Ae 6512 Prop Lab Manual

RAJALAKSHMI ENGINEERING COLEGE
THANDALAM, CHENNAI-602 105

DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
AE 6512 PROPULSION LAB MANUAL

REGULATION 2013
Prepared by
Mr.Balaguru P Mr. Suresh Chandra Khandai

Assistant Professor Assistant Professor (SS)
Dept. of Aeronautical Engineering Dept. of Aeronautical Engineering
Rajalakshmi engineering college Rajalakshmi engineering college
Thandalam, Chennai-602 105 Thandalam, Chennai-602 105
HOD/AERO
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EXP.NO.1. STUDY OF AN AIRCRAFT PISTON & GAS TURBINE ENGINES
AIM
To study an aircraft piston & gas turbine engine and its components in details.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
1. Aircraft piston engine and its components.

2. Aircraft Jet engine.
INTRODUCTION
A Piston engine is a heat engine that uses one or more pistons to convert pressure into
a rotating motion. The main types are the internal combustion engine used extensively in
motor vehicles, the steam engine which was the mainstay of the industrial revolution and and
in olden low speed small aircrafts.
There may be one or more pistons. Each piston is inside a cylinder, into which a gas is
introduced, either already hot and under pressure (steam engine), or heated inside the cylinder
either by ignition of a fuel air mixture (internal combustion engine) or by contact with a hot
heat exchanger in the cylinder (Stirling engine). The hot gases expand, pushing the piston to
the bottom of the cylinder. The piston is returned to the cylinder top (Top Dead Centre) either
by a flywheel or the power from other pistons connected to the same shaft. In most types the
expanded or "exhausted" gases are removed from the cylinder by this stroke. The exception is
the Stirling engine, which repeatedly heats and cools the same sealed quantity of gas.In some
designs the piston may be powered in both directions in the cylinder in which case it is said to
be double acting.
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet of fluid to generate
thrust in accordance with Newton's third law of motion. This broad definition of jet engines
includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets and pump-jets, but in common
usage, the term generally refers to a gas turbine Brayton cycle engine, an engine with a rotary
compressor powered by a turbine, with the leftover power providing thrust. Jet engines are so
familiar to the modern world that gas turbines are sometimes mistakenly referred to as a
particular application of a jet engine, rather than the other way around. Most jet engines are
internal combustion engines but non combusting forms exist also.
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Jet engines are primarily used by jet aircraft for long distance travel. The early jet
aircraft used turbojet engines which were inefficient. Modern jet aircraft usually use high-
bypass turbofan engines which help give high speeds as well as, over long distances, better
fuel efficiency than many other forms of transport. A large proportion of the worlds oil
consumption (about 7.2% in 2004) is burnt in jet engines.
Piston Engine Components, and their Functions

