AEE 463 / MAE 563

Introduction to Propulsion Theory and Applications

Prof. Werner J.A. Dahm
Home Workset #12
Due: 3:00 p.m. on 30 November 2017

1. Compressor Analysis on the GE F110-129 Engine

Consider the compressor section of the GE F110 family of gas turbine engines, which is the
engine that powers most of the newer versions of the F-16 fighter aircraft. This engine
family consists of the F110-100/400, the F110-129 shown below, and the F110-132. Here
we will consider the GE F110-129. The engine produces a maximum thrust with afterburner
of 29,000 lbs at sea level altitude, and weighs just under 4,000 lbs, so its thrust-to-weight
ratio is about 7.3. The engine has a 3-stage low-pressure compressor (LPC) and a 9-stage
high-pressure compressor (HPC). The overall pressure ratio is 30.7.

a) If all 12 of the compressor stages are “equally loaded”, the total pressure rise (pt3/pt1)
across each stage is the same, and thus equal to (30.7)1/12 = 1.33. Explain briefly but
clearly why the stages in most real compressors are about equally loaded.
b) If we take all 12 stages to have the same stage efficiency, namely ηst = 0.96, find the total
temperature rise (Tt3/Tt1) across each compressor stage. Use γ = 1.38.
c) With the above information, find the entropy rise (st3 – st1)/cp across each compressor
stage, again using γ = 1.38.
d) List at least four physical processes that would be expected to contribute to the entropy
increase across each compressor stage.
e) If the total temperature of the air entering the low-pressure compressor is 300K, find the
total temperature of the air exiting the high-pressure compressor.
f) Find the entropy increase across the entire compressor in terms of the gas constant R.
g) Using the results above, find the overall compressor section efficiency ηC.
2. Turbine Stage Analysis: Velocity Triangles and Stage Work
Shown below is a turbine stage with U = 98 m/s and c2 = 160 m/s , where c1 and c 3 are
purely axial as shown. Take R = 286.9 J/kg-K, γ = 1.4, and cp = 1004 J/kg-K.

a) Draw accurate velocity triangles at stations 2 and 3 approaching and leaving the rotor.
b) Is the stator (“nozzle”) exit flow well aligned for the rotor leading edge slope and rotation
speed? If so, state clearly why, and if not, state clearly why not. Either way, present
quantitative evidence to support your claim.
c) Determine the work per unit mass extracted by the turbine rotor from the gas flow
through this stage.
d) Find the total temperature change ΔTt ≡ Tt 3 − Tt1 across this turbine stage.

3. Understanding All Possible Four-Step “Propulsion and Power System Cycles”

Propulsion and power systems are based on “heat engine cycles”, namely thermodynamic cycles
(i.e., they begin and end at the same state) in which heat is added during part of the cycle and
heat is removed in another other part of the cycle. The resulting net work from the cycle can be
used to produce thrust or power. There are many possible thermodynamic cycles that can
potentially be used for propulsion or power systems, most of which are based on a “four-step
cycle”, namely one in which s, T, p, or V is held constant in each of steps 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 4-1.
Here we will consider all possible four-step cycles to determine which of them are viable as the
basis for propulsion or power systems. Keep in mind that either s, T, p, or V is held constant in
each of the four steps, so since there are four steps in the cycle and there are four variables that
could be kept constant in each step, there are 44 = 256 such combinations that could potentially
represent viable thermodynamic cycles on which a propulsion or power system could be based.
These 256 combinations are listed in the spreadsheet provided for this homework. You will
explore which of these combinations are viable as four-step propulsion or power cycles.
a) In order to be a cycle, the four steps must form a closed loop in T-s and p-V diagrams.
However, many of the 256 combinations cannot possibly form such a closed loop. Consider,
for example, combination #2 in the spreadsheet, for which the corresponding constant
properties in the four steps are s-s-s-T, as shown in the spreadsheet. Regardless of whether
the s-changes in the first three steps are individually taken to be positive or negative, and
regardless of the magnitudes of these s-changes, there is no way that this can form a closed
loop in a T-s diagram (draw T-s diagrams to convince yourself of this). Thus combination #2
cannot possibly provide the basis for a four-step cycle. The same is true for numerous other
combinations listed in the spreadsheet, and for many others it is equally apparent in a p-V
diagram that they too cannot form a closed loop and thus cannot be a thermodynamic cycle.
For each of the 256 combinations, determine whether or not it can form a closed loop in a T-s
or p-V diagram. For those that cannot form a closed loop, enter “Not a cycle” in red font in
Column F of the spreadsheet.
Note: Enter “Not a cycle” in red font in Column F only if the given combination cannot
possibly begin and end at the same state. Thus, for example, combination #1 (s-s-s-s) can be
made to begin and end at the same state, so you will not include it among the combinations
for which you enter “Not a cycle” in red font in Column F.
You should end up with exactly 48 of the combinations listed in the spreadsheet being
identified as “Not a cycle”.

