|
|
History | |
page 1 | |
|
|
The idea of using the reaction thrust principle for propulsion is not new. Hero of Alexandria designed a type of steam turbine called an aeolipile about 2000 years ago. The Chinese have used black-powder (gunpowder) rockets since the twelfth century (starting about 1150 AD). Sir Isaac Newton described the reaction thrust principle in his laws of dynamics in 1687. In 1791, John Barber of England was granted the first patent for a gas turbine, but it was almost 100 years before the necessary materials, designs, and manufacturing techniques made it possible to build one. Early air-breathing engines used a small gas engine to power a large propeller to help speed up the air to generate thrust. The Wright flyer used a propeller engine. Unfortunately, a propeller driven engine is limited to slower speeds. In order to fly faster, to approach the speed of sound and beyond, another design or air-breathing engine was needed. During the 1930's a German engineer, Hans von Ohain, and an English engineer, Frank Whittle were each separately trying to design a new type of engine. By 1938 Hans von Ohain and his mechanic Max Hahn had designed, built and test flown a jet aircraft. His design included a compressor (a type of fan) and a turbine on the same shaft. Frank Whittle's design also included an internal fan or propeller run by a turbine with a combustor (see next section for definitions). His jet aircraft successfully flew in 1941. Thus, both England and Germany entered the jet aircraft age!
Since then, many improvements and variations of jet engine designs have
been developed. In addition, the lighter, more efficient jet engines
made larger and faster airplanes possible. In under 100 years airplanes
have gone from the Wright flyer and its first flight of 12 seconds and
120 feet to supersonic aircraft that fly all over the globe in 3 hours.
All of this made possible with the invention of the air-breathing
engine!
Web Hosting Provided By The National Business Aviation Association. Explore Space ... Not Drugs! |