The major components seen are connecting rod, crank shaft(swash plate), crank case,
piston rings, spark plug, cylinder, flywheel, crank pin and valves or ports.
In all types the linear movement of the piston is converted to a rotating movement via
a connecting rod and a crankshaft or by a swash plate. A flywheel is often used to ensure
smooth rotation. The more cylinders a reciprocating engine has, the engine will be more
vibration-free (smoothly).
A seal needs to be made between the sliding piston and the walls of the cylinder so
that the high pressure gas above the piston does not leak past it and reduce the efficiency of
the engine. This seal is provided by one or more piston rings. These are rings made of a hard
metal which are sprung into a circular groove in the piston head. The rings fit tightly in the
groove and press against the cylinder wall to form a seal.
ENGINE TERMINOLOGY
Stroke:
Either the up or down movement of the piston from the top to the bottom or bottom to
top of the cylinder (so the piston going from the bottom of the cylinder to the top would be 1
stroke, from the top back to the bottom would be another stroke)
Induction:
As the piston travels down the cylinder head, it 'sucks' the fuel/air mixture into the
cylinder. This is known as 'induction'.
Compression:
As the piston travels up to the top of the cylinder head, it 'compresses' the fuel/air
mixture from the carburetor in the top of the cylinder head, making the fuel/air mix ready for
igniting by the spark plug. This is known as 'compression'.
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Ignition:
When The Spark Plug Ignites The Compressed Fuel/Air Mixture, Sometimes
Referred To As The Power Stroke.
Exhaust: As the piston returns back to the top of the cylinder head after the fuel/air mix
has been ignited, the piston pushes the burnt 'exhaust' gases out of the cylinder & through the
exhaust system.
TYPES OF PISTON ENGINES
It is common for such engines to be classified by the number and alignment of the
cylinders and the total volume of displacement of gas by the pistons moving in the cylinders
usually measured in cubic centimeters (cc).
In-Line Engine
This type of engine has cylinders lined up in one row. It typically has an even number
of cylinders, but there are instances of three- and five- cylinder engines. An in-line engine
may be either air cooled or liquid cooled. It is better suited for streamlining. If the engine
crankshaft is located above the cylinders, it is called an inverted engine. Advantages of
mounting the crankshaft this way include shorter landing gear and better pilot visibility. An
in-line engine has a higher weight-to-horsepower ratio than other aircraft engines. A
disadvantage of this type of engine is that the larger it is, the harder it is to cool. Due to this,
airplanes that use an inline engine, use a low- to medium-horsepower engine, and are
typically used by light aircraft.
Ex: Ranger L-440 air-cooled, six-cylinder, inverted, in-line engine used in Fairchild PT-19.
Opposed Engine
An opposed-type engine has two banks of cylinders opposite each other. The
crankshaft is located in the center and is being driven from both sides. The
The engine is either air cooled or liquid cooled, but air cooled versions are used mostly in
aviation. It can be mounted either vertically or horizontally. The advantage of a horizontally-
opposed engine is that it allows better visibility and eliminates fluid lock typically found on
bottom cylinders. An opposed engine also has a relative advantage in being mostly free of
vibration. This is due to the fact that the pistons are located left and right of the crankshaft
and acts as balance weights to each other.
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Ex: A ULPower UL260i horizontally opposed air-cooled aero engine.
V-Type Engine
Cylinders in this engine are arranged in two in-line banks, typically tilted 60-90
degrees apart from each other and driving a common crankshaft. The vast majority of V
engines is water-cooled. The V design provides a higher power-to-weight ratio than an inline
engine, while still providing a small frontal area. Perhaps the most famous example of this
design is the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, a 27-liter (1649 in3) 60° V12 engine used
in, among others, the Spitfires that played a major role in the Battle of Britain.
Radial Engine
This type of engine has a row of cylinders arranged in a circle around a crankcase
located in the middle. The combination of cylinders must be an odd number in each row and
may contain more than one row. The odd number of cylinders allows for every other cylinder
to be on a power stroke, allowing for smooth operation. The power output is anywhere from
100 to 3,800 HP.
Ex: A Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine
Figure 1. Types of aircraft piston engines
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4 Stroke Engine
Engines based on the four-stroke or Otto cycle have one power stroke for every four
strokes (up-down-up-down) and are used in cars, larger boats, and many light aircraft. They
are generally quieter, more efficient, and larger than their two-stroke counterparts. There are
a number of variations of these cycles, most notably the Atkinson and miller cycles.
Most truck and automotive diesel engines use a four-stroke cycle, but with a
compression heating ignition system. This variation is called the diesel cycle. The four
strokes refer to intake, compression, and combustion and exhaust strokes that occur during
two crankshaft rotations per working cycle of Otto cycle and diesel engines. The four steps in
this cycle are often informally referred to as "suck, squeeze (or squash), bang, blow."
OPERATION OF A 4-STROKE ENGINE
ACTIONS
INLET &
OCCURRING
PISTON EXHAUST
STROKE DURING EXPLANATION
DIRECTION VALVE
THIS
POSITIONS
STROKE
Piston travels As the piston travels down the

Inlet valve
down the Induction cylinder barrel, the inlet valve
Stroke 1 open/exhaust
cylinder stroke opens & fresh fuel/air mixture
valve colsed
barrel is sucked into the cylinder
Piston travels As the piston travels back up

up the Inlet&exhaust Compression the cylinder, the fresh fuel/air
Stroke 2
cylinder valve closed stroke mix is compressed ready for
barrel ignition
The spark plug ignites the

Piston travels
compressed fuel/air mix, the
down the Inlet&exhaust Ignition
Stroke 3 resulting explosion pushes the
cylinder valve closed (power) stroke
piston back to the bottom of the
barrel
cylinder
Piston travels Inlet valve As the piston travels back up

Stroke 4 up the closed/exhaust Exhaust stroke the cylinder barrel, the spent
cylinder valve open exhaust gases are forced out of
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barrel the exhaust valve
Figure 2. Four different strokes for piston engine
2 Stroke Engine
The two-stroke internal combustion engine differs from the more common four-stroke
engine by completing the same four processes (intake, compression, combustion, exhaust) in
only two strokes of the piston rather than four. This is accomplished by using the beginning
of the compression stroke and the end of the combustion stroke to perform the intake and
exhaust functions. This allows a power stroke for every revolution of the crank, instead of
every second revolution as in a four-stroke engine. For this reason,
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Two-Stroke engines provide high specific power, so they are valued for use in
portable, lightweight applications such as chainsaws as well as large-scale industrial
applications like locomotives. Two-stroke engines are still commonly used in high-power,
handheld applications where light weight is essential, primarily string trimmers and
chainsaws.
OPERATION OF A 2-STROKE ENGINE
ACTIONS
OCCURRING
PISTON
STROKE DURING EXPLANATION
DIRECTION
THIS
STROKE
As the piston travels up the barrel, fresh