b) In order for each of the remaining combinations to form a work-producing cycle, the closed
loops in their T-s and p-V diagrams must enclose a non-zero area. Yet many of these
combinations can only produce zero-area loops, meaning they produce no net work per cycle,
and thus they cannot form the basis for a four-step propulsion or power cycle. For example,
we noted above that combination #1 (s-s-s-s) can be a cycle, but regardless of the magnitudes
or signs of the s-changes the resulting closed loop in a T-s diagram will produce zero
enclosed area (draw T-s diagrams to convince yourself of this). For many of the other
combinations, it is more readily apparent in a p-V diagram that the closed loop will always
have zero enclosed area, and thus cannot form a work-producing cycle. For instance,
combination #236 (p-v-v-p) will clearly always produce zero enclosed area in a p-V diagram.
Any cycle that has zero enclosed area in one diagram (T-s or p-V) will have zero area in the
other as well, though the zero-area nature of the cycle may be more readily apparent in one
diagram than the other.
For each of the remaining combinations in the spreadsheet, determine those that can only
produce zero-area loops in their T-s and p-V diagrams, and enter “Zero area cycle” in blue
font in Column F of the spreadsheet.
You should end up with exactly 28 of the combinations listed in the spreadsheet being
identified as a “Zero area cycle”.

c) Of the remaining combinations in the spreadsheet, many correspond to three-step cycles

rather than four-step cycles. This occurs whenever two successive steps in the cycle keep the
 same variable (s, T, p, or V) constant, as for example is the case for combination #7 (draw T-s
or p-V diagrams to convince yourself of this). In principle, there is nothing wrong with using
a three-step thermodynamic cycle as the basis for a propulsion or power system (e.g., the
Lenoir cycle you analyzed on one of the homework assignments was a three-step cycle),
however in this project we are interested in systems based on four-step cycles.
For each of the remaining combinations in the spreadsheet, determine those that are three-
step cycles, and enter “3-step cycle” in green font in Column F of the spreadsheet.
Note: Keep in mind that these are cycles, so they “wrap” from step 4-1 back to step 1-2.
Thus some of the three-step cycles are ones for which the same thermodynamic variable is
held constant in steps 4-1 and 1-2.
You should end up with exactly 96 of the combinations listed in the spreadsheet being
identified as a “3-step cycle”.

d) Of the remaining combinations in the spreadsheet, several correspond to the Otto, Diesel,
Carnot, and Brayton cycles that we have analyzed in class. For instance, combination #18 (s-
T-s-T) is clearly the Carnot cycle, but so is combination #69 (T-s-T-s) since it simply has the
starting point numbered differently.
For each of the remaining combinations in the spreadsheet, identify those that are Otto,
Diesel, Carnot, or Brayton cycles, and enter “OTTO”, “DIESEL”, “CARNOT”, or
“BRAYTON” in black font in Column F of the spreadsheet.
You should end up with two combinations labeled OTTO, four labeled DIESEL, two labeled
CARNOT, and two labeled BRAYTON.

e) This leaves 74 work-producing four-step cycles in the spreadsheet, however many of these
can be seen in T-s and p-V diagrams to be the same cycle, just having the starting point
numbered differently. As a result, you will find that there are only 20 unique work-
producing four-step cycles beyond the Otto, Diesel, Carnot, and Brayton cycles, which you
have already labeled in the spreadsheet.
Working downward in order from the top of the spreadsheet, the first of these should be
combination #19, which you will label as “New Cycle 1” in black font in Column H of the
spreadsheet. Comparing this with all the remaining unlabeled entries in the spreadsheet, you
will see that it is identical to combinations #34, #73, and #133, so you will enter “New Cycle
1” in black font in Column H of the spreadsheet for those combinations as well.
Continuing to work downward in the spreadsheet from combination #19, for each of the
remaining combinations (beginning with combination #20 which you will label as “New
Cycle 2” in Column H) identify each unique work-producing four-step cycle and all of its
equivalent combinations, labeling these in order as “New Cycle 2”, “New Cycle 3” ... “New
Cycle 20” in black font in Column H.
Turn in your final spreadsheet by naming the file Cycles_Lastname.xlsx, where Lastname is
your last name, then send it as an email attachment to werner.dahm@asu.edu using subject
line “Cycles Spreadsheet Lastname”.
f) Based on your spreadsheet, make a list of the 20 unique “new” (beyond the Otto, Diesel,
Carnot, and Brayton cycles) work-producing four-step cycles, with the cycles listed in order
of their first appearance in your spreadsheet. Your list should have 20 rows, with each row
showing the cycle number 1, 2 ... 20 that you identified in part (e) and the cycle description
of the first entry for that cycle in the spreadsheet (e.g., s-T-s-V for New Cycle 1). Turn in
your list.