ME 354 Tutorial, Week #9

Jet-Propulsion Cycle
A turbojet is flying with a velocity of 320 m/s at an altitude of 9150m, where the
ambient conditions are 32 kPa and -32C. The pressure ratio across the
compressor is 12, and the temperature at the turbine inlet is 1400 K. Air enters
the compressor at a rate of 40 kg/s, and the jet fuel has a heating value of 42,700
kJ/kg. Assuming ideal operation for all components and constant specific heats
for air at room temperature, determine:

a) the temperature and pressure at the turbine exit,

b) the velocity of the exhaust gases,
c) the propulsive power developed,
d) the propulsive efficiency, and
e) the rate of fuel consumption.

Step 1: Draw a diagram to represent the system

To better visualize what is happening during the cycle we can draw a T-s process
diagram.

T
4

on Turbine
er Secti
Burn
nt 5
3 onsta
P=C

Compressor Nozzle

2 6
Diffuser
ant
1 P = Const

s
Step 2: Prepare a property table
T (K) P (kPa)
1 241 32
2
3
4 1400 P3
5
6 32

1
Step 3: State your assumptions
Assumptions:
1) pe 0 for all components
2) ke 0 for compressor, burner, and turbine sections ONLY
3) air-standard assumptions are applicable
4) air is an ideal gas with constant specific heats at room temperature
5) ideal & steady operation of all components
6) wcomp,in = wturb,out

Step 4: Calculations
Part a)
In order to determine the temperature at the turbine exit we can start by writing
an energy balance over the turbine as shown in Eq1. Note: we have applied the
steady operating conditions assumption and the assumption that ke & pe 0
in the energy balances of Eq1 and Eq3.

wturb ,out ( h4 h5 ) (Eq1)

Since we have modeled the air as an ideal gas with constant specific heats at
room temperature [Recall: h=h(T)] we can rewrite Eq1 as Eq2.

wturb ,out ( h4 h5 ) c p (T4 T5 ) (Eq2)

Writing an energy balance for the compressor, we obtain Eq3.

wcomp ,in ( h3 h2 ) c p (T3 T2 ) (Eq3)

Since we have assumed the work produced by the turbine is equal to the work
supplied to the compressor we can equate Eq2 to Eq3, to obtain Eq4.

wturb,out wcomp,in c p (T4 T5 ) c p (T3 T2 ) (Eq4)

Isolating for T5 in Eq4 we obtain Eq5.

T5 T4 T2 T3 (Eq5)

Since we are given T4 in the problem statement, we must solve for T 2 and T3 in
order to find T5. Performing an energy balance on the diffuser, we obtain Eq6.

d E cv
m air ke pe u Pv 1 ke pe u Pv 2 (Eq6)
dt

Using the steady operation assumption, the assumption that pe 0, and the
definition of enthalpy (h = u + Pv), Eq6 reduces to Eq7. Since we are analyzing a
diffuser we can assume V2 0 (of negligible velocity), therefore ke2 0.

2
 V12 V2
ke1 h1 h2 0 c p (T2 T1 ) T2 1 T1 (Eq7)
2 2c p

Assuming we are flying in still air, the velocity of the air (relative to the jet) at the
inlet of the diffuser is equal to the velocity of the jet. Therefore, V 1 = 320 m/s.
From Table A-2 for air at room temperature c p = 1.005 kJ/kg*K. Substituting these
values into Eq7 we can solve for the temperature at location 2.

2
m2
320 2 m2 102400 2
V12 s s 241 K
T2 T1 241 K
2c p kJ m2
21.005 2.0110 3 2
kg K s K

T2 = 291.9 K

We can find the pressure at location 2 by noting that the diffuser process is
modeled as isentropic. We can use the ideal gas relation for isentropic processes
as shown below. From Table A-2 for air at room temperature k = 1.4.
k 1 k k 1.4
T2 P k P T k 1 T k 1 291.9 K 0.4
2 2 2 P2 P1 2 (32 kPa )
T1 P1 P1 T1 T1 241 K

P2 = 62.6 kPa

Using the compressors pressure ratio of 12 (given in the problem statement), we

can solve for the pressure at location 3.

