UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE NUEVO LEÓN

FACULTAD DE INGENIERIA MECÁNICA Y ELÉCTRICA

Assignment no. 1: Aircraft propulsion systems

Subject-matter: Aerospace alloys

Professor: Dra. Flor Esthela Palomar

Date: February 5th 2019

Student information

Name: José Alfredo Rosas Córdova

ID Number: 1889306

Undergraduate program: Aeronautical engineer (IAE)

Semester: January-June 2019 Group: 004

Turbojet engine
Simplest form of gas turbine, comprising compressor, combustion chamber and turbine,
latter extracting only just enough energy from gas flow to drive compressor. Most of energy
remains in gas, which is expanded to atmosphere at high velocity through constricting
propelling nozzle. In supersonic aircraft often fitted with afterburner [1].

In 1944 the first operational jet fighter in the world was introduced by the German air force:
the ME 262. By 1950 jet engines were the mainstay of all high -performance military aircraft,
and by 1958 the commercial airlines were introducing the jet -powered Boeing 707 and
McDonnell-Douglas DC-8. Today the jet engine is the only practical propulsive mechanism
for high-speed subsonic and supersonic flight [2].

Figure 1. Schematic drawing of a turbojet engine [3].

1. The Inlet. The basic function of the inlet is to deliver the air to the compressor at the
right Mach number and the right quality, that is, low distortion. Therefore, the main
function of an inlet is to diffuse or decelerate the flow when needed, and hence it is
also called a diffuser [3].
2. The compressor. The thermodynamic process in a gas generator begins with the
mechanical compression of air in the compressor. As the compressor discharge
contains higher energy gas, that is, the compressed air, it requires external power
to operate. The power comes from the turbine via a shaft [3].
3. The burner. In the combustor, the air is mixed with the fuel and a chemical reaction
ensues which is exothermic, that is, it results in a heat release.
4. The turbine. The high pressure and temperature gas that leaves the combustor is
directed into a turbine. The turbine may be thought of as a valve because on one
side it has a high-pressure gas and on the other side it has a low-pressure gas of the
exhaust nozzle or the tail pipe. Therefore, the first valve, that is, the throttle station,
in a gas turbine engine is at the turbine. The throat of an exhaust nozzle in a
supersonic aircraft is the second and final throttle station in an engine. Thus, the
 flow process in a turbine (and exhaust nozzle) involves significant (static) pressure
drop and, in harmony with it, the (static) temperature drop, which is called flow
expansion. The flow expansion produces the necessary power for the compressor
and the propulsive power for the aircraft. The turbine is connected to the
compressor via a common shaft, which provides the shaft power to the compressor.
As opposed to a to a car engine, in a turbine, the power transmittal is continuous
[3].
5. The nozzle. The primary function of an aircraft engine exhaust system is to
accelerate the gas efficiently. The nozzle parameter that is of outmost importance
is the gross thrust [3].

Turbofan engine
Most important form of propulsion for all except slow aeroplanes (say, below 600 km/h,
375 mph); comprises gas-turbine core engine, essentially a simple turbojet, plus extra
turbine stages (usually on separate LP shaft) driving large-diameter fan ducting very large
propulsive airflow round core engine and generating most of thrust. For given fuel
consumption generates much more takeoff thrust than turbojet, with many times less
noise, but performance falls off more rapidly with forward speed. A few engines have aft
fan whose blades form outward extensions of those of the compressor turbine [1].

A turbofan engine is a turbojet engine that has a large ducted fan mounted on the shaft
ahead of the compressor. The turbine drives both the fan and the compressor. The ducted
fan accelerates a large mass of air that flows between the inner and outer shrouds; this
unburned air then mixes with the jet exhaust downstream of the nozzle. The thrust of the
turbofan is a combination of the thrust produced by the fan blades and jet from the exhaust
nozzle. Consequently, the efficiency of a turbofan engine is better than that of a turbojet
[2].

Figure 2. Schematic drawing of a turbofan engine [2].

Turboprop
A further extension of the turbofan concept replaces the ducted fan and outer shroud with
an out- and - out propeller, with the turbine driving both the compressor and the propeller.
Such a combination is called a turboprop, where approximately 85 percent of the thrust
comes from the propeller and the remaining 15 percent comes from the jet exhaust.
Turboprops are efficient power plants that have found application in the range of 300 to
500 mi/h; one prime example is the Lockheed Electra transport of the 1950s [2].

Figure 3. Schematic drawing of a turboprop engine [3].

Materials
The materials used in jet engines are subjected to the most arduous working temperatures
in an aircraft. Jet engines are gas turbines that compress air to high pressure and this air is
then heated to extreme temperature by burning fuel to produce hot, high-pressure gases
which are expelled from the engine exhaust thus propelling the aircraft forward. The engine
materials must perform for long periods under high temperatures and stresses while
exposed to hot corrosive and oxidising gases generated by the burning fuel. Jet engine
materials must possess high tensile strength, toughness, fatigue strength and creep
resistance together with excellent resistance against corrosion and oxidation at high
temperature. Most conventional materials cannot survive the severe conditions in the
hottest section of jet engines, the combustion chamber, where temperatures reach ~1500
°C (2760 °F). A group of materials called superalloys, which includes nickel-based, cobalt-
based and iron–nickel alloys, are used in the hot sections of jet engines. Ceramic materials
with high heat insulating properties are coated on the superalloys to provide protection
against the extreme heat. Titanium alloys and composites, which are lighter than
superalloys but have lower temperature capacity, are used in cooler parts of the engine,
such as the inlet section [4].
Conclusions
By developing an understanding of the basic functioning of the most widely used aircraft
propulsion systems enables us to comprehend in a more thorough way why we must praise
and try to build upon the scientific achievements on the material sciences. As it has been
previously stated, the work environment inside a turbine engine is one of nefarious
conditions for any element: high temperatures, pressure fluctuations and rotational
stresses are only some of the severe circumstances a turbine element must withstand
diligently in order to supply thrust and produce our desired final outcome: flight.
Although much has been already achieved, it is important to note the many challenges and
areas of improvement that still exist and work towards seizing those opportunities to our
benefit.

Referencias
[1] B. Gunston, The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary, Second ed., Cambridge: Cambridge
University Pres, 2009.

[2] J. John D. Anderson, Introduction to flight, Séptima ed., Nueva York: McGraw Hill Companies,
Inc., 2012.

[3] P. Saeed Farokhi, Aircraft Propulsion, Second ed., Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2014.

[4] A. P. Mouritz, Introduction to Aerospace Materials, Philadelphia: Woodhead Publishing

Limited, 2012.