Jet Pulse Drone
T E A M 5 9 - P ULS
ME ME ME ME ME ECE -
John Hamburg (PM)
Kyle Goetzelmann
Michael Godinho
Eileen Schweiss
David Morris
Matt Benes
Faculty Technical Advisor: Dr. Kanchan Mondal
Executive Summary
Pulse jet engines differ from traditional jet engines in that they do not make use of any turbines or
compressors. Instead they rely on inertia of moving gases to achieve their relatively small compression ratios. The
lack of turbines and compressors makes the design of pulse jet engines relatively simplistic, with few or no moving
parts.
The proposed new pulse jet engine will feature a valve less design utilizing rear-facing air intakes. Having
the intakes face the same direction as the exhaust means that any expanding gases that escape through the intakes
during combustion will add to the total thrust produced by the engine. This allows the engine to forgo the use of
reed valves which struggle to hold up to the conditions inside the combustion chamber and end up severely
shortening the useful life of the engine. The engine will achieve greater efficiency through the use of a throttling
device which will allow the engine to use less fuel when performance is not as essential. Research and possibly
simulations will be used to allow the engine to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. The proposed engine will
also utilize temperature and flow sensors used in conjunction with a telemetry system to provide real time feedback
on engine and plane performance.
The project is expected to be complete by March 31, 2014, allowing for several weeks of testing and tuning
after completion. The total cost of the project is expected to be no more $1,000.00. This cost depends on the prices
of components such as the material cost of stainless steel for the engine body, which is subject to change.
Contents
• Overview
• Engine Materials Discussion
• Subsystem Technical Discussions
• Deliverables
Overview
The design team will design
and construct a pulse jet
engine that will be fitted to a
RC plane constructed by an
Aviation Technologies
student
How it works
• A pulse jet is a simple engine
that operates on a pressure
differential
• After all combustion gases
exhaust, a low pressure zone is
created, which draws in fresh
air
• This air is mixed with fuel and
then ignited by the existing
fireball
• This is one “pulse” the cycle
repeats hundreds of time every
second to keep a steady thrust
Engine Material
• OnlineMetals.com
• McMaster-Carr.com
• Combination of 304 Stainless Steel tubing and sheet metal
• Thinnest tubing and sheet metal will be chosen to optimize design
• Size will be based upon FLUENT analysis
• Coated in 100% 316 Stainless Steel pure pigment
Subsystems
• Intake
• Fuel System
• Ignition
• Combustion Chamber
• Exhaust/Augmenter
• Telemetry
Ignition System
• Necessary to get engine started
• A spark plug mounted in the front of the combustion chamber will be
utilized
Intake
• A reverse style intake will be utilized to maximize the usefulness of
combustion gasses
• FLUENT analysis will be used to determine the proper size and shape
of the inlets
• The flow of air into the engine is critical to sustaining combustion
Combustion Chamber
• Part of engine where combustion originates
• Must cause air and fuel to mix together
• Must force expanding gases to travel through the back of the engine
L. Cottrill. “Original 2D Schematic” Internet: http://grabcad.com/library/valveless-pulse-jet-engine,[11/26/13]
Types of Fuel
• Factors
• Flash Point
• Ease of Ignition
• Auto Ignition
• Prevent Spontaneous Combustion
• Internal Energy
• Max amount of energy provided
• Chemical Composition
• Corrosive property and residue
• Burn Rate and Temperature
• Flight time and effect on engine
Types of Fuel (cont.)
• Several different Fuels can be used
• Design Based on JP-8
• Testing will include gasoline, aviation fuels, and different
combinations of Kerosene and Hydrocarbon based fuels
• Hydrocarbon based fuels can be easily mixed together
• Static testing will be used to determine which will give max efficiency
based on requirements
• Corrosive properties of the different mixtures can be seen through
static testing as well
Fuel System
• Non pressurized fuel tank with fuel pump
• Different fuel types/mixtures
• Easy refueling
• Pump gives consistent flow (voltage regulated)
• Throttling
• Fuel Efficiency
• Fuel Nozzle
• Evenly dispersed into the airstream
• Upstream of ignition
Exhaust/Augmenter
• Can significantly increase the thrust of
the engine without any additional fuel
consumption
• Proper size and shape must be
determined to maximize thrust while
minimizing drag
• Fluent Analysis will be used to determine
optimal exhaust design
Telemetry System
• Measure Engine Temperature and Airspeed
• K-type Thermocouple
• Pitot tube airspeed sensor
• Store measured data locally and at ground station
• Local SD card
• Ground based hard drive
• Transmit live data to ground station
• RF transmitter with 1 mile range
• View data in real time using graphical interface
• MatLab analysis
• Data can be used to monitor engine vitals and performance
Deliverables
• FLUENT analyses of intake and exhaust areas
• CAD drawings
• Engine
• Airplane