Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-03T00:01:13.588Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Griffith's early ideas on turbomachinery aerodynamics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

A. R. Howell
A. R. Howell*
Affiliation:
National Gas Turbine Establishment
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

This paper is intended to supplement a part of the paper by Mr. F. W. Armstrong on ‘The aero engine and its prospects—fifty years after Griffith’. It deals in more detail with Dr. A. A. Griffith's early ideas on the aerodynamic aspects of turbomachines.

Even with reasonably optimistic use of materials and operating temperatures it was essential in 1926 that very high component efficiencies were obtained to make the gas turbine competitive with the piston engine on fuel consumption. Griffith believed that efficiencies of over 90% could be obtained for the compressor and turbine components, if the correct attention was given to the aerodynamic design of the blades. His 1926 report on ‘An aerodynamic theory of turbine design’ showed how such high efficiency designs should be carried out and gave appropriate formulae for the compressor and turbine efficiencies.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 80 , Issue 792 , December 1976 , pp. 521 - 529
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1976 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Armstrong, F. W. The aero engine and its prospects— fifty years after Griffiths. RAeS commemorative lecture on 18th November 1976 (see this issue pp 499–520).Google Scholar
2. Griffith, A. A. An aerodynamic theory of turbine design. RAE Report H1111. July 1926. Supplement on proposed test rig for verifying the new turbine theory. September 1926 (Unpublished).Google Scholar
3. Harris, R. G. and Fairthorne, R. A. Wind tunnel experiments with infinite cascades of aerofoils. Aeronautical Research Committee R & M 1206. September 1928 (Published in 1929).Google Scholar
4. Clothier, W. C. Test of aerofoil section turbine blading. RAE Report E2868. December 1929 (Unpublished).Google Scholar
5. Griffith, A. A. The present position of the internal combustion turbine as a power plant for aircraft. Air Ministry Laboratory (AML) Report 1050A. November 1929 (Unpublished).Google Scholar
6. Cox, H. Roxbee. British aircraft gas turbines. Journal Aero Sciences, Vol 13, p 53. February 1946. (Lecture, December 1945).Google Scholar
7. Constant, H. The early history of the axial type of gas turbine engine. IMechE Proceedings, Vol 153, p 411. 1945.Google Scholar
8. Clark, R. W. Tizard. Methuen & Co Ltd. 1964.Google Scholar
9. Rubbra, A. A. Alan Arnold Griffith 1893-1963. Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol 10, p 117. November 1964.Google Scholar
10. Stern, W. J. The internal combustion turbine. Tech Rep of Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 1920-21. Vol 2, p 690. (Engine Sub-Committee Report No 54, September 1920). (Note: ACA became Aeronautical Research Committee.)Google Scholar
11. König, M. Gas turbines. North East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders. Reprint of lecture on 24th April 1925.Google Scholar
12. Aerodynamic design of axial-flow compressors. NASA SP-36. 1965.Google Scholar
13. Horlock, J. H. Axial flow compressors. Butterworth, 1958. R. E. Krieger, 1973.Google Scholar
14. Eck, B. The hydrodynamic theory of turbines and centrifugal pumps. Engineering, Vol 121, p 98, 22nd January, and p 125, 29th January 1926.Google Scholar
15. Howell, A. R. The aerodynamics of the gas turbine. Journal RAeS, Vol 52, p 329, June 1948.Google Scholar
16. Howell, A. R. and Carter, A. D. S. Fluid flow through cascades of aerofoils. Sixth International Congress for Applied Mechanics, Paris. September 1946.Google Scholar
17. Ainley, D. G. and Mathieson, G. C. R. An examination of the flow and pressure losses in blade rows of axial-flow turbines. Aeronautical Research Council R & M 2891. March 1951.Google Scholar
18. Keller, C. Multi-stage axial-flow fans of today and yesterday design. Escher Wyss News, Vol 11, p 39. April-June 1938.Google Scholar
19. Seippel, C. The development of the Brown Boveri axial compressor. Brown Boveri Review, Vol 27, p 108. May 1940.Google Scholar
20. Meyer, A. The combustion gas turbine: its history, development, and prospects. Proc IMechE, Vol 141, p 197. 1939.Google Scholar
21. Lindsey, W. H. Development of the Armstrong-Siddeley Mamba Engine. Journal RAeS, Vol 53, p 137, February 1949.Google Scholar
22. Darrieus, G. Application of the Lanchester-Prandtl theory of aerofoils to steam turbines, from ‘Recent Progress in the Mechanics of Fluids’. Societé des Ingenieurs Civils de France. September-October 1926. (In French, and paper presented on 28th May 1926.)Google Scholar
23. Darrieus, G. Contribution to the determination of the profile of radial turbine blades (but axial flow). From article in Festschrift published in honour of Prof. Dr. A. Stodola's 70th birthday, Zurich, 1929.Google Scholar
24. Whittle, F. The early history of the Whittle jet propulsion gas turbine. Proc IMechE, Vol 152, p 419. 1945.Google Scholar
25. Whittle, F. Jet: the story of a pioneer. Chapter XV on vortex flow. Frederick Muller 1953. Pan Books 1957.Google Scholar
26. Smith, D. M. The development of an axial flow gas turbine for jet propulsion. Proc IMechE, Vol 157, p 471. 1947.Google Scholar
27. Stodola, A. Die Dampfturbinen. Julius Springer, Berlin. 4th Edition, pp 591–593. 1910.Google Scholar
28. Whittle, F. Evolution of the internal combustion turbine engine. Gas Turbine International, p 16, March-April 1976.Google Scholar
29. Neville, L. E. and Silsbee, N. F. Jet propulsion progress. The development of aircraft gas turbines. McGraw-Hill. 1948.Google Scholar
30. Owner, F. M. Bristol gas turbines—the first decade. Journal RAeS, Vol 67, p 427, July 1963.Google Scholar
31. Fairhurst, L. G. The future scope of propellers. Journal RAeS, Vol 49, p 688, December 1945.Google Scholar
32. Hooker, S. G. The application of the gas turbine to aircraft propulsion. Journal RAeS, Vol 50, p 298, May 1946.Google Scholar
33. Banks, F. R. The art of the aviation engine. Journal RAeS, Vol 52, p 527, September 1948.Google Scholar