group
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Benjamin Lozano, Senior Joseph Collins, Senior Theodore Stangas, Senior Michal Wlodarski, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Benjamin Lozano
Faculty Mentor Name
Mark Ricklick
Abstract
This report presents the preliminary design phase of the AE435-F25 Advanced Tactical Airlifter Propulsion System, developed in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the ER-18, a large, next-generation, strategic, and tactical airlift platform. The customer’s needs emphasize reliable performance across a wide mission envelope, including short-field takeoff, heavy payload capability, long-range subsonic cruise, and loiter operations under standard conditions. After interpreting the RFP and evaluating potential propulsion configurations, our team determined that a high-bypass turbofan offers the best balance of efficiency, thrust performance, and operational flexibility to meet the airlifter’s requirements. The critical engineering parameters identified from this analysis include thrust sizing within the 30–50 klbf range, high bypass ratio for improved specific fuel consumption, adequate overall pressure ratio for climb performance, and durable operation with JP-8 fuel. In this phase of the project, the following values were attained for the wing loading and thrust loading of 151 psf, and 0.283, respectively. Furthermore, the BCA and BCM for this engine was determined to be 28000ft and 0.739 respectively. Our approach for this project focused on conducting constraint and mission analysis to establish design choices and define the operating conditions that govern engine performance. Through this work, we determined the θ₀ break and other key parameters that will guide detailed cycle and component design in the next phase, ensuring the propulsion system meets both threshold and objective targets specified in the RFP.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
ER-18 Jet Engine RFP
This report presents the preliminary design phase of the AE435-F25 Advanced Tactical Airlifter Propulsion System, developed in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the ER-18, a large, next-generation, strategic, and tactical airlift platform. The customer’s needs emphasize reliable performance across a wide mission envelope, including short-field takeoff, heavy payload capability, long-range subsonic cruise, and loiter operations under standard conditions. After interpreting the RFP and evaluating potential propulsion configurations, our team determined that a high-bypass turbofan offers the best balance of efficiency, thrust performance, and operational flexibility to meet the airlifter’s requirements. The critical engineering parameters identified from this analysis include thrust sizing within the 30–50 klbf range, high bypass ratio for improved specific fuel consumption, adequate overall pressure ratio for climb performance, and durable operation with JP-8 fuel. In this phase of the project, the following values were attained for the wing loading and thrust loading of 151 psf, and 0.283, respectively. Furthermore, the BCA and BCM for this engine was determined to be 28000ft and 0.739 respectively. Our approach for this project focused on conducting constraint and mission analysis to establish design choices and define the operating conditions that govern engine performance. Through this work, we determined the θ₀ break and other key parameters that will guide detailed cycle and component design in the next phase, ensuring the propulsion system meets both threshold and objective targets specified in the RFP.