Course description
The integration of a turbojet or a turbofan engine into an airframe is a complex engineering issue that is multidisciplinary in nature. It is concerned with the aero-thermodynamic, aeromechanical, systems, operational and control aspects of the installation, an important feature of which is the design and performance of the overall power plant or propulsion system. This comprises the engine, air intake, exhaust system, and the nacelle or housing surrounding the engine. This course introduces the fundamental principles required for the analysis of the performance of the propulsion system in relation to that of the airframe.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
The course is considered to be introductory in content and nature and hence useful for young graduates of engineering, science or mathematics who are starting or have recently started their careers in aero gas turbine installation. An understanding of the basic principles of aero gas turbines underpinning its design, operation and behaviour is essential for this course, with some previous industrial experience desirable.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you will learn
This course is intended to introduce the fundamental principles and to equip course members with background knowledge. The intended learning outcomes are as follows:
- Analyse and assess aircraft performance from a propulsion integration perspective
- Compare and differentiate engine installation characteristics
- Assess aspects of component performance and system performance integration
The course is considered relevant and useful to any professional experience related to aircraft performance and aircraft propulsion system integration in the industry.
Course delivery details
Core content
The course is divided into two major components: Component Performance and System Performance and Integration
Component Performance
Three main topics are dealt with in this section: Aircraft Performance, Jet Engine Performance, Intakes and Exhaust Systems.
- Aircraft Performance: Deals with the major topics of flight and aerodynamics, such as lift, drag, range, performance and a section on the design of aircraft for different purposes
- Jet Engine Performance: Focuses mainly on the off-design performance of jet engines. Engine behaviour at different altitudes, flight speeds, ambient conditions and throttle settings are described. This topic features a presentation on the design of engines for various types of aircraft.
- Intakes and Exhaust Systems: Outlines the major design features and operation of the components for subsonic and supersonic aircraft applications.
System Performance and Integration
This portion of the course starts with the analysis of fundamental aerodynamics of unducted and ducted bodies. This is followed by the development, via the formal definitions of thrust and drag and the concept of stream-tube momentum force, of the relationship between the net propulsive force of the powerplant, engine thrust and nacelle forces.
Alternative performance accounting relationships are developed for various choices of thrust interface using force, drag and the hybrid force/drag method. These are employed to illustrate the interplay between component forces. The treatment addresses the long and short-cowl podded nacelles, appropriate to civil engine installations, on-and off-wing.
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