Gas Power Cycle - Jet Propulsion Technology, A Case Study

Ideal Brayton Cycle

Fuel Combustor

3 • 1-2 Isentropic compression

2 • 2-3 Constant pressure heat addition
• 3-4 Isentropic expansion
• 4-1 Constant pressure heat rejection

Compressor
4
Air 1 Turbine
Products
P 3 3
2 T

2
4

1 4 1
v s
 Ideal Brayton Cycle - 2
The thermal efficiency of the ideal Brayton cycle is

th 
wnet wout  win qin  qout
 
q h  h 
 1  out  1  4 1
qin qin qin qin  h3  h2 
c p (T4  T1 ) T1 (T4 / T1  1)
 1  1 equation (1)
c p (T3  T2 ) T2 (T3 / T2  1)
Processes 1-2 and 3-4 are isentropic (adiabatic), therefore
( k 1) / k ( k 1) / k
T2  P2  T3  P3 
  , and  
T1  P1  T4  P4 
T2 T3 T T
Also, P2  P3 and P4  P1 , therefore  and 2  1
T1 T4 T3 T4
T1 T 1 1
Equation (1) becomes th  1   1 4  1 ( k 1) / k
 1 
T2 T3  P2  rp( k 1) / k
 
 P1 
P2
where rp  is the pressure ratio of the compressor and the turbine
P1
 Jet Propulsion Cycle

T 4
P=constant
qin
• 1-2, inlet flow decelerates in the diffuser;
3 5 pressure and temperature increase

• 5-6, outlet flow accelerates in the nozzle

6
2 section, pressure and temperature decrease
qout
1 P=constant
s
 Propulsive Power
Jet Engine

Mass flow in Action force, FA Mass flow out

Inlet velocity, Vin Reaction force, FR Exit velocity, Vexit

Due to the action force F , the momentum of the air flowing

A

through the engine increases:

d d
F  (linear momentum change) = [ ( mV )]  [ ( mV )]  mV
A
  mV
 exit in exit in
dt dt
From Newton' s third law: F  F  Propulsive force
A R

F  m (V  V )
R exit in

Propulsive Power
W = F V  m (V  V )V
P R aircraft exit in aircraft
 Gas Turbine Improvements

• Increase the gas combustion temperature (T3) before it enters the

turbine since th = 1 - (T4/T3)
 Limited by metallurgical restriction: ceramic coating over
the turbine blades
 Improved intercooling technology: blow cool air over the
surface of the blades (film cooling), steam cooling inside the
blades.

• Modifications to the basic thermodynamic cycle: intercooling,

reheating, regeneration

• Improve design of turbomachinery components: multi-stage

compressor and turbine configuration. Better aerodynamic design
on blades (reduce stall).
 PW8000 Geared Turbofan Engine

• Twin-spool configuration: H-P turbine drives H-P compressor

L-P turbine drives L-P compressor, on separated shafts
• Gearbox to further decrease the RPM of the fan
• More fuel efficiency
• Less noise
• Fewer engine parts From Machine Design Magazine
Nov. 5, 1998