A Brief History Of Jet (Gas Turbine) Engines

Zafar I Jami

Aircraft Engines & Components’ Consultation Services (AECCS).

(Website-www.aeccs.com)

A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami 1

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Disclaimer of Liabilities:While usual care has been taken for accuracy of the Data by confirming

them from webs and published sources, the author will in no way be responsible for any harm or inconvenience resulting

due any inaccuracy contained in this presentation.

Nonetheless shall be obliged for any correction provided by the readers..

What is a Jet Engine?It is an Engine that

works on the Newton’s Third Law of Motion:Every Action Has a

Reaction.It is a reaction

engine that discharges a jet of fast moving gas backward whose reaction pushes the aircraft forward.

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The two Types of Reaction Engines.

The reaction engines broadly work on one of the two principles:The Gas Turbines: Which has been described

earlier, uses the air from the atmosphere as its working fluid, and is the main topic of this presentation.

The Rockets : Which carry the Oxidant (like Liquid Oxygen) with them along with the fuel and do not depend upon the atmospheric air.

Though both work on the reaction of exhausting gasses, yet, when we say a Jet Engine we commonly mean a Gas Turbine Engine.

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How a Jet Engine Works?Briefly stated, such engines work

in following sequence:1. It sucks air from front, 2. compresses it to higher

pressure in the compressor, 3. adds fuel and burns it at very

high temperature 4. hot gases pass through

turbines to extract power sufficient to run its compressor and other accessories and then

5. The gas is allowed to expand and escape at a very high velocity producing THRUST, that pushes the aircraft forward.

6. Turbofans also run a fan in front to that pushes air in bypass for additional thrust.

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Earliest Use of Jets.The earliest piece of equipment that worked

on this principle was invented by Hero (10-70 AD), which was a sphere spinning due steam discharging from its nozzles. Nonetheless, it apparently was only a Toy.

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Earliest Use of Jets --II.In 13th century, Chinese and Arabs used

firework that worked on principle of Rocket. These soon progressed into being used to propel weaponry – though not very accurately.

However their practical use, that is propelling an aircraft had to wait till the Second World War.

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Jet Engines for the AircraftFirst workable (Gas Turbine) engine designed

on the Jet principle was developed by a German engineer Hans Von Ohain in 1935.

In 1937 its workable version HeS1 was tested to power an aircraft being specially built by Dr. Heinkel – He 178 (first flight in Aug 1939) that was finally powered by a larger engine HeS 3

Thus German He 178 is the First Aircraft to fly purely on jet engine.A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami 8

British Developments.Independently, Frank Whittle, an RAF

Cranwell College cadet submitted a workable design of a jet engine in 1928 and was granted a patent in 1930. Original proposal was for a two stage axial compressor feeding a centrifugal one.

But, due to low priority assigned, a simpler workable engine called W-1, was produced in 1941 which gave 1000 pounds of thrust using a single stage Centrifugal Compressor and powered a Gloster E28/39 Aircraft.

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Jet Aircraft in World War 2 Germany was practically the only country whose jet aircraft

took active part in air to air combat. Their two of the successful Jet aircraft were

Me262- that flew as the world’s first jet fighter in 1944 and was credited with shooting down several of Allies’ most advanced propeller driven fighters and Bombers.◦ Unfortunately for them, because of Hitler’s obsession with

bombers, it was converted into a Bomber, thus delaying the production program.

The other was a larger Arado’s Ar 234 Bomber using same engines. This became World’s First Jet Bomber.

Both aircraft used Junker’s Jumo 004 engines(the first jet engine in mass production -1943) producing around 2,000 Lbs of Thrust.

The other engine was BMW 003 which powered later versions of Ar 234 due shortage of Jumo 004s required for Me262.

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Post War Developments.With the defeat of Germany and

destruction of its factories, Britain was the undisputed pioneer in the Jet Engines.

Their early designs were based on W-1 hence used Centrifugal Compressor which, though more sturdy, could not handle as much air as axial compressors that were used on German engines.