Piston travels fuel/air mix is sucked into the crankcase
Induction &
Stroke 1 up the cylinder (bottom of the engine) & the fuel/air mix in
compression
barrel the cylinder (top of the engine) is compressed
ready for ignition
The spark plug ignites the fuel/air mix in the

cylinder, the resulting explosion pushes the
piston back down to the bottom of the
Piston travels cylinder, as the piston travels down, the
Ignition &
Stroke 2 down the transfer port openings are exposed & the fresh
exhaust
cylinder barrel fuel/air mix is sucked from the crankcase into
the cylinder. As the fresh fuel/air mix is
drawn into the cylinder, it forces the spent
exhaust gases out through the exhaust port.
GAS TURBINE ENGINE
The gas turbine engine is essentially a heat engine using air as a working fluid to
provide thrust. To achieve this, the air passing through the engine has to be accelerated; this
means that the velocity or kinetic energy of the air is increased. To obtain this increase, the
pressure energy is first of all increased, followed by the addition of heat energy, before final
conversion back to kinetic Energy in the form of a high velocity jet efflux.
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Figure 3. A typical turbojet engine.
Figure 4. A typical turbofan engine.
Figure 5. Basic components of jet engine.
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WORKING CYCLE
The working cycle of the gas turbine engine is similar to that of the four-stroke piston
engine.However, in the gas turbine engine, combustion occurs at a constant pressure, whereas
in the piston engine it occurs at a constant volume. Both engine cycles show that in each
instance there is induction, compression, combustion and exhaust. These processes are
intermittent in the case of the piston engine whilst they occur continuously in the gas turbine.
In the piston engine only one stroke is utilized in the production of power, the others being
involved in the charging, compressing and exhausting of the working fluid. In contrast, the
turbine engine eliminates the three ’idle’ strokes, thus enabling more fuel to be burnt in a
shorter time; hence it produces a greater power output for a given size of engine.
Figure 6. Gas turbine cycle
Due to the continuous action of the turbine engine and the fact that the combustion
chamber is not an enclosed space, the pressure of the air does not rise, like that of the piston
engine, during combustion but its volume does increase. This process is known as heating at
constant pressure. Under these conditions there is no peak or fluctuating pressures to be
withstood, as is the case with the piston engine with its peak pressures in excess of 1,000 lb.
per sq. in. It is these peak pressures which make it necessary for the piston engine to employ
cylinders of heavy construction and to use high octane fuels, in contrast to the low octane
fuels and the light fabricated combustion chambers used on the turbine engine.
Because the turbo-jet engine is a heat engine, the higher the temperature of
combustion the greater is the expansion of the gases. The combustion temperature, however,
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must not exceed a value that gives a turbine gas entry temperature suitable for the design and
materials of the turbine assembly.The use of air-cooled blades in the turbine assembly
permits a higher gas temperature and a consequently higher thermal efficiency.
COMPONENTS OF GAS TURBINE ENGINE
Figure 7. Gas turbine components
INLET SECTION
The inlet is generally a large, smooth aluminum or magnesium duct which must be
designed to conduct the air into the compressor with minimum turbulence and restriction. The
air inlet section may have a variety of names according to the design of the manufacturer. It
may be called the front frame and accessory section, the air inlet assembly, the front bearing
support and shroud assembly, or any other term descriptive of its function. Usually, the outer
shell of the front frame is joined to the center portion by braces that are often called struts.
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COMPRESSOR SECTION
Figure 8. Compressor
Figure 9. Airflow distribution of centrifugal compressor
The compressor section houses the compressor rotor and works to supply air in
sufficient quantity to satisfy the needs of the combustor. Compression results when fuel
energy of combustion and mechanical work of the compressor and turbine are converted into
potential energy. Compressors operate on the principal of acceleration of a working fluid
followed by diffusion to convert the acquired kinetic energy to a pressure rise. The primary
purpose of the compressor is to increase the pressure of the mass of air entering the engine
inlet and discharge it to the diffuser and then to the combustor section at the correct velocity,
temperature and pressure.
A secondary purpose of the compressor section is to supply engine service bleed air to
cool hot section parts, to pressurize bearing seals, and to supply heated air for inlet anti-icing
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and fuel system heat flow de-icing. Another secondary purpose is to extract air for aircraft
uses, and this is usually referred to as customer service air bleed air. Common uses for this air
include aircraft cabin pressurization, air conditioning system, pneumatic starting, and various
other incidental functions that require clean pressurized air.
COMBUSTION SECTION
The combustion section or burner, as it is called, consists basically of an outer casing,

