Propulsion Systems

Propulsion systems are the engines and motors designed to generate the thrust required to move a vehicle, particularly aircraft and spacecraft, through a fluid medium or the vacuum of space. Operating on the fundamental principle of Newton's Third Law of Motion, they produce a forward force by accelerating and expelling a mass of working fluid (such as hot gas) in the opposite direction. This core discipline of aerospace engineering encompasses a wide range of technologies, from air-breathing engines like turbojets and turbofans for atmospheric flight to rocket engines that enable space launch and in-space maneuvering, all of which require the integrated application of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and materials science for their design and operation.

1. Fundamentals of Propulsion
   1. Core Physical Principles
      1. Newton's Laws of Motion
         1. First Law of Inertia
         2. Second Law Force-Acceleration Relationship
         3. Third Law Action-Reaction Principle
         4. Applications to Propulsion Systems
      2. Conservation Laws
         1. Conservation of Mass
            1. Continuity Equation
            2. Mass Flow Rate
         2. Conservation of Momentum
            1. Momentum Theorem
            2. Impulse-Momentum Relationship
         3. Conservation of Energy
            1. Mechanical Energy
            2. Thermal Energy
      3. Force and Power Relationships
         1. Thrust as Force
         2. Power Requirements
         3. Work-Energy Relationships
   2. Thermodynamic Principles
      1. Laws of Thermodynamics
         1. First Law Energy Conservation
         2. Second Law Entropy and Efficiency
         3. Third Law Absolute Zero
      2. Properties of Working Fluids
         1. Ideal Gas Law
         2. Equations of State
         3. Specific Heat Ratios
      3. Thermodynamic Properties
         1. Temperature and Pressure
         2. Enthalpy
         3. Entropy
         4. Internal Energy
         5. Specific Heats
      4. Thermodynamic Processes
         1. Isobaric Processes
         2. Isochoric Processes
         3. Isothermal Processes
         4. Adiabatic Processes
         5. Isentropic Processes
      5. Thermodynamic Cycles
         1. Brayton Cycle
            1. Ideal Brayton Cycle
            2. Real Brayton Cycle
            3. Cycle Efficiency
            4. Pressure-Temperature Relationships
         2. Otto Cycle
            1. Four-Stroke Process
            2. Compression Ratio Effects
            3. Thermal Efficiency
         3. Rankine Cycle
            1. Steam Generation
            2. Turbine Expansion
            3. Condensation Process
   3. Fluid Dynamics Fundamentals
      1. Fluid Properties
         1. Density
         2. Viscosity
         3. Compressibility
         4. Temperature Effects
      2. Flow Classification
         1. Steady vs Unsteady Flow
         2. Uniform vs Non-uniform Flow
         3. Laminar vs Turbulent Flow
      3. Compressible Flow Theory
         1. Mach Number
         2. Speed of Sound
         3. Compressibility Effects
      4. Flow Regimes
         1. Subsonic Flow
         2. Transonic Flow
         3. Supersonic Flow
         4. Hypersonic Flow
      5. Isentropic Flow Relations
         1. Area-Velocity Relationships
         2. Pressure-Temperature Relations
         3. Critical Flow Conditions
      6. Shock Wave Theory
         1. Normal Shock Waves
         2. Oblique Shock Waves
         3. Expansion Waves
         4. Shock Wave Properties
      7. Boundary Layer Theory
         1. Boundary Layer Development
         2. Laminar Boundary Layers
         3. Turbulent Boundary Layers
         4. Boundary Layer Separation