Turbine Engine Design
Project Description
The goal of this project is to create the most efficient engine possible by testing numerous variables on a single type of engine. To create the best engine we had to determine the fuel efficiency of the engine and alter the variables to increase it to the highest number we can. By using the simulator we could keep all the variables the same then change one per test and determine what can increase the fuel efficiency without taking away the plane's capability to fly.
Procedure
The parameters for our engine were that it needed to be a turbofan, the plane needed to fly at 500 miles per hour, the plane needed to be at 10,000 feet in the air, the throttle needs to be at 99.93%, and the afterburner needs to be in the OFF position. The engine weight would be optimal around 600 pounds with a square footage of 4 feet.
We chose to use a turbofan engine because we would be using the engine at high speeds and it is very efficient compared to other engines due to its design. The turbofan is efficient because it takes in a large mass of air and accelerates it by a small amount compared to a turbojet that accelerates a small amount of air by a large amount. The turbofans will rotate at a slower speed to use less energy while still functioning just as good as the turbojets because the turbofans output such a vast amount of air moving faster than ambient air that the resulting forces are equal to less air moving faster.
For the project we completed 10 different tests by changing variables of the engine, but we kept the flight conditions like airspeed and altitude the same for each test. For the first few tests we altered the efficiency of the engine components as well as the pressure of the engine, and for the other tests that we conducted we changed the materials that the components were made out of. At the end of each test we recorded the weight of the engine, its power to weight ratio, and engine temperature of a section if it was overheated.
We chose to use a turbofan engine because we would be using the engine at high speeds and it is very efficient compared to other engines due to its design. The turbofan is efficient because it takes in a large mass of air and accelerates it by a small amount compared to a turbojet that accelerates a small amount of air by a large amount. The turbofans will rotate at a slower speed to use less energy while still functioning just as good as the turbojets because the turbofans output such a vast amount of air moving faster than ambient air that the resulting forces are equal to less air moving faster.
For the project we completed 10 different tests by changing variables of the engine, but we kept the flight conditions like airspeed and altitude the same for each test. For the first few tests we altered the efficiency of the engine components as well as the pressure of the engine, and for the other tests that we conducted we changed the materials that the components were made out of. At the end of each test we recorded the weight of the engine, its power to weight ratio, and engine temperature of a section if it was overheated.
Solution
Overall I believe that our design for the engine was good because it was capable of producing a high trust to weight ratio as well as maintain a good fuel efficiency. The materials that were used in the design were relatively cheap as we mostly used aluminum and nickel alloy to provide high amounts of strength while not being too expensive. Another advantage of the engine design was low overall weight of the engine as larger amounts of weight would lower the total efficiency of the airplane itself.
Conclusion
In this project we learned how to create the most efficient engine possible by testing numerous variables on a single type of engine, and we learned what variables have the most effect on the efficiency of the engine and the thrust to weight ratio of the engine. Through the experimentation using the engine simulator we learned that the efficiency of individual components, the size of those components, and the materials they are made out of have the most noticeable effect on the engine's performance.
The engine type is vital to the performance as each design is intended for specific purposes. The turbofan is the best engine for fuel efficiency as it is designed to output high amounts of air at a low increase to speed by using less fuel to turn the engine and having a large fan intaking large amounts of the surrounding air. The turbofan is also optimal as the air the fan pulls in can be used to cool the engine components rather than using coolant systems in the engine.
Aircraft that fly at high altitudes require stronger intake systems for air because of the lower density of the air molecules, so the engines like the turbofan can function normally as the fan will bring in high amounts of the air and allow the engine to function while other engines like the turboprop will not get enough air to function properly.
The engine type is vital to the performance as each design is intended for specific purposes. The turbofan is the best engine for fuel efficiency as it is designed to output high amounts of air at a low increase to speed by using less fuel to turn the engine and having a large fan intaking large amounts of the surrounding air. The turbofan is also optimal as the air the fan pulls in can be used to cool the engine components rather than using coolant systems in the engine.
Aircraft that fly at high altitudes require stronger intake systems for air because of the lower density of the air molecules, so the engines like the turbofan can function normally as the fan will bring in high amounts of the air and allow the engine to function while other engines like the turboprop will not get enough air to function properly.