and inner perforated liner, a fuel injection system, and a starting ignition system. The
function of this section is to add heat energy to the flowing gases, thereby expanding and
accelerating the gases into the turbine section. The combustion chamber must provide a
means for proper mixing of air and fuel. It must also cool the hot combustion products to a
temperature which the turbine section components can withstand. To accomplish this, air
flow through the combustor is divided into primary and secondary air paths. Primary air is
routed to the fuel nozzle area to support combustion and secondary air is used for cooling.
Approximately one half of the primary air flows actually through the swirel vanes in
the combustion liner in the area of the fuel nozzle openings, the remaining primary air enters
radially through small holes in the one-third of the liner. Both axial and radial air flow
support combustion.
A portion of secondary air, the percent varying depends on the vintage of the engine,
provides a cooling air blanket over inside and outside surfaces of the liner and centers the
flame, preventing it from contacting the metal surfaces. The other portion of the secondary air
enters the liner at the rear and dilutes the mixture to a temperature acceptable for the good
service life of the turbine components.
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Figure 10. Combustor
Figure 11. Main components of a conventional combustor
Figure 12. Illustration of three main combustor types
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TURBINE SECTION
Figure 13. Turbine
Figure 14. Turbine blade components
The turbine section is bolted to the combustor and contains the turbine wheels and
turbine stators. The turbine functions is to transform a portion of the kinetic energy and heat
energy in the exhaust gases into mechanical work, thereby enabling the turbine to drive the
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compressors and accessories. The turbine extracts energy by reducing pressure of the flowing
gases. This occurs as pressure is converted to the velocity at the nozzles formed at the trailing
edge of the turbine stator vanes and rotor blades. The type of turbine design used in almost all
flight engines is the axial flow type, in which the products of combustion pass through the
turbine vanes and blades, changing their angle momentarily, and then returning to an axial
direction.
EXHAUST SECTION
Figure 15. Exhaust
Figure 9. Air flow through a C-D nozzle or Venturi
Figure 16. Air flow through a C-D nozzle or venturi
The exhaust section is located directly behind the turbine section and consists in most
cases of a convergent exhaust outer cone and an inner tail cone. The exhaust cone, sometimes
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referred to as the turbine exhaust collector, collects the exhaust gases discharged from turbine
discharge and gradually converts them into a uniform wall of gases. This process is
accomplished in conjunction with the tail cone, also called exhaust plug, and its radial
supports struts. The tail cone shape acts to perform a diffuser with the exhaust cone and the
resulting pressure build up reduces turbulence downstream of the turbine wheel. The struts
act to return the air flow to an axial direction. The exhaust cone is the terminating component
of many engines.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the aircraft piston engine &jet engine working principle and their
components and its functions have been studied thoroughly.
EXP.NO.2. VELOCITY PROFILE OF FREE JET
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AIM
To find out the centerline velocity profile of free jet.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Free-jet test setup, Nozzle, Traverse mechanism, Pitot probe for total pressure measurements,
U- tube Mercury manometer and meter scale, Barometer, Thermometer.
THEORY
Jets can be classified in a variety of ways. They can be classified as compressible or

incompressible jets based on the speed of the jet. They can also be classified as laminar or
turbulent jets based on the Reynolds number. Based on the jet cross section shape, they are
classified as circular or non-circular jets. Jets come under the category of free shear flows.
The Jets, which have free and unconstrained boundaries are called free jets. Examples are
nozzle exhaust jet into atmosphere, water jet issuing from a conduit or a tap etc.
The flow of a jet can be divided into two regions; the mixing region and the potential
core. The potential core is that portion in the centre of the jet and near the exit of the orifice
through which the jet flows. In the potential core, the viscous effects are negligible and the
fluid can be considered to be inviscid. The first part of the mixing region is the boundary of
the jet near the exit of the nozzle. This mixing region widens as the flow goes downstream.
Farther downstream, the whole jet will be a mixing region. In the mixing region, the effects
of viscosity and heat conduction have to be considered. In the mixing region there are large
variations in velocity and density.
EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
The experimental set-up consists of a converging-diverging (CD) nozzle connected to

