Aircraft Propulsion Solution Manual 1.

1
Chapter 1 Solutions
Problem 1.1
The Carnot cycle sets the limit on
thermal efficiency of a heat engine
operating between two temperature
limits. Show that ideal Carnot efficiency is:
2
1
1
T
T
th

What is the thermal efficiency if T1=288 K
and T2=2000 K?
Solution:
Following conservation of energy, the amount of work done by the system per unit mass is:
q d w

For a reversible heat engine operating between two reservoirs at temperatures

H
T and
L
T ,
s T T Tds dq
L H


) (
Therefore, net work, per unit mass is w
s T T w
L H
) (
The heat input in the cycle takes place between stations 2 and 3, i.e.,
s T Tds q
H in

3
2
Therefore thermal efficiency of the cycle is:
H
L
H
L H
in
th
T
T
s T
s T T
q
w

1
) (

For the cycle defined in the diagram, the thermal efficiency is

2
1
1
T
T
th


Thermal efficiency:
1
2
288
1 1 0.856 85.6%
2000
t t
T K
or
T K


p1
4 1
s
T2
T1
p4
p2
3 2
p3
Aircraft Propulsion Solution Manual 1.2
Problem 1.2 The ideal Brayton cycle operates between
two pressure limits as shown. It is
the model of an airbreathing jet engine,
such as a turbojet or ramjet engine.
Show that ideal Brayton cycle efficiency
is:
2
1
1
T
T
th

What is the thermal efficiency of the Brayton
That has T1=288 K and T2=864 K? Note that maximum
cycle temperature T3 has no effect on cycle thermal efficiency.
Solution: Net cycle heat exchange is:

Tds q
Gibbs equation is:
Tds = dh - vdp
Therefore for a constant pressure process, Tds = dh,
) (
2 3 2 3
3
2
3
2
T T c h h dh Tds
p


In a cycle, the net work output is equal to the net heat input (according to the 1
st
law of thermo)
) ( ) (
1 4 2 3
T T c T T c q w
p p



By definition, cycle thermal efficiency is:
in
out in
in
net
B
q
q q
q
W

Thus,

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
) (
) (
1 1
2
3
2
1
4
1
2 3
1 4
3 2
1 4
T
T
T
T
T
T
T T c
T T c
q
q
p
p
B

Since processes 1-2 and 3-4 are isentropic and p3 = p2 and p4 = p1, we can write:
2
3
1
1
2
2
3
1
3
4
1
2
2
3
3
4
1
4
T
T
p
p
T
T
p
p
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T

,
_

,
_

Therefore, the ideal Brayton cycle efficiency is simplified to:

1
2
1
B
T
T


Thermal efficiency:
1
2
288
1 1 0.667 66.7%
864
t t
T K
or
T K


p1 = p4
p2 = p3
4
2
1
s
T2
T1
Aircraft Propulsion Solution Manual 1.3
The Brayton cycle operates between two isobars (constant pressure lines), therefore, it is the
pressure ratio that sets the thermal efficiency of Brayton cycle. The maximum cycle temperature
changes the amount of heat input and the work output in the same proportion such that the ratio
remains constant.
Problem 1.3
Humphrey cycle operates a constant-volume
combustor instead of a constant-pressure
cycle like Brayton. Show that:
1
]
1

1
1
1
]
1

,
_

1 / 1 1
2
3
1
2
3
2
1
T
T
T
T
T
T
th

is the thermal efficiency of an ideal
Humphrey cycle.
Let us use the same T1 as in Problems 1.1
and 1.2, i.e., T1=288 K. Let use the same
temperature T2 as in Problem 1.2, i.e., T2=864 K.
Finally, let us use the same maximum cycle temperature as in Carnot
(Problem 1.1), i.e., Tmax=2000 K. With the ratio of specific heats =1.4,
calculate the thermal efficiency of Humphrey cycle. Compare the answer with
Brayton cycle efficiency.
Net cycle heat exchange is:

+
1
4
3
2
Tds Tds Tds q
Since Gibbs equation is
Tds = de + pdv
p=const.
s
p=const.
v=const.
4
3
2
1
T
3
p1 = p4
s3=s4 s1=s2
v2 = v3
T3=Tmax
4
T
2
1
3
Aircraft Propulsion Solution Manual 1.4
And the process from 2 to 3 is constant volume heating, Tds = de for a constant volume process,
) (
2 3 2 3
3
2
3
2
T T c e e de Tds
v


