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.
Theoretical and applied lectures
- 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.
Ricevimento: Office hours by appointment sending an email to francesca.satta@unige.it
ANDREA CATTANEI (President)
FRANCESCA SATTA (President)
EDWARD CANEPA
DANIELE SIMONI
MARINA UBALDI
PIETRO ZUNINO
Oral examinations
The exam is aimed at evaluating the knowledge gained by the student as well as his ability to apply them. To this purpose, at least two questions will be asked about the aircraft performance and the propulsion systems.