a high pressure compressor tank. The high pressure air is passed into the CD nozzle through a
moisture separator and dust collector. A pressure regulating valve is used to control the mass
flow rate through the duct. To laminarize the flow, three meshes are fitted inside the
diverging duct. The duct also consists of a settling chamber to which CD nozzle is attached
and the compressed air coming out as a free- jet into the open atmosphere. The speed of the
free-jet can be controlled by controlling the mass flow rate through the pressure regulating
valve.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
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In this experiment, the variation of jet total pressure along the centerline of a free jet
is measured to understand its decay characteristics. The jet is of circular shape. To find its
lateral spread characteristics the total pressure variations in the lateral direction ie. Direction
at different X positions i.e. X = 1, 2, 3, 4 … are measured. The total pressure probe is
mounted in a traversing mechanism, which ensures the movement of the probe along the jet
axis.
FORMULAE TO BE USED
For velocity calculation:
Where,
P0 is the total pressure
P is the static pressure
M is the Mach number
γ is the specific heat ratio ( for air γ = 1.4)
From the above formula find out the Mach number.
M = u/a
a=
Here,consider ‘T’ as a room temperature
So u = Ma
TABULATION
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Difference Mach
Distance along Jet velocity in
Sl.No in heights Number
jet axis in cm m/s
∆h in cm
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. Variations of total pressure and local reference velocity with distance along centerline of
the jet
2. Variations of total pressure and local reference velocities in lateral direction at different X
values.
3. Comparisons of velocity profiles in lateral direction of the jet at different X values.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the experiment has been carried out to understand the jet decay characteristics
along the axis of the jet and centerline velocity profile has been plotted.
EXP.NO.3. VELOCITY PROFILE OF THE WALL-JET
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AIM
To study the jet decay characteristics along the jet axis and to obtain lateral spread
characteristics of the jet.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Wall-jet test setup, 2-D traversing mechanism, pitot probe for total pressure measurements,
U-tube manometer and meter scale.
THEORY
Jets can be classified in a variety of ways. They can be classified as compressible or
incompressible jets based on the speed of the jet. They can also be classified as laminar or
turbulent jets based on the Reynolds number. Based on the jet cross section shape, they are
classified as circular or non-circular jets. Jets come under the category of free shear flows.
Jets which have free and unconstrained boundaries are called free jets. Examples are nozzle
exhaust jet into atmosphere, water jet issuing from a conduit or a tap etc.
The flow of a jet can be divided into two regions; the mixing region and the potential
core. The potential core is that portion in the centre of the jet and near the exit of the orifice
through which the jet flows. In the potential core, the viscous effects are negligible and the
fluid can be considered to be inviscid. The first part of the mixing region is the boundary of
the jet near the exit of the nozzle. This mixing region widens as the flow goes downstream.
Far downstream, the whole jet will be a mixing region. In the mixing region, the effects of
viscosity and heat conduction have to be considered. In the mixing region there are large
variations in velocity and density. In contrast to a free-jet, a wall jet is a constrained jet. It
may be partially constrained depending upon the environmental and operating conditions in
practical engineering applications. Some examples of wall-jets are: rocket nozzle exhaust of a
space launch vehicle at the time of launch(the jet comes in contact with some solid
boundary), an air coolant jet grazing the surface of a combustion chamber wall to provide
cooling to the chamber walls (in gas turbine combustion chamber application) etc. The effect
of wall on the jet flow is of vital practical importance.
DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
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The experimental set-up consists of a diverging duct connected to a high pressure compressor
tank. The high pressure air is passed into the diverging duct through a moisture separator,
dust collector and a pressure regulating valve to control the mass flow rate through the duct.
To laminarize the flow, three meshes are fitted inside the diverging duct. The duct also
consists of a settling chamber to which an orifice plate is attached. The orifice plate consists
of a circular hole of 20 mm diameter to issue a free-jet into the open atmosphere. The speed
of the free-jet can be controlled by controlling the mass flow rate through the pressure
regulating valve. The effect if wall is studied by placing a circular plate in the jet flow path.
For this, a stand consisting of a circular disc is provided and the distance between the circular
disc and the orifice plate through which the jet is issued can be varied.
In this experiment, the variation of jet total pressure along the centerline of a free jet is
measured to understand its decay characteristics. The jet is of circular shape with diameter 20
mm. To find its lateral spread characteristics the total pressure variations the lateral direction
i.e. r direction at different X positions i.e. X = 2,4,8 and 16 cm are measured. The total
pressure probe is mounted in a 2-D traversing mechanism, which ensures the movement of
the probe along the jet axis i.e. x-axis up to 600 mm. The circular disc stand which provides
wall effect is kept at a desired distance from the orifice plate.
FORMULAE TO BE USED
From Bernoulli’s relation we have
Po = P + 0.5 ρV2 where P is static pressure, Po is total pressure, V is velocity and ρ is density
of air.
With respect to the present experiment
Po = Pa +0.5ρu2, where Po is the local total pressure and u is the local velocity.
From the above relation we get
U=
If ∆h is the water deflection in mm in manometer, the corresponding pressure in Pascals can

be calculated using the relation
Po = ρw g ∆h /1000 Pa. Here ρw is water density in kg/m3. g = 9.8 m/s2.
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TABLE1: JET DECAY CHARACTERISTICS
Total pressure
readings in cm of Difference
Distance along Reference jet
S.No water in manometer in heights
jet axis in cm velocity in m/s
columns ∆h in cm
Left right
1
10

1. Variations of total pressure and local reference velocity with distance along centerline of
the jet
2. Variations of total pressure and local reference velocities in lateral direction at different X
values.
3. Comparisons of velocity profiles in lateral direction of the jet at different X values.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the experiment has been carried out to understand the jet decay
characteristics along the axis of the jet and lateral spread characteristics of the jet.
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EXP. NO. 4. CASCADE TESTING OF COMPRESSOR BLADES
AIM
To study the lift/drag characteristics on cascade compressor blades.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
1) Low speed wind tunnel

