Sustainability assessment in piston-prop helicopter engine

Abstract

About 75% of the world’s energy requirement is provided by fossil fuels, and there are various improvement efforts in all fields to ensure the effective use of available sources, taking into consideration the gradual decrease in fossil fuels. Several approaches are used against the decrease in energy sources including the concept of sustainability. Sustainability refers to the careful use of available sources by making advance plans to ensure that natural sources are not exhausted and are used in moderation so that the future generations can benefit from these sources. This study includes a sustainability assessment based on energy analyses for different engine power values varying between 150 and 600 SHP (Shaft Horse Power) in a spark-ignited, unsupercharged and air-cooled piston-prop helicopter engine. As a result of calculations, the highest exergetic sustainability index was found to be 0.15, and the lowest environmental impact factor value was found to be 6.86 at a power of 250 SHP. The lowest waste exergy ratio and the lowest exergy destruction factor were calculated to be 87.28and 66.77%, respectively. The power with the highest energy and exergy efficiency provided the highest exergetic sustainability index and thus the lowest waste exergy ratio, the lowest exergy destruction factor and the lowest environmental impact factor.