Thrust Augmentation
What is it?
A method of extracting more power from Internal Combustion Engines
Piston engines:Supercharging or turbo charging Higher Octane fuels Gas turbines engines:Booster engines Water injection + more fuel Water injection Afterburning Other methods Rocket boosters RATO Rocket Assisted Take-Off Single use only Mainly military but also Concorde HS121 Trident and early V/STOL a/c Methanol Forced air aspiration More power per bang
Thrust Augmentation
Piston engines:Supercharging or turbo charging Higher Octane fuels Gas turbines engines:Booster engines Water injection + more fuel Water injection Afterburning Other methods Rocket boosters RATO Rocket Assisted Take-Off Single use only Mainly military but also Concorde HS121 Trident and early V/STOL a/c Methanol Forced air aspiration More power per bang
Thrust Augmentation
Water Methanol Injection How is it injected?
Dart Engine Series
Water Methanol Tank and Pump
Torque Pressure (ENGINE POWER)
Water Methanol Control Unit
Water cools the turbine and increases pressure and therefore velocity = more power. Cooler turbine means more fuel (methanol) can be added = more power. In the Dart engine, more power means coarser propeller pitch = more thrust. Use limited because of combustion characteristics
Thrust Augmentation
Water Injection
Increased Primary Primary Fuel flow Fuel flow
Rolls-Royce Spey Series
Water flow Take a closer look here
Water cools the turbine and increases pressure and therefore velocity = more power. Cooler turbine means more fuel can be added = more power.
Thrust Augmentation
Typical Reheat System Rolls-Royce Phantom Spey and Jaguar Adour series
Thrust Augmentation
Engine Rear End
Reheat System (Afterburner)
Variable Nozzle
Spray Tubes
Vapour Gutters
Heat Shields
Thrust Augmentation
Thrust Augmentation
Engine Gas Stream without Reheat
Variable Nozzle Closed
Thrust Augmentation
Reheat Starts with Vapour Gutters Spraying Fuel
Thrust Augmentation
Then Spray Tubes add more fuel to combustion process
And Variable Nozzle Opens
This is to prevent higher jet pipe pressure to ensure that reheat has no effect on jet engine
Thrust Augmentation
MacDonald Douglas F4 Phantom Reheat Lit
Visible Shock waves appear in exhaust plume!
Does the Afterburner get hot?
FA18 Hornet on Carrier Take-off Reheat Lit
Just a little bit!!
Use of the afterburner is restricted to take-off and combat only (except Concorde of course) due to the extremely high fuel consumption rate
Thrust Augmentation