Propulsion

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The configuration of typical commercial engines and relation to their application.
• The environmental impact of combustion processes, alternative fuels and alternative architectures, and consequences for climate forcing and air quality emissions and (qualitatively) for noise, and other contributions to lifecycle environmental impact. (M7)
• Typical propulsion system mechanical configurations and their performance indicators.
• The architecture of launch vehicles and the role of various rocket motor stages.
• Propulsion system modules and the functional role of each subsystem in detail.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Solve problems systematically (C2,C3)
• Demonstrate study and time management skills.
• Study and learn independently. (M4)

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Calculate fundamental performance indicators of an entire engine (such as specific thrust and specific fuel consumption) for given flight regime, engine design parameters, and performance indicators of the engine components (such as the flight Mach number, compressor pressure ratio, and turbine efficiency etc.) (C1,M2,M3,M4,C7)
• Differentiate rocket engine cycle designs and relate this to performance requirements. (C1,M2,M3,M4)
• Evaluate intuitively how, and explain why variations in the flight regime, design parameters and components performance affect the overall performance of a system. (M2,M4)

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Use laboratory skills to investigate the working and practical performance of propulsion components (M12)

Introduction and Fundamentals

• Introduction to propulsion and sustainability targets for the industry
• Propulsion concepts, thrust, efficiencies, fuel consumption
• Recap of thermofluids concepts, introducing mixtures of ideal gases, definition of isentropic efficiency, properties of real fluids
• Combustion concepts, combustion chemistry, combustion thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium

Ramjets, Scramjets, Rockets

• Overview of ramjet technology and its application, distinction between ramjets and scramjets
• Calculation of ideal and non-ideal ramjet engines
• Rocket performance parameters, rocket equation, staging
• Rocket engine analysis, combustion, and nozzle performance
• Solid vs liquid propellants, liquid fuel rocket engine cycles

Gas Turbines, Turbojets, and Turbofans

• Thermodynamic analysis of propulsive gas turbines
• Turbofan engine design and selection of fan pressure ratio
• Alternative fuels and alternative architectures, and consequences for climate forcing and air quality emissions and (qualitatively) for noise, other contributions to lifecycle environmental impact

Turbomachinery and Propellers

• Principles of turbomachinery
• Non-dimensional variables and characteristics of turbomachinery
• Euler work equation and velocity triangles
• Axial-flow turbomachinery analysis
• Propeller analysis

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods will include lectures and laboratory demonstrations.

Learning activities include directed reading, problem solving, and analysis of experimental data.

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

NASA Website.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External