2) Cascade compressor blades
FORMULAE TO BE USED
L
Lift Coefficient , CL 
1
V 2 S
2
D
Drag Coefficient, CD 
1
V 2 S
2
L = Lift in N
D = Drag in N
 = Density of air in kg/m3
V = Velocity in m/s
S = Wetted area in m2
a) Prepare a wind tunnel and calibrate it with the lift drag balance and ensure it is
fully serviceable.
b) The operating instructions are to be meticulously followed.
c) Fix the model on the vertical string and lock it.
d) Close the test section and ensure that no items are left inside the test section
before closing.
e) Blank all the points.
f) Set the lift force indicator to zero.
g) Fix the required air velocity using the velocity indicator.
h) Now by changing the angle of attack the corresponding lift force is noted down.
i) The same is repeated for different angles of attacks.
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TABULAR COLUMN
Angle of
Sl.No. L D CL CD
attack (α)
MODEL CALCULATION
CONCLUSION
Thus, the characteristics of cascade compressor blades are studied and the graphs
have been plotted for CL versus α and CD versus α.
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EXP.NO.5. WALL PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS OF A SUBSONIC RAMJET
DUCT
AIM
To study the wall pressure of a subsonic ramjet engine.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Subsonic Ramjet model, Pitot-static tube, Multi-tube water manometer and meter scale.
INTRODUCTION
A ramjet is a form of the air breathing jet engine without any turbo machinery using the
engine's forward motion to compress the incoming air. Ramjets work most efficiently at
supersonic speeds around Mach 2-5. This type of engine can operate up to speeds of Mach 6.
Ramjets can be useful in applications requiring a small and simple mechanism for high-speed
use, such as missiles or artillery shells.

The experimental setup consists of a subsonic ramjet with the pressure tappings on the
surfaces on it. The pressure tappings are connected to multi-tube water manometer. This
ramjet setup is kept to the free jet setup.
 Check the valves on the free jet setup.
 Switch on the compressors up to the required pressure in the storage tank.
 Align the ramjet setup to the free jet setup.
 Check the pressure tappings.
 Open the control valves in the free jet setup.
 Take the pressure readings and velocity readings.
FORMULAE TO BE USED
From Bernoulli’s relation,
of air.
U=
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TABLE 1: TO CALCULATE PRESSURE COEFFICIENT
Total pressure Cp
Distance readings in cm of Difference Reference jet
S.No along jet axis water in manometer in heights velocity in
in cm columns ∆h in cm m/s
Left right
1
Cp =
1. Variations of Cp along the wall of the subsonic ramjet engine.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the wall pressure distribution along the ramjet engine is carried out & it
is found out that_____.
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EXP. NO. 6. FLAME STABILIZATION STUDIES USING CONICAL FALME
HOLDERS
AIM
To study the wake pressure region of flame holder.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Flame holder, Pitot-static tube, Multi-tube water manometer and meter scale.
INTRODUCTION
A flame holder is one of the important components of the combustion chamber. The flame
has to be sustained in the combustion chamber throughout the engine operation.So the design
of a flame holder plays an important role in the design of combustion chamber.

The experimental setup consists of a flame holder. The pressure readings are taken in the
wake region of the flame holder.
 Align the ramjet setup to the free jet setup.
 Take the pressure readings for the flame holder.
MODEL CALCULATIONS
of air.
U=

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TABLE 1: TO CALCULATE Cp
Total pressure Cp
Left right
1
Cp =
1. Variations of Cp along the wake region of the flame holder.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the wake pressure distribution in the flame holder is studied.
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EXP. NO. 7. VELOCITY AND PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS IN CO-AXIAL JETS
AIM
To study the velocity and pressure distribution of a coaxial jet.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Co axial jet setup, Pitot tube, Pitot-Static tube, Multi-tube water manometer and meter scale.
INTRODUCTION
The Co axial jet is one of the emerging areas of study in the field of aerospace
engineering. The mixing characteristics in the combustion chamber are one of the important
phenomenon for the better performance of the engine.
The experimental setup consists of a coaxial jet setup with the pressure gauges to measure the
total pressure on both the jets. The Pitot tube is used to measure the total pressure along the
direction of the flow of interest. The Pitot-static tube is used to measure the velocity of the
flow.
 Fit the supersonic nozzle setup to the free jet setup.
MODEL CALCULATIONS
For velocity calculations:
Where,
P0 is the total pressure,P is the static pressure,M is the Mach number,γ is the specific
heat ratio ( fir air γ = 1.4),From the above formula find out the Mach number.
M = u/a
a=
Where T is the Lab temperature
30
u=Ma
Total pressure Cp
Left right
1
Cp =
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
1. Variations of the pressure along the axis of the jet.

