Problem: 7-5
Given: An aircraft with a turbofan propulsion system is flying at a
speed of 200 m/s at an altitude where pressure is 60 kP a
and temperature is 0 ◦ C. The compressor
has a pressure ratio of 8 : 1, the maximum Brayton cycle
temperature is 400 ◦ C, the area of the opening servicing
the fan and engine is 3 m2 , and the mass flow rate ratio,
defined as rm = (ṁe + ṁt )/ṁe , is 4 : 1.
Where ṁe is the mass flow rate needed to supply
the Brayton cycle engine and ṁt is the thrust
generating mass flow rate.
Find: The thrust force generated by this propulsion unit.
For the specified inlet conditions, the air’s specific volume is
RT
v= = 1.303 m3 /kg
P
Air passes through the opening servicing the fan and compressor at the speed of the aircraft.
The total mass flow rate is then
AV
ṁ = = 460.5 kg/s
v
of which
ṁ
ṁe = = 115.1 kg/s
rm
passes through the Brayton cycle and
1
ṁt = ṁ − ṁe = 345.4 kg/s
passes through the fan.
Following the state numbering scheme from the process diagram for the componenets in the
Brayton cycle,the temperature at the end of the compression is
(k−1)/k
P2
T2 = T1 = 495 K
P1
Similarly, the temperature at which the air leaves the engine is
(k−1)/k
P5
T5 = T3 = 371 K
P3
The temperature drop between states 3 and 4 is the same as that between states 1 and 2.
Hence
T4 = T3 − (T2 − T1 ) = 451 K
and the excess enthalpy is
h4 − h5 = cp (T4 − T5 ) = 80.28 kJ/kg
This excess enthalpy is converted into a kinetic energy change for the fan’s thrust-producing
stream. Equating the rate of kinetic energy production to the rate of excess enthalpy pro-
duction (i.e. applying the first law) gives
(ve∗ )2 − (vi∗ )2
ṁt = ṁe (h4 − h5 )
2
When solved for the velocity at which the air leaves the fan, ve∗ , this yields
1/2
ṁe
ve∗ = 2 (h4 − h5 ) + (vi∗ )2
ṁt
1/2
114.9
= 2 × × 263.9 × 1000 + 2002
344.5
= 306 m/s
The momentum thrust force produced by the fan is then
Ft = ṁt (ve∗ − vi∗ )
344.5 × 106.0
=
1000
= 36.52 kN
