AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main objective of the course is to supply the instruments for the study of aeronautical propulsion: thrust and performance of the different engine types during the different flight phases, engine layouts and main components responsible for the propulsion.

TEACHING METHODS

Theoretical and applied lectures

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- Brief introduction to the aeronautical propulsion history; large aircraft propulsion; standard atmosphere; units used in the aeronautical field.

- Classification of the aeroengines: architectures of propeller engines, ramjet, turbojet with and without afterburner, turbofan with low and high by-pass-ratios, pulsejet.

- Aircraft aerodynamics principles: lift, drag and momentum coefficients; finite wings and induced drag; wing aspect ratio.

- Airplane drag polar; aerodynamic forces acting on the airplane; thrust and power required for level, unaccelerated flight; maximum velocity; rate of climb; gliding flight; absolute and service ceiling; time-to-climb. Range and endurance for propeller driven and jet airplanes. Breguet’s range formula. Takeoff and landing performance. Turning flight and the v-n diagram.  

- Evaluation of the engine requirements, installed and uninstalled thrust.

- Generation of thrust for turbojet, turbofan, and turboprop. Actuator disk and blade element theories. Performance parameters of propulsion systems: cycle efficiency, propulsion efficiency, and overall efficiency.

- Turbojet engine: cycle analysis, design paramaters.

- Turbofan engine: cycle analysis, by-pass ratio selection.

- Turboprop engine: cycle analysis, optimum power split between the propeller and the jet.

- Main components responsible for the propulsion: Inlets: main requirements, non-dimensional parameters, diffuser geometries, Sovran and Klomp diffuser performance charts, supersonic inlets. Nozzles: main requirements, performance, nozzle area scheduling. Thrust reverser and thrust vectoring.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• J. D. Anderson, “Introduction to Flight, Sixth Edition”, McGraw-Hill, 2008
• S.  Farokhi, “Aircraft Propulsion”, John Wiley & Sons, 2008
• N. Cumpsty, “Jet Propulsion”, Cambridge University Press, 1997
• R. D. Flack, “Fundamentals of Jet Propulsion with Applications”, Cambridge University Press, 2005

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ANDREA CATTANEI (President)

FRANCESCA SATTA (President)

EDWARD CANEPA

DANIELE SIMONI

MARINA UBALDI

PIETRO ZUNINO

LESSONS

Class schedule

AERONAUTICAL PROPULSION

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examinations

Exam schedule