4b

Reheat/Afterburning

4b.1 Introduction.

Reheat,or afterburning,is a method employedon-someenginesto

""g*."t the basicthrusiio provideadditionalpowerfor take-off,and in
,oir".ur., accelerate to cruiie speed.Fewcivil aircraftusereheator after-
burning."alternative
The to reheatwould be to employ a larger and more
powerful engineat the expenseof increasedweight,larger frontal area
andfuelconsumption.As Juchpenaltiesarenot alwaysacceptable, reheat
is the usualalternative.
Reheatis a systemprimarily designedto augmentthrust for short
periodsof time and consistsof the introductionand burning of fuel
Letweenthe turbine and the jet pipe propelling nozzleutilising the
unspentoxygenremainingin the exhaustgasesto supportcombustion'
The resultanlincreasein the temperatureof the exhaustgasgivesan
increasedvelocityto the jet leavingthe propellingnozzleand thus
increasesthe enginethrust.
As the temperature of the reheat flame may be in excessof l700deg C,
the burnersare normally locatedso that the flame is concentratedaround
the axis of the jet pipe, thereby allowing a proportion of the turbine
Jischargegastohow ilotrg the wall of the jet pipe and therefore maintain
the wall of the jet pipe at a safe temperature value'
Figu.. ab-l showi tire location of an afterburner in a jet pipe assembly. -
"li
.
F L A M EH O L D E R S
ADJUSTABLENOZZLE_
SPRAYBARS
/

A F T E R B U R N EDRU C T
Unit.
Figure4b-1 Locationof Afterburner
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 C A ST U R B I N E N C I N E S

Normally a reheatjet pipe assemblyis larger than a conventionaljet

pipe would be for the sameengine, in order to achievea reduced velocity
gas stream.To provide for operations under all conditions, a reheatjet
pipe is fitted either with a two position propelling nozzle or a variable
propelling nozzle. The nozzle is closed during non-reheat operation.
However, when reheatis selectedthe nozzle opensto provide a suitable
exit area for the increasedgas stream. This prevents an excessivebuild-
up 9f back pressurewhich would affect the normal operation of the
englne.
The thrust of an afterburning engineis slightly less,without afterburning,
than that of a similar enginewithout provision for afterburning,because
of the restrictions causedto the gas flow by the afterburner equipment in
the jet pipe. The overall weight of the engineis also increaseddue to the
additional equipmentand the larger and strongerjet pipe.

4b.2 Afterburner Operation.

The flow velocity of the gas stream leaving the turbine is in the order of
750 to 1200feet per second,but becausethis velocity is far too high for a
stable flame to be maintained, the flow is diffused before it enters the
afterburner combustion zone. The flow velocity is thereby reduced and
the pressureincreases.It must be noted however, that the speed of
burning of keroseneat normal mixture ratios is only a few feet per second
and any fuel lit, even in the diffused gas stream would quickly be ex-
tinguished. A flame stabiliser is therefore fitted downstream of the fuel
burnersto provide a region in which turbulent eddiesare formed to assist
combustion, and where the local gasvelocity is further reducedto a figure
at which flame stabilisationoccurswhilst combustion is in operation.
An atomised fuel spray is fed into the jet pipe through a number of
burners.The burnersare arrangedto provide an evendistribution of fuel
over the whole flame area.Combustion is initiated by an igniter plug ad-
jacent to the burner, or by a hot sheetof flame which originatesin the
enginecombustionchamber,this latter method is known as hot shot igni-
tion. Due to the increasedtemperature the gasesexpand and finally
acceleratethrough the propelling nozzleto provide additional thrust.

4b.3 ThrustIncreasewith Afterburning.

The amount of thrust increasefrom reheatdependssolelyupon the ratio
of the absolutejet pipe temperaturesbefore and after the extra fuel has
been burnt. Some minor lossesmay be incurred, due mainly to restric-
tions createdby the afterburning equipment in the jet pipe, and also by
sas flow momentum chanses.

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 SYSTEM
EXHAUST

4b.4 AfterburningControl.
The afterburner/reheat systemrequirestwo basic functions to be
controlled:the fuel flow and the propellingnozzle;it is important that
thesefunctions work perfectly in co-ordinationwith eachother.When
afterburningis selectid on, the propellingnozzlearea automatically
increases. The amount the propelling nozzleopenswill be dependent
upon the degreeof afterburningselected which,in turn, dictatesthe fuel
flbw to the ifterburners.When the nozzleareais increasedthe fuel flow
increases,andwhen thenozzleareais reducedthe fuel flow decreases. The
fuelflow sensing deviceensures that the pressureratio acrossthe turbine
remainsunchan-ged and that the engineii unaffectedby the operationof
the afterburning,regardless of the nozzleareaand fuel flow'
Due to the la-rgeluel flows requiredto supplythe afterburnerwhen it
ui additionalfueipumpis needed.
is in operatio.r, This pumpis normally
of a centrifugaltype and is energised automaticallywhen reheatis
selected.

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