The cross-sectional area of a CFM (CFM International) engine inlet, often denoted as “A,” represents the area through which air enters the engine. This area is crucial for determining the engine’s mass flow rate and performance. The formula for cross-sectional area (A) in the context of an aircraft engine is given by:
– A is the cross-sectional area (in square meters, m²).
– ṁ (pronounced “m-dot”) is the mass flow rate of air entering the engine (in kilograms per second, kg/s).
– ρ (rho) is the air density (in kilograms per cubic meter, kg/m³).
– V is the velocity of the air entering the engine (in meters per second, m/s).