine Engine

• An aircraft turbine engine consists of an air inlet, compressor, combustion chambers, a turbine section,
and exhaust.

• Unlike reciprocating engines, in gas turbine engines induction, compression, combustion, expansion,
and exhaust occur simultaneously and continuously instead of one cycle at a time.

• The turbine engine has the following advantages over a reciprocating engine: less vibration, increased
aircraft performance, reliability, and ease of operation.
 Turbine Starting Process
• The compressor section is rotated by a starter (electrical starter for
small engines and air driven starter for large engines).

• As compressor r.p.m. accelerates, air is brought in through the inlet

duct, compressed to a high pressure, and delivered to the
combustion section (combustion chambers).

• Fuel is then injected by a fuel controller (FCU) through spray

nozzles and ignited by igniter plugs.

• The fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber is then burned in a

continuous combustion process (4,000°F).

• The mixture of hot air and gases expands forcing the turbine section
to rotate, which in turn drives the compressor by means of a direct
shaft.
Turbine Starting Process
• Starter
– Electrical Starter (small engine)
– Air Driven Starter (large engine)
• Ignition
– Igniter
• Fuel
– Sprayed by a fuel controller (FCU)
• Combustion
– Continuous Combustion (4,000°F)
– Air Mass (1,600 to 2,400°F)
Types Of Gas Turbine
Fixed-Pitch Propeller Blade Characteristics

Since the forward speed of an

airplane reduces the pitch angle, a
fixed-pitch propeller produces less
thrust the faster the airplane goes.
Propeller Pitch Angle Characteristics

“Forward” pitch produces forward

thrust – higher pitch angles being
required at higher airplane
speeds.

“Flat” pitch is the blade position

offering minimum resistance to
rotation and no net thrust for
moving the airplane.
 Propeller Pitch Angle Characteristics
The “Feathered” produces no forward thrust.
Only used in case of in-flight engine failure
to minimize drag and prevent the air from
using the propeller as a turbine.

In “Reverse” pitch, air is pushed away from

the airplane which results in braking action.
It is used for backing away from obstacles
when taxiing, controlling taxi speed, or to aid
in bringing the airplane to a stop during the
landing roll.
Feathered Propeller
Propeller Pitch Angle and RPM Settings

• During Take-Off
- select a low blade angle and high RPM setting for maximum thrust
- The high RPM creates maximum thrust because, although the mass
of air handled per revolution is small, the rpm and slipstream velocity
are high, and with the low aircraft speed, there is maximum thrust.

• During Cruising flight

- use a higher pitch blade angle with a low RPM setting
- The higher blade angle increases the mass of air handled per
revolution. This decreases the engine rpm, reducing fuel
consumption and engine wear, and keeps thrust at a maximum.
Jet Engine
RPM
Gauges
N1 represents the rotational
speed of the low pressure
compressor and is presented on
the indicator as a percentage of
design rpm.

N2 represents the rotational

speed of the high pressure
compressor and is presented on
the indicator as a percentage of
design rpm.
 EPR Gauge

An engine pressure ratio (EPR) gauge is used to indicate the power output of a
turbojet/turbofan engine. EPR is the ratio of turbine discharge to compressor inlet
pressure. Pressure measurements are recorded by probes installed in the engine inlet
and at the exhaust.
 Thrust Reversers
• A thrust reverser is a device fitted in the
engine exhaust system which effectively
reverses the flow of the exhaust gases.

• The flow does not reverse through 180°;

however, the final path of the exhaust
gases is about 45° from straight ahead.
 Thrust Reversers

Target reversers are simple clamshell doors that swivel from the stowed
position at the engine tailpipe to block all of the outflow and redirect some
component of the thrust forward.
 Thrust Reversers

Cascade reversers are more complex. They are normally found on

turbofan engines and are often designed to reverse only the fan air
portion. Cascades are generally less effective than target reversers,
particularly those that reverse only fan air, because they do not affect
the engine core, which will continue to produce forward thrust.
Closed Reversers
Open Reversers
Jet Airspeed Indicator
 Horses & Thrust
BHP— Brake horsepower is the horsepower actually delivered
to the output shaft. Brake horsepower is the actual
usable horsepower.

Net Thrust— The thrust produced by a turbojet or turbofan

engine.

THP— Thrust horsepower is the horsepower equivalent of the

thrust produced by a turbojet or turbofan engine.

ESHP— Equivalent shaft horsepower, with respect to

turboprop engines, is the sum of the shaft horsepower
(SHP) delivered to the propeller and the thrust
horsepower (THP) produced by the exhaust gases.
Turbine Engine Operational Considerations

• There are certain operational considerations

common to all turbine engines.

• They are engine temperature limits, foreign

object damage, compressor stall, and flameout.
 Engine Temperature Limitations
• The highest temperature in any turbine engine occurs at the
turbine inlet. Turbine inlet temperature is therefore usually the
limiting factor in turbine engine operation.

ITT Gauge
EGT Gauge
 Foreign Object Damage (FOD)
• Due to the design and function of a turbine engine’s air
inlet, the possibility of ingestion of debris always exists.
This causes significant damage, particularly to the
compressor and turbine sections.

• Typical FOD consists of small nicks and dents caused by

ingestion of small objects from the ramp, taxiway, or
runway, but FOD damage caused by bird strikes or ice
ingestion also occur. Sometimes FOD results in total
destruction of an engine.
FOD Screen
Vortex dissipators are basically tubes under the engine intake
that direct bleed air to prevent vortices that would normally suck
gravel and other foreign objects into the engine.
 Compressor Stall
• Compressor blades are small airfoils and are subject to the
same aerodynamic principles that apply to any airfoil.

• Compressor stalls occur when the compressor blades’

angle of attack exceeds the critical angle of attack.

• At this point, smooth airflow is interrupted and turbulence is

created with pressure fluctuations.

• Compressor stalls cause air flowing in the compressor to

slow down and stagnate, sometimes reversing direction.
Indications of a transient/intermittent stall are usually an intermittent “bang” as backfire and flow
reversal take place. If the stall develops and becomes steady, strong vibration and a loud roar may
develop from the continuous flow reversal.
Typical instrument indications include fluctuations in rpm and an increase in exhaust gas
temperature.
The possibility of severe engine damage from a steady state stall is immediate.
 VIGV Stator Vanes

Variable Inlet Guide Vane (VIGV) and Variable Stator Vanes direct the incoming
air into the rotor blades at an appropriate angle to inhibit compressor stalls.
 Flameout
• A flameout refers to the failure of a turbine engine caused
by the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber.

• It generally results from very fast engine acceleration, in

which an overly rich mixture causes the fuel temperature
to drop below the combustion temperature.

• It may also be caused by insufficient airflow to support

combustion.

• Any interruption of the fuel supply can result in a flameout.