Micro-Gas Turbine Thrust Enhancement via Flow Angularity Corrections

By: Nathan Kidder

Noon – 12:30pm E525

Abstract: Low cost micro-gas turbine engines are widely available due to demand from enthusiasts within the model aircraft community. The low cost and ready availability of such engines makes them an attractive choice as power plants for small unmanned aircraft. However, being designed with the hobbyist community in mind, there is substantial room for improvements to be made in overall engine efficiency. This project performed performance enhancements to a commercial micro-gas turbine engine by converting circumferential exhaust momentum to axial through a modified nozzle design. Significant thrust improvements were made and validated via experimentally measured exhaust profiles netting a 55 percent reduction in flow angularity and a 3.8 percent thrust gain on the tested engine.

Biography: Nathan Kidder holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Ohio State and is currently continuing towards an M.S. under Dr. Jim Gregory in the Aerodynamic Flow Control and Advanced Diagnostics Group working in experimental aerodynamics.