AEM 408/508/508-996, Fall 2014

Propulsion Systems 40417-45503-45501

Instructor: Dr. Semih Olcmen. Office: 240 Hardaway Hall, Tel: 348-4003. e-mail: solcmen@eng.ua.edu

Office hours: Anytime during work hours, not right before the class.

Class: Class 9:30 am - 10:45 am TR Hardaway Hall 252 Aug 20, 2014 - Dec 05, 2014 Lecture

Text: Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Hill and Peterson, 2
nd
Edition (1992), ISBN: 0-
201-14659-2. Additional notes will be supplied throughout the class as handouts, or through mybama web
site.

Prerequisites: AEM 413 Aerodynamics II. Students are expected to have a good understanding of
Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics and Compressible Fluid Flow.

Course Description:

Students are introduced to different types of aircraft engines and rockets in this class. Different air-breathing
engines, such as: turboshaft, turboprop, turbojet, turbofan, ramjet and scramjet are discussed in detail. Working
principles of these engines and their intended use are discussed along with the engine aircraft matching. An
introduction to working principles of rockets is given. The course uses fundamental engineering knowledge
gathered in many different classes, such as thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics to study and analyze
aircraft engines and rockets. Additional information about the novel technologies that are under development by
the government agencies are also introduced in the class.

Outline of Topics:

1) Governing equations of Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Compressible Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer.
2) Air-breathing propulsion principles, engine types and their working principles.
3) Rocket propulsion principles.

Course Objectives:

At the conclusion of the course students will be able to:
Analyze any existing air-breathing engine and generate performance characteristics for the engine.
Choose an engine for a design aircraft.
Make novel engine designs and analyze them.

AEM-508 and AEM-508-996 credit requirement:

Graduate students are required to do an additional special project in which they will need to identify an air
breathing engine, or a rocket engine of their choice and carry out thrust and performance analysis on this engine
using the material covered in the class and present their work in class close to the end of the semester to get
graduate credit for the class. Long-distance education students will be required to prepare a presentation video
that will be shown in class. All graduate students will also need to write a report on their analysis in detail.
Graduate students will receive a grade not higher than B if they do not present their special project and submit
their final report.


AEM 408/508/508-996, Fall 2014
Propulsion Systems 40417-45503-45501
Course Policy


1. Assignment Schedule: Homework problems and projects will be assigned throughout the semester.

2. Tests: Tests will cover assigned material whether discussed in class or not, and any additional material which
may be presented in class although not covered in the textbook. If a test is missed, the grade will be recorded
as zero. No make-up test will be given except in the event of illness or serious emergency. The tests may
include questions as well as problems. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and neatness will be considered in
the grading.

3. Quizzes: Quizzes of from 5 to 10 minutes in the length may be given, generally without prior announcement.
These will cover assigned material through the date of the quiz whether it has been discussed in class or not,
as well as unassigned material which has been discussed in class. No make-up quizzes will be given. A
missed quiz will be recorded as a grade of zero.

4. Homework: Homework submitted is to be the individual work of each student. Students should feel free to
discuss the homework at any length with each other; however, when a student is solving the homework
problems for submission he should not refer to the solution of any other student. Copying or sharing
homework solutions will be considered as giving unauthorized aid and a violation of the Honor Code.
Homework are due on the day they are assigned. No late homework will be accepted except in the event of
illness or serious emergency.

5. Attendance: Students are expected to attend every class session. The instructor should not be expected to
devote any time outside of class to a student who has a record of unexcused absences.

6. Grading: Course grades will be based on the tests, the quiz grades, the homework, and the final examination.
Occasional special assignments and classroom response may be graded for use in establishing the course
grade.

Graduate students are required to do an additional special project in which they will need to identify an air
breathing engine, or a rocket engine of their choice and carry out thrust and performance analysis on this
engine using the material covered in the class and present their work in class close to the end of the semester
to get graduate credit for the class. Long-distance education students will be required to prepare a
presentation video that will be shown in class. All graduate students will also need to write a report on their
analysis in detail. Graduate students will receive a grade not higher than B if they do not present their special
project and submit their final report.

