Thrust Gas turbines

Abstract

Due to the high power compared to weight and volume, gas turbines are very suitable components of aircraft propulsion systems. Almost all modern aircraft propulsion is gas turbine based. Only with low power (< 300 kW), as for very light aircraft, are reciprocating engines used. Aircraft propulsion systems exist in a wide variety of types. The basic principle is always that the propulsive force (thrust) is reaction onto the acceleration of an air flow. In this chapter, we discuss the different systems and we analyse the performance of the core part, which is a gas turbine, and the performance of double-flow engines with mixed and unmixed jets, which are the most commonly used types. The chapter is concluded by a discussion of some technological aspects.