The design and fabrication of a ramjet engine for thrust measurement in thermodynamic laboratory / Syed Mohd Kamal Syed Abd. Rahman and Hanafi Md. Din

The initial intentions of the authors was to design and fabricate a rocket engine for thrust measurement in Thermodynamic laboratory. But this was not accomplish due to the difficulties in obtaining Suitable propellant for use as its fuel. The use of solid propellant (Cartridge type) was suggested for this purpose having the advantage of compactness and ease of handling. However, the authors found out later that cartridges manufactured under such items comes within the same explosive category as Shotgun ammunition which involves high security and explosive risk. Instead the authors investigate the thrust produced from a ramjet engine which involves the design, fabrication and testing of the unit. The ram-jet engine which has virtually no moving internal mechanisms (ie no fan, turbine or compressor) is the simplest concept of an aircraft propulsion unit, consists of only a diffuser a combuston chamber and a nozzle, open at both ends. It relies on its forward speed to ram air into the front opening. Fuel is burnt inside the duct so as to acclerate the air stream which together with the product of combustion, issues from the rear as high velocity jet. A change in momentum will then produced the propulsive force or thrust.