Ideal Thrust (F_ideal) in aircraft design represents the theoretical maximum thrust that an aircraft’s propulsion system can produce under ideal conditions. It is a crucial parameter used for performance calculations and design considerations.
The formula for ideal thrust depends on the type of engine being used. For a jet engine, it can be expressed as:
- F_ideal is the ideal thrust in newtons (N).m_dot (pronounced “m-dot”) is the mass flow rate of air or exhaust gases through the engine in kilograms per second (kg/s).
- V_e is the exhaust velocity of the gases relative to the aircraft in meters per second (m/s).
- V_0 is the inlet velocity of the air entering the engine in meters per second (m/s).