Two of the earliest jet aircraft produced in UK were: Gloster Meteor, the first post war jet fighter

aircraft.and

Vampire, the first Carrier based Jet Fighter.A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami 11

Early Jet Engines in USA.USA could not produce a design of its own till

much after the Second World War. During later years of war, Britain supplied details of their engines that started jet Engine era in USA. GE was tasked by the US Government to

produce Jet Engines based on British (Whittle’s) designs and developed J31 and then J33 that later powered Lockheed’s F-80 fighter and T33 (first jet trainer).

GE’s J47 was first US designed jet engine powering F86 and several other aircraft in late 40s and early 50s.

P&W purchased RR Nene license to produce their first jet engine J42.

Another engine, produced by Wright as J-65, was Armstrong Siddeley’s Saphhire, that powered B-57 light bomber – also a licensed production of British Canberra’

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Early Jet Engines in USSR.Although, USSR could get its hands on some

German scientists and factories working on Jet Engines, Nonetheless, they too had to use a British engine to power their early jet fighters.In early 50s, Britain sold RR Nene jets having

centrifugal compressors that were copied and produced first as Klimov RD-45 and then as VK-1 that powered their first Jet fighter MiG15, and then larger MiG17.

Later they used axial compressor technology that was originally used in Germany (Jumo 004 and later drawings), to produce RD-9 series engines that powered their first supersonic (MiG 19) aircraft.

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Early Jets in Other Countries.FRANCE: Like, USSR, France could get its

hands on German factories in France working on BMW 003, and later model axial compressor Jet Engines.The French company SNECMA, developed it into

ATAR 101 in 1948, which powered first French fighter Dassault Ouragan (1951) and later Super Mystere fighter bomber (with afterburner-ATAR 101 F&G).

Later models ATAR 08 and 09 powered several models of Mirages and other fighters/bombers.

P.R. CHINA: In early 50s, USSR sold MiG15 with Klimov VK1 that were copied & produced as Wopen WP-5.(1952)Later they produced afterburning RD-9 series

engines as WP 6 that powered their Supersonic J-6 (MiG 19) Fighter aircraft.

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Course of Later Developments.The major areas of development since then can

be broadly grouped into efforts for: Increasing Thrust of the engine. Increasing Pressures and Temperatures

inside the engine - to get higher thrust and efficiencies.

Improving Thrust to Weight ratios.Reduction in fuel consumption, Noise and

Emissions.These goals have been targeted through use of:

Improved metallurgy and manufacturing processes.Multi-shaft designs (two and three spools)Turbofans (with ever increasing bypass ratios); lately,

increasing the Bypass Ratios to > 10:1.Geared Turbofans making possible use of smaller

turbines for large fans.A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami 15

Some Firsts in jet Engines and AircraftAs a number of manufacturers have worked

on similar ideas concurrently, or under license from the same source, it is often difficult to point out who incorporated it first.

Following, however, are some firsts in the Technologies that appeared on aircraft in the years mentioned against them.This could be different from the year when the

concept was first tested or certified.Engines’ names have been marked in RED.

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Few Firsts in Jet Engine TechnologiesFirst use of Variable

Stator vanes First engine powering

the aircraft designed to go supersonic

First engine to power a USSR designed supersonic aircraft.

First Turboprop engine in production

GE J47 -1947 (IGV only) & GE J79 (IGV+VSVs) – F104-1954.

PW Engine (J57) USAF F100 Super Sabre.

RD9 axial compressor Engines -earlier designation AM5-with afterburner– in early 1950s (MiG 19)–.

RR Dart Engine- 1952A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami 17

Few Firsts in Jet Engine Technologies (2)First Commercial Jet

TransportFirst twin spool jetsFirst TurbofansThe only aft fan

commercial DesignThe only three spool

engine design First Geared Turbofan

design

DH Comet – RR Avon Engines - 1951

RR Avon and PW J57 RR Conway and PW JT3DGE CJ805 series Convair

880 aircraft.Rolls Royce - RB211.

later the Trent series. 1972

Garrett (now Honeywell) TFE731 (1972) –powering Learjet 35 (1973) and later several other aircraft.

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ConclusionJet Engine is undoubtedly the most important

development in the Aviation Industry.For the last over 60 years, jet engines have

remained in the front line for powering civil as well as military aircraft all over the world.

They are expected to keep this lead at least till the time the hydrocarbon fuel is freely available in the world.

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