2. Variations of the velocity along the axis of the jet.
CONCLUSION
Thus, variation of velocity and pressure is plotted along the axis of the coaxial jet.
31
EXP. NO. 8. FLOW VISUALIZATION OF SECONDARY INJECTION IN A
SUPERSONIC CROSS FLOW
AIM
To visualize the flow pattern in supersonic flow by secondary injection.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Supersonic free jet,Converging Diverging Nozzle,Secondary fluid injection,

Shadow graph System,Camera
INTRODUCTION
Flow visualization has played an important role in understanding the fundamentals of fluids
phenomena. One of the most important applications of flow visualization was due to Osborne
Reynolds, a prominent innovator in fluid dynamics, in 1883. He investigated the
circumstances of the transition from laminar to turbulent flow by injecting a liquid dye into
the water flowing through a long horizontal pipe. From these experiments came the famous
dimensionless Reynolds number of dynamic similarity. Another powerful flow visualization
tool is schlieren/shadowgraph technique, which is able to visualize 'invisible' density
gradients and has been applied widely to study combustion, aerodynamics, fluid mechanics,
etc.
It consists of a light source which can be varied its intensity, lenses, screen and
cameras. Direct shadowgraph is shown in figure.

 Fit the supersonic C-D nozzle with secondary fluid injection setup.
 Make the shadowgraph setup & camera ready.
 Take the image.
CONCLUSION
Thus the shadowgraph image for the secondary fluid injection in the supersonic C-D
nozzle is captured and discussed.
32
EXP.NO.9. WALL PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS OF A SUBSONIC DIFFUSER
AIM
1. To study the wall pressure of a subsonic diffuser.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Subsonic Diffuser, Pitot-static tube, Multi-tube water manometer and meter scale.
INTRODUCTION
The diffuser is one of the most important components of the jet engines. It allows the
atmospheric air to pass through it. Its function is also to make sure that there is a minimum
total pressure loss in the diffuser. It has to prevent the boundary layer separation in the
diffuser and it has to distribute the mass flow evenly to the compressor.
The experimental setup consists of a subsonic diffuser with the pressure tappings on the
diffuser setup is kept to the free jet setup.
 Align the diffuser setup to the free jet setup.
MODEL CALCULATIONS
of air.
U=

33
Total pressure Cp
Left right
1
Cp =

1. Variations of Cp along the wall of the subsonic ramjet engine.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the wall pressure distribution along the subsonic diffuser is carried out
& it is found out that_____.
34
EXP.NO.10. WALL PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS OF A SUPERSONIC NOZZLE
AIM
1. To study the wall pressure distribution of a supersonic nozzle.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Supersonic nozzle, Pitot tube, Static tube, Multi-tube water manometer and meter scale.
INTRODUCTION
The nozzle is one of the most important components of the jet engines. The
supersonic nozzle is used in the jet engine flying at supersonic speed. It is converging-
diverging type. It is located at the exit section of the jet engine. It converts the pressure
energy to kinetic energy. The high velocity gas coming out of the nozzle gives rise to thrust.
The experimental setup consists of a supersonic nozzle with the pressure tappings on the
supersonic nozzle setup is connected to the supersonic free jet setup.
 Fit the supersonic nozzle setup to the free jet setup.
MODEL CALCULATIONS
Where,
P0 is the total pressure,P is the static pressure,M is the Mach number,γ is the specific
heat ratio ( fir air γ = 1.4),From the above formula find out the Mach number.
M = u/a
a=
35
Where T is the Lab temperature
u=Ma
Total pressure Cp
Left right
1
Cp =

1. Variations of Cp along the wall of the supersonic nozzle.
CONCLUSION
36
Thus, the wall pressure distribution along the supersonic nozzle is carried out
& it is found out that_____.
EXP.NO.A1. CALIBRATION OF HYBRID ROCKET MOTOR
AIM
To calibrate the Hybrid rocket motor in the test rig.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Hybrid rocket motor, propellants, test stand, load cell, load indicator, ignition system.
INTRODUCTION
A hybrid rocket is a rocket motor which uses propellants in two different states of matter -
one solid and the other either gas or liquid. Various combinations of solid fuels and liquid
oxidizers as well as liquid fuels and solid oxidizers have been experimentally evaluated for
use in hybrid rocket motors.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
A hybrid rocket consists of a pressure vessel (tank) containing the liquid propellant, the
combustion chamber containing the solid propellant, and a valve isolating the two. When
thrust is desired, a suitable ignition source is introduced in the combustion chamber and the
valve is opened. The liquid propellant (or gas) flows into the combustion chamber where it is
vaporized and then reacted with the solid propellant. Combustion occurs in a boundary layer
diffusion flame adjacent to the surface of the solid propellant. After combustion a very high
thrust is produced at the nozzle. Generally liquid or gas propellant is the oxidizer and solid
propellant is the fuel.
37
ADVANTAGES:
 Safety during fabrication , storage or operation without any possibility of explosion

