Aircraft Engine Supercharging via Ejector Air Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft engines, particularly gas turbine engines, face limitations in altitude due to reduced air pressure, which restricts their ability to climb to higher altitudes effectively.
Innovation Solution
A supercharging system is introduced, comprising a compressed air tank and an ejector in the core air intake of the gas turbine engine, which supplies pressurized air to enhance engine output power, allowing the engine to operate more efficiently at higher altitudes by injecting high-pressure air into the engine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional gas turbine engine operates at higher altitudes, then the aircraft can reach higher altitudes, but the engine output power decreases due to reduced air pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-compresses air in a compressed air tank before engine operation, storing pressurized air ready for injection. This preliminary compression allows the engine to receive high-pressure air even at high altitudes where ambient pressure is low, maintaining engine output power while enabling operation at higher altitudes
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector acts as an intermediary device that takes pressurized air from the compressed air tank and injects it into the engine's core air intake. This intermediary mechanism bridges the gap between the stored pressurized air and the engine, enabling the engine to function at high altitudes by providing the necessary air pressure that would otherwise be unavailable in the thin atmosphere
2Power
If a larger engine is used to maintain power at high altitudes, then engine output power is sufficient, but aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-compressing and storing air in a tank before engine operation, the system eliminates the need for a larger engine design that would be required to compensate for high-altitude thin air. The standard engine size is sufficient when combined with the pressurized air injection, thereby maintaining aircraft weight efficiency while ensuring adequate power output at high altitudes
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter of the air supplied to the engine by injecting pre-compressed air from the tank. This parameter change allows a standard-sized engine to produce high-altitude performance equivalent to what would otherwise require a larger engine, thus avoiding the weight penalty of an oversized engine
3Power
If more compressed air is supplied to the engine, then engine output power increases, but the complexity of the supercharging system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector serves as a passive intermediary that uses the pressure differential between the compressed air tank and ambient atmosphere to automatically inject pressurized air into the engine. This passive operation eliminates the need for complex active control systems, valves, and actuators that would be required to manage pressurized air delivery, thereby increasing engine power while keeping the system relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The supercharging system is self-regulating through the ejector mechanism, which automatically adjusts air injection based on the pressure differential between the tank and ambient environment. This self-service operation eliminates the need for complex external control systems, sensors, and actuators, allowing the system to increase engine power output without proportionally increasing system complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables the gas turbine engine to produce more thrust at higher altitudes, enabling aircraft to climb to altitudes that would otherwise be unreachable, while also allowing for the use of smaller, lighter engines, reducing fuel consumption and overall aircraft weight.
Implementation Method 1
The ejector is to provide the pressurized air into the core air intake to increase output power of the gas turbine engine
Data Source
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AI summary
Supercharging systems (1300) for aircraft engines (402) are described herein. An example supercharging system (1300) includes an ejector (1404) disposed in a core air intake (424) of a gas turbine engine (402). The core air intake (424) is to direct air into a compressor (428) of the gas turbine engine (402). The supercharging system (1400) also includes a compressed air tank (1302) containing pressurized air. The compressed air tank (1302) is fluidly coupled to the ejector (1304). The ejector (1304) is to provide the pressurized air into the core air intake (424) to increase output power of the gas turbine engine (402).