On the water enhanced turbofan concept: Part A - Thermodynamics and overall engine design

Abstract

Aviation is responsible for a growing portion of global greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. The Water-Enhanced Turbofan (WET) is a promising concept for reducing the climate impact of aviation in terms of CO2 and Non-CO2 effects. The innovative thermodynamic cycle with a quasi-closed water circuit increases overall efficiency and reduces emissions. However, the Water-Enhanced Turbofan offers a new range of design parameters for the propulsion system. The influence of important cycle parameters such as temperature, pressure and water to air ratio is assessed in this work. Special focus is set on the impact on the WET specific components for the water circuit introduction. Finally, the influence of these changes is evaluated not only at engine level, but also on overall mission fuel burn