HW, projects and quiz 25%; Test-25% each; final exam-25%
90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, no curve

7. Honor requirements: Observance of the University of Alabama Honor Code. Students are required to not to
be involved with cheating, plagiarism or misrepresentation.




Fall 2014 Final Exam Schedule

Wednesday, December 10, 2014
8:00 AM - 10:30 AM Classes which first meet from TR 9:00 10:50 AM


Fall 2014 - General
August 18 Late Registration/add/drop
August 20 Classes Begin
August 27 Last day to register or add a course
August 27 Last day to drop a course without a grade of "W"
September 1 Holiday - Labor Day
September 17 "Constitution Day"
October 27
Registration for spring 2015 begins (registration timetables for spring 2015 will be available
by 9/22/14)
October 29 Last day to drop a course with a grade of "W"
October 29
Last day to drop a course on-line. Drops after this date need to be processed in the student's
college office
October 29 Last day to post DO grades (due 24:00 Midnight)
October 30 - October 31
Mid-Semester Study Break (classes dismissed/ UA
open - normal business hours)
November 25 Last day for all tests, etc
November 26 Classes dismissed (UA open - normal business hours)
November 27-28 Holiday - Thanksgiving
December 1 Classes resume at 7:00 AM
December 5
Last day to withdraw from the University without having
to petition to the student's college office [Except Nursing & Law]
December 5 Classes end
December 8-12 Final examinations
December 13 Commencement (two ceremonies)
December 16 All Grades due (due 12:00pm Noon)
December 24, 2014 - January 4,
2015
University Closure - Holiday Break


PROPULSION SYSTEMS - Assignment Schedule-Fall 2014

Engineering Day: October 2
nd
. Not clear if the classes will be cancelled on that day.
Class number DAY DATE Reading/Text pp. TOPICS HW due on the date shown
1 Th 8/21 1-22 Chapter 1
2 T 8/26 23-32 Principles
3 Th 8/28 33-45
Thermodynamics, Non-
reacting mixtures

Labor Day Monday 9/1
4 T 9/2 45-56
Combustion, Reacting
mixtures 2.1, 2.4
5 Th 9/4 Reacting mixtures 2.8, 2.11
6 T 9/9 65-72 Isentropic Flow, Heating 2.6
7 Th 9/11 72-83 Heating, Friction 2.12, 2.14
8 T 9/16 83-88 Shocks 3.1, 3.6
9 Th 9/18
93-103, 117-118,
124-130
Boundary Layers, Heat
Transfer 3.3, 3.5
10 T 9/23 Review 3.2, 3.8(long)
11 Th 9/25 Test 1
12 T 9/30 141-155 Thrust; Efficiency
13 Th 10/2 155-164 Ramjet
14 T 10/7 164-177 Turbojet 5.2, 5.3
15 Th 10/9 177-189 Turbofan 5.12
16 T 10/14 Turbofan 5.8
17 Th 10/16 196-202 Typical Aircraft Performance
18 T 10/21 202-208, Hand out Engine-Aircraft Matching 5.13
19 Th 10/23 217-226 Subsonic Inlets 5.17
20 T 10/28 226-241 Supersonic Inlets
Mid-Semester Study Break October 30 - October 31
21 T 11/4 242-268
Combustors, SCRAMJET,
Nozzles 6.2
22 Th 11/6 Handout Propeller analysis 6.4
23 T 11/11 189-196 Turboprop 6.9
24 Th 11/13 Handout Unducted Propulsion 6.15, 5.20(long)
25 T 11/18 Review 5.21
26 Th 11/20 Test 2
27 T 11/25 275-285
Turbomachinery, Rockets
intro
November 26 Classes dismissed
November 27-28 Holiday - Thanksgiving
28 T 12/2 Presentation 7.1
29 Th 12/4 Review/Presentation 7.3