| Abstract | In reference 1 of May 1958 ( NAE-ENG-64 ) the weight and size of a 4500 h.p. gas generator was estimated, from a sketchy design, for the powerplant of a VTOL aircraft with an all-up weight of 20,000 lb. Four of these ’hot’ cycle gas generators, totalling 18,000 h.p., were then considered necessary, either to drive wing-immersed fans for vertical lift, or for conventional jet propulsion in horizontal flight.
Since that time, the number and power of the gas generators for the given aircraft were reconsidered, and it was concluded that aside from weight, 6 x 3000 h.p. might be a better combination than 4 x 4500 h.p. for the same total power.
Also, discussions were held with a manufacturer of jet engines, revealing possible changes in the basic assumptions for the weight estimation of small engines.
In the present memorandum, the weight and size of a 4500 h.p. gas generator is re-estimated, using changing assumptions, the preference for a 3000 h.p. unit is discussed, the same assumptions are then applied to estimate its weight, and finally a general discussion is made about the powerplant weight as a whole. |
|---|
