Small Jet Engine Test Fixture, Design and Fabrication

Markiewicz, Bradley; Lovoi, Matthew; Forgione, Amanda; Stottlemyer, William; Almazan, Alexander

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Small Jet Engine Test Fixture, Design and Fabrication

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Due to their widespread applications and accessibility, small jet engines are a great introduction to aerospace engineering and provide a fundamental understanding of jet engine technology. Throughout this year “The Small Jet Engine Test Fixture Project” group became familiar with how a jet engine performs and what can be expected when measuring the airflow, temperature, and thrust of an engine. Our group designed and created a testing fixture that allowed us to test for thrust by mounting our Rhino 200 SE jet engine onto an aluminum cart with linear bearings which was then connected to a strain gauge. Additionally, we used a temperature and airflow velocity probe behind the exhaust cone of the engine to collect and review data points. The testing procedure involved running the engine at different RPM levels and recording the corresponding data values. The collected data was analyzed to determine the engine's performance characteristics, including its thrust-to-weight ratio, efficiency, and power output. This project provides a valuable tool for researchers in the jet engine field to evaluate and compare engine performance and will similarly be used by future MQP Groups who will be designing and fabricating a jet engine of their own.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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