Friday, August 21, 2015
Book Review: Aircraft Engine Design
Aircraft Engine Design
New York: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1987
Category: Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Engine Design is easily the most comprehensive and directly relevant textbook available on jet engine design. Now in its second edition, the text provides the underlying mathematics for the design of the propulsion system, as well as accompanying software to support trade studies during the conceptual design process.
The all-important, central role that the propulsion system plays in modern aircraft is often overlooked. While there is a broad array of developers throughout the world that have successfully designed and produced a modern jet aircraft, only a handful have succeeded in developing a competitive jet engine. In terms of complexity and the number of components necessary to make its operation successful, the jet engine easily exceeds the part count and design complexity of the airframe itself. Which is why a book such as this is all the more vital as part of the engineering literature.
In addition to describing the mathematics and performance trades of the overall propulsion system, Aircraft Engine Design also relates the engine performance back to the aircraft's mission profile, providing the necessary relationships for calculating range and fuel burn. Succeeding chapters, in turn, delve into the design of the individual engine modules, providing a high level overview into some of the challenges and technologies that go into the fan, compressor, burner, and turbine.
An indispensable resource for both aircraft and aircraft engine design principals.