Course Description
This course is concerned with the physics of gas flows in propulsion devices, including gas turbine and rocket engines. Emphasis is placed on fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, including compressible flow, shock waves, and supersonic wind tunnels. Specific topics include inlets and nozzles, combustors and afterburners, and rocket engine design and performance.
Athena Title
Gas Dynamics
Prerequisite
ENGR 3160 or ENGR 3160E or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will have • learned the derivation of governing equations and fundamental physics of gas flows with Mach number > 0.3 • understood the application of compressible flow analysis to propulsion systems • gained the ability to determine the suitability of flow conditions for supersonic propulsion • developed the ability to design basic aspects of propulsion systems for rocket engines and other high-speed applications
Topical Outline
Examples of topics that will be covered in this course include (in approximate order): • Review of fluid mechanics concepts • Review of thermodynamics concepts • Equilibrium and non-equilibrium gas dynamics • Nozzle flow field thermodynamics and fluid mechanics • Ideal supersonic flows, shock waves, expansion waves, shock tubes, supersonic wind tunnels • Gas flows with friction and gas flows with heat transfer • Gas dynamics of air-breathing engines (turbojets, turbofans, and ramjets), inlets and nozzles, combustors and afterburners, and axial compressors and turbines • Rocket design topics, including thrust chambers, nozzle performance, injectors, solid rocket motors, and combustion instability • High-speed compressible flow analysis for applications such as propulsion systems for jets, rockets, and missiles