A Thermodynamic Study of the Turbine-Propeller Engine

Abstract

Equations and charts are presented for computing the thurst, the power output, the fuel consumption, and other performance parameters of a turbine-propeller engine for any given set of operating conditions and component efficiencies. Included are the effects of the pressure losses in the inlet duct and the combustion chamber, the variation of the physical properties of the gas as it passes through the system, and the change in mass flow of the gas by the addition of fuel. In order to illustrate some of the turbine-propeller-system performance characteristics, the total thrust horsepower per unit mass rate of air flow and the specific fuel consumption are presented for a wide range of flight and engine-design operating conditions and a given set of design component efficiencies. The performance of a turbine-propeller engine containing a matched set of components is presented for a range of engine operating conditions. The influence of the characteristics of the individual components on off-design-point performance is shown. The flexibility of operation of two turbine-propeller engines is discussed; one engine has a divided turbine system in which the first turbine drives only the compressor and the second turbine independently drives the propeller, and the other engine has a connected turbine system which drives both the compressor and the propeller.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 02, 1951
Accession Number
ADA801591

Entities

People

  • Benjamin Pinkel
  • Irving M. Karp

Organizations

  • National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Flow
  • Air Temperature
  • Calorific Value
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Chambers
  • Exhaust Nozzles
  • Flight Speeds
  • Fuel Air Ratio
  • Fuel Consumption
  • Generators
  • Heat Energy
  • Mach Number
  • Mass Flow
  • Physical Properties
  • Propeller Shafts
  • Static Pressure
  • Turbine Blades

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics.
  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Technology.