Performance and Efficiency in Thrust-Producing Engines - Assignment Example

Thrust engines have to do their best to overcome drag forces. Efficient performance of thrust engines is attained through that an aircraft has a flat thrust which can be acquired without the need for high power settings. Efficiency in thrust machines can be supported by the first law of thermodynamics which states that cost needed to generate propulsion. In this case, efficiency means doing a lot of work with little energy. By maintaining high efficiency in thrust engines, there will be a higher production rate.

This can be expressed by the following equation. Where is the rate of energy needed to create thrust? Note that high η0 indicates low energy input for any work output. The 1st Law of Thermodynamics illustrates that maximum overall efficiency is η0 = 1. An increase in the performance of the engine results in an increase in engine efficiency. This, therefore, means that efficiency is directly proportional to the efficiency of the engine. It is also true that different designs of an engine could result in differences in performance and efficiency, (Senft, 2007).

It is however also correct to say that thrust engines that handle low input in a short period will have low rates of efficiency and performance. This translates to the importance of having well-designed machines that give high performance and efficiency within the shortest time possible.