P3 12 P2 12(62.6 kPa )

P3 = 751.2 kPa

Since the compression process is modeled as isentropic, we can solve for the
temperature at the compressor exit, T 3, using the ideal gas relation for isentropic
processes as shown below.
k 1 k 1
T3 P k P k 0 .4
3 T3 T2 3 (291.9 K )12 1.4
T2 P2 P2

T3 =593.7 K

3
Having determined T2 & T3, we can use Eq5 to determine the temperature at the
turbine exit.

T5 T4 T2 T3 1400[ K ] 291.9[ K ] 593.7[ K ]

T5 =1098.2 K Answer a)

We can find the pressure at the turbine exit by noting the expansion process
through the turbine is modeled as isentropic. We can use the ideal gas relation
for isentropic processes as shown in Eq8.
k 1 k k
T5 P5 k P T k 1 T k 1
5 5 P5 P4 5 (Eq8)
T4 P4 P4 T4 T4

The pressure across the burner section (3 4) is constant so P4 = P3 = 751.2

kPa. We are given T4 in the problem statement and we determined T 5 in the
previous step. Substituting these values into Eq8, we can solve for P 5.
1.4
1098.2[ K ] 0.4

P5 (751.2[ kPa ])

1400[ K ]

P5 =321.1 kPa Answer a)

Part b)
To find the velocity of the exhaust gases we must first perform an energy balance
on the nozzle (5 6) as shown in Eq9.

d E cv
m air ke pe u Pv 5 ke pe u Pv 6 (Eq9)
dt

Using the steady operation assumption, the assumption that pe 0, and the
definition of enthalpy (h = u + Pv), Eq9 reduces to Eq10. Since we are analyzing
a nozzle we can assume V5 0 (of negligible velocity), therefore ke5 is also zero.

V62
h5 ke6 h6 0 c p (T5 T6 ) V6 2c p (T5 T6 ) (Eq10)
2

From Eq10, we see we must first determine the temperature at the exit of the
nozzle (Location 6).

Since the process through the nozzle is modeled as isentropic, we can use the
ideal gas relation for isentropic processes as shown below. The pressure at
location 6 is ambient (32 kPa).

4
 k 1 k 1 0.4
T6 P k P k 32[kPa] 1.4
6 T6 T5 6 (1098.2 K )
T5 P5 P5 321.1[kPa]

T6 = 568.2 K

Substituting this result into Eq10 we can solve for the velocity of the exhaust
gases.

J m2
V6 21.005(10 3 ) 1098.2[ K ] 568.2[ K ] 1065300 2
kg K s

V6 = 1032 m/s Answer b)

Part c)
The propulsive power developed is defined as shown in Eq11.

W p m air (Vexit Vinlet )Vaircraft (Eq11)

Substituting in the known values into Eq11, we can solve for the propulsive
power developed (it was previously noted that V inlet = Vaircraft).

kg m m m kg m m
W p 40 1032 320 320 9113600
s s
2
s s s s

W p 9113.6 kW Answer c)

Part d)
The propulsive efficiency is defined as the propulsive power developed divided
by the rate of heat input as shown in Eq12.

Wp
p (Eq12)
Q in

We determined the propulsive power developed in part c). The rate of heat input
can be determined from an energy balance on the burner section (3 4) as
shown in Eq13.

Q in m air h4 h3 m air c p T4 T3 (Eq13)

5
Substituting in the known values into Eq13 we can solve for the rate of heat
input.

kg kJ
Q in 40 1.005 1400[ K ] 593.7[ K ]
s kg K

Q in 32413.3 kW

Substituting in the known values into Eq12 we can solve for propulsive efficiency.

Wp 9113.6[ kW ]
p
=0.2812 or 28.12% Answer d)
Q in 32413.3[kW ]

Part e)
The rate of fuel consumption can be determined from the heating value of fuel
and the rate of heat input as shown in Eq14.

kJ
32413.3
Q s
m fuel in 0.759 kg/s Answer e)
HV kJ
42700
kg

Step 5: Concluding Remarks & Discussion

a) The temperature and pressure at the turbine exit are 1098.2 K & 321.1
kPa respectively.
b) The exhaust gas velocity is 1032 m/s.
c) The propulsive power developed is 9113.6 kW.
d) The propulsive efficiency is 28.12%
e) The rate of fuel consumption is 0.759 kg/s.