 Start-stop-restart- throttling capabilities – more controllable
 Relatively low system cost
 Higher specific impulse than solid rocket motors and higher density specific impulse
than liquid bi-propellants.
 Mechanically simpler and easily transportable
 Relatively safe and non toxic oxidizer.
DISADVANTAGES:
 Lower density specific impulse than solid propellant system

 Improper Oxidizer-to-fuel mixture ratio, hence specific impulse will vary somewhat
during steady state operation and throttling.
 Some fuel sliver must be retained in the combustion chamber at the end of burn which
slightly reduces mass fraction.
PROPELLANTS:
Hydrides of light metals such as beryllium, lithium and aluminium mixed with a suitable
polymer binder.
Fuels – paraffin wax, lithium hydride/polybutadiene, Hydroxy-terminated
polyether binders (HTPB)
Oxidizer – liquid oxygen, oxygen di-fluoride
 Insert the solid propellant (wax) in the hybrid rocket motor.

 Fix the load cell and load indicator.
 Apply suitable know loads.
 Take the load indicator reading.
38
TABULAR COLUMN
Sl. No. Applied Deflection

load(kg)
(mm)
10
CONCLUSION
39
Thus, the calibration of hybrid rocket motor has been carried out and load vs.
deflection graph is plotted.
EXP.NO.A2. TESTING OF HYBRID ROCKET MOTOR

AIM
To test the Hybrid rocket motor and to plot thrust vs. oxygen pressure.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Hybrid rocket motor, propellants, test stand, load cell, load indicator, ignition system.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 Keep the fire extinguisher ready before the test.
 Maintain sufficient distance from the hybrid rocket motor.
 Do the experiment in well vented place, if possible in open place.
 Carryout the ignition test.

 Insert the propellant inside the hybrid rocket motor.
 Check the connections.
 Switch on the ignition system and supply the oxygen.
 Note down the oxygen pressure and load cell deflection.
 Plot the oxygen pressure vs. thrust graph.
TABULATION
Sl. No. Oxygen Thrust (N)

pressure
(bar)
CONCLUSION
40
Thus, the testing of hybrid rocket motor has been carried out and thrust vs. oxygen
pressure is plotted.
41

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RAJALAKSHMI ENGINEERING COLEGE

THANDALAM, CHENNAI-602 105

AE 6512 PROPULSION LAB MANUAL

Mr.Balaguru P Mr. Suresh Chandra Khandai

1. Aircraft piston engine and its components.

Piston Engine Components, and their Functions

TYPES OF PISTON ENGINES

Figure 1. Types of aircraft piston engines

OPERATION OF A 4-STROKE ENGINE

Piston travels As the piston travels down the

Piston travels As the piston travels back up

The spark plug ignites the

Piston travels Inlet valve As the piston travels back up

Figure 2. Four different strokes for piston engine

OPERATION OF A 2-STROKE ENGINE

As the piston travels up the barrel, fresh

The spark plug ignites the fuel/air mix in the

GAS TURBINE ENGINE

Figure 4. A typical turbofan engine.

Figure 5. Basic components of jet engine.

Figure 6. Gas turbine cycle

COMPONENTS OF GAS TURBINE ENGINE

Figure 7. Gas turbine components

Figure 9. Airflow distribution of centrifugal compressor

The combustion section or burner, as it is called, consists basically of an outer casing,

Figure 11. Main components of a conventional combustor

Figure 12. Illustration of three main combustor types

Figure 13. Turbine

Figure 14. Turbine blade components

Figure 15. Exhaust

Figure 9. Air flow through a C-D nozzle or Venturi

Figure 16. Air flow through a C-D nozzle or venturi

EXP.NO.2. VELOCITY PROFILE OF FREE JET

Jets can be classified in a variety of ways. They can be classified as compressible or

The experimental set-up consists of a converging-diverging (CD) nozzle connected to

For velocity calculation:

P0 is the total pressure

P is the static pressure

M is the Mach number

γ is the specific heat ratio ( for air γ = 1.4)

From the above formula find out the Mach number.

Here,consider ‘T’ as a room temperature

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3. Comparisons of velocity profiles in lateral direction of the jet at different X values.

EXP.NO.3. VELOCITY PROFILE OF THE WALL-JET

DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

If ∆h is the water deflection in mm in manometer, the corresponding pressure in Pascals can

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

To study the lift/drag characteristics on cascade compressor blades.

1) Low speed wind tunnel

 = Density of air in kg/m3

DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

TABLE 1: TO CALCULATE PRESSURE COEFFICIENT

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Variations of Cp along the wall of the subsonic ramjet engine.

DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

If ∆h is the water deflection in mm in manometer, the corresponding pressure in Pascals can

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Variations of Cp along the wake region of the flame holder.

Where T is the Lab temperature

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

1. Variations of the pressure along the axis of the jet.

To visualize the flow pattern in supersonic flow by secondary injection.

Supersonic free jet,Converging Diverging Nozzle,Secondary fluid injection,