1. Computational and Experimental Investigation of a Turbine-less Jet Engine Concept
Fall Technical Meeting
Western States Section of the Combustion Institute
University of California, Irvine, CA
October 26-27, 2009
Long Ly
Nhan Doan
Space Center / Multidisciplinary Flight Dynamics and Control Laboratory
College of Engineering, Technology & Computer Science
California State University, Los Angeles

2. Overview Objective Background Gas Turbine Engine Ramjet Engine
Turbine-less Ducted Fan Engine
Prototype
Analytical Model
CFD Analysis
Wind Tunnel Testing and Validation
Static Results
Applications
Future Objectives
Questions?

3. Objective Conceptual Design and Feasibility Study of a
Turbine-less Ducted Fan Jet Engine.
Approach:
Analytical
Prediction of thrust, power required, efficiency
Computational
Flow field & combustion simulation
Prediction of engine performance
Experimental
Wind tunnel testing
Measurement of engine performance

4. Background Turbo Jet Engine Air Inlet Compressor Combustion Chamber
Turbine
Nozzle
* Image from NASA – Glenn Research Center

5. Background Ramjet Engine Air Inlet Combustor Nozzle No Moving Parts
Cannot self-start
* Image from ThinkQuest

6. Turbine-less Ducted Fan Jet Engine
Advantages:
No need for a turbine
Low cost
Self-starting
Features
Ducted Fan, Combustor & Nozzle
Fan driven by electric motor
Electricity from solar panels/fuel cells
Combustor & fuel cell may share same fuel (e.g. Hydrogen)

7. Analytical Model Impeller Analysis Moment-of-Momentum Equation
Simplification to obtain Torque
Shaft Power
Pressure Rise
Guided Vane

8. Combustor & Nozzle Analysis
P2’
Po2’
M2’
T2’ P1
Po1 M1 T1
To1 P2
Po2 M2 T2
To2 P3
Po3 M3 T3
To3
Combustor: 1-D Heat Addition (Rayleigh Flow)
Nozzle: 1-D Isentropic Flow

9. CFD Simulation Flow field: Cosmos Floworks
Combustion simulation: Fluent 9

10. CFD Result: Swirling Flow Tangential Velocity Gradients10

11. Wind Tunnel Model Development
JetPro DF-70 Ducted Fan
Specifications:
Inner Diameter: 69 mm
Outer Diameter: 72 mm
Rotor: 8 Blade
Max Motor Diameter 29 mm
Motor Shaft Diameter 3.17 mm
Total Weight 54.5g (1.92 oz)
Hacker B20-26L DC Motor
Specifications:
Operating Current 10 A
Peak Amps 57 A
Peak Watts 220 W
RPM/V 2077
Motor Diameter 20 mm
Motor Length 44.5 mm
Shaft Diameter 2.3 mm
Shaft Length 10 mm
Weight 58g (2.03 oz)

12. Wind Tunnel Model Development
Motor Mount Extension with Fuel injector

13. Wind Tunnel Testing

14. Instrumentation Force Transducer Pitot tubes Pressure Transducers
LabVIEW Data Acquisition
Strobe Tachometer
Batteries/Power Supply
Controller/Receiver/Transmitter
Multi-meters

15. Preliminary Results

16. Preliminary Results

17. Preliminary Results

18. Preliminary Results

19. Preliminary Results

20. Applications High speed UAV’s V/STOL UAV’s
LADF: Lift Augmented Ducted Fan;
combines high speed and VTOL
Hyfish
Horizon Fuel Cell

21. Future Objectives Dynamic Wind Tunnel Testing
Continue Analytical Model
CFD Analysis
Dynamic Simulation
Combustion Process
with Ansys / Fluent
Design Nozzle
More Simulations and Testing

22. NASA University Research Center Grant #NNX08BA44A.
Thank You
Advisors
Dr. Boussalis
Dr. Wu
Dr. Guillaume
Dr. Pham
Support
Solomon Yitagesu
Shing Chi Chan
Sara Esparza
NASA University Research Center Grant #NNX08BA44A.

23. ?