Another form of Gibbs equation is
Tds = dh - vdp
Therefore for a constant pressure process, Tds = dh, therefore
) (
4 1 4 1
1
4
1
4
T T c h h dh Tds
p


In a cycle, the net work output is equal to the net heat input (according to the 1
st
law of thermo)
) ( ) (
1 4 2 3
T T c T T c q w
p v



Thermal investment in the cycle is the integral of q from 2 to 3.
) (
2 3 2 3
3
2
3
2
3
2
T T c e e de Tds q
v

Therefore thermal efficiency of the cycle is

1
1
1 1
) (
) ( ) (
2
3
1
4
2
1
2 3
1 4
2 3
1 4 2 3

,
_

T
T
T
T
T
T
T T
T T
T T c
T T c T T c
v
p v
th

Now, we show that
/ 1
2
3
1
4

,
_

T
T
T
T
Using chain rule, we may write:
2
' 3
/ ) 1 (
1
2
2
' 3
/ ) 1 (
' 3
4
1
2
2
' 3
' 3
4
1
4
. .
T
T
p
p
T
T
p
p
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T

,
_

,
_

Note that p3=p2 and p4=p1.

/ 1
2
3
1
1
2
3
2
3
1
3
3
2
2
2
3
1
3
2
2
3
3
' 3
2
' 3
. .

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

T
T
T
T
T
T
T
v
v
T
T
T
p
p
T
T
T
T
T
T
note that v3=v2
Therefore, we show that the thermal efficiency of Humphreys cycle is:
1
]
1

1
1
1
]
1

,
_

1 / 1 1
2
3
1
2
3
2
1
T
T
T
T
T
T
th

Substituting numbers for T1, T2 and T3 in cycle thermal efficiencies, we get
% 67 . 66
Brayton th

Aircraft Propulsion Solution Manual 1.5

% 85 . 70
Humphrey th

Problem 1.4 The rotor of a millimeter-scale gas turbine engine has a radius of 1 mm. It has to
reach a tip, or rim speed of near speed of sound for an effective compression.
Assuming that the speed of sound is 340 m/s, calculate the rotor rotational speed
in revolutions per minute (rpm).
Rotor radius, Rrotor = 1 mm = 0.001 m
Tip or rim speed,
s m V
tip
/ 340
Rotor rotational speed, N is given by:
( )

,
_

,
_

min 1
60
2
1
/ 000 , 340
001 . 0
/ 340 s
rad
rev
s rad N
m
s m
R
V
N
rotor
tip

The final product is:

rpm N 000 , 250 , 3

Problem 1.5
Specific fuel consumption (sfc) projects the fuel economy of an engine, i.e. it
measures the fuel flow rate (say in pound-mass per hour or g/s) that leads to a
production of a unit thrust (say 1 pound-force or 1 Newton). Two sets of
numbers are copied from Table 1.1 (from EJ200 specification), which are:
Sfc (max. power) 0.81 lbm/hr/lbf
Sfc w. AB 1.75 lbm/hr/lbf
Thrust (SL) 13,500 lbf
Thrust w. AB 20,250-22,250 lbf
First note that afterburner (AB) use more than doubles the fuel consumption
while boosting the thrust by only ~50%. This explains why the sparse use of an
afterburner in aircraft mission. Now to quantify, calculate the amount of
additional fuel burned in 30 minutes of afterburner use (producing 21,000 lbf
thrust) as compared to 30 minutes of no afterburner use (producing 13,500 lbf
thrust).
V
tip
R
Aircraft Propulsion Solution Manual 1.6
Solution: As stated in the problem, the afterburner use produces disproportionate thrust for
the extra fuel consumption.
The amount of fuel burned in 30 minutes with afterburner-off is:
lbm Fuel
hr
lbf lbf hr lbm Thrust sfc Fuel
Off AB
Off AB
5 . 467 , 5
min 60
1
min 30 * ) 500 , 13 ( * ) / / 81 . 0 (

,
_

The amount of fuel burned in 30 minutes with afterburner-on is:

lbm Fuel
hr
lbf lbf hr lbm Thrust sfc Fuel
On AB
On AB
375 , 18
min 60
1
min 30 * ) 000 , 21 ( * ) / / 75 . 1 (

,
_

Amount of additional fuel burned with the afterburner operating is ~13,000 lbm, which is more
than doubled the fuel consumed without the afterburner.