Airliner question

[miketx]

Why can't they put some kind of screen cover over the front of a jet engine to keep birds out of them?

 

[Elton]

Why can't they put some kind of screen cover over the front of a jet engine to keep birds out of them?

That is a good question.

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

Multiple reasons.

Increased surface area would prevent efficient flow of air in the the engine.

Kinda like trying to run with a mask on.

Additionally the increased surface area would increase the risk of icing.

Also...coverings would simply create another ingestion hazard.

 

[miketx]

Multiple reasons.

Increased surface area would prevent efficient flow of air in the the engine.

Kinda like trying to run with a mask on.

Additionally the increased surface area would increase the risk of icing.

Also...coverings would simply create another ingestion hazard.

A wire mesh mask would not impede running. This would impede airflow?

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

A wire mesh mask would not impede running. This would impede airflow?

View attachment 658551

Yes it would., it would also collect ice buildup (-35-50F at altitude), and it would consistently have to receive non-destructive inspections as it would be an ingestion hazard, which would further increase down time.
Remember objects in the inlet decrease the amount, speed, and angle of air intake.
This affects inlet and exhaust gas temperatures, fuel consumption and efficiencies.
also consider this...most high bypass turbine engines only draw ~25% of all intake gases into the compressor section.
75-95% of all air is blow aft by the fan (bypass).

 

[Sunni Man]

A wire mesh mask would not impede running. This would impede airflow?

View attachment 658551

Yes, it would reduce air flow between 2% to 5% plus create power robbing air turbulence resulting in lower fuel efficiency. Thus shorting the range the plane could fly on a load of fuel and costing the airline company a lot of money.
And if a piece of the grating ever broke off and got sucked into the engine. Your talking the destruction of a million dollar engine and worse case causing the plane to crash.

 

[miketx]

Well then...

 

[Sunni Man]

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

I'm surprised Dyson hasn't created a jet engine that has indirect air flow and no external moving parts.

 

[Delldude]

If it was feasible, which it isn't, it would have been incorporated.

Ingestion by birds has been tested at type certification trials for a particular engine type. I forget exactly, but they used to fire a cannon with frozen birds into an engine. I think there are vid's on youtube.

 

[Sunni Man]

Usually bird strikes only disable one engine, so the airliner is still able to maintain altitude on the remaining engine(s) and land safely at the nearest airport.
Although rare, bird strikes disabling all the engines have happened.
The famous Capt Sullenberger landing his stricken airplane on the Hudson River is an example of that anomaly.

 

[Yarddog]

Why can't they put some kind of screen cover over the front of a jet engine to keep birds out of them?

They could just paint some image of Hillary on the Jet engines and the birds would probably outrun the jet.

 

[Delldude]

Usually bird strikes only disable one engine, so the airliner is still able to maintain altitude on the remaining engine(s) and land safely at the nearest airport.
Although rare, bird strikes disabling all the engines have happened.
The famous Capt Sullenberger landing his stricken airplane on the Hudson River is an example of that anomaly.

Here's the chapter from the CFR's on bird ingestion, if you're interested:

Federal Register :: Request Access

Couple vids:

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Why can't they put some kind of screen cover over the front of a jet engine to keep birds out of them?

Actually watched a vid where this was brought up.
They said the loss of power and fuel economy and the infrequency of bird/engine strikes makes it unnecessary.
Most modern jets engines will just chew up the bird and spit it out with little to no damage.

 

[Delldude]

Actually watched a vid where this was brought up.
They said the loss of power and fuel economy and the infrequency of bird/engine strikes makes it unnecessary.
Most modern jets engines will just chew up the bird and spit it out with little to no damage.

Tell it to Shelley.

 

[whitehall]

Maybe Brandon has a plan to get jets to fly on battery power. That would solve the pesky bird problem.

 

[Shawnee_b]

Just paint "bird free zone" on the jet. You know, like gun free zones? Shit, shouldn't have said that, some lib is gonna run and make it so.

 

[Delldude]

Just paint "bird free zone" on the jet. You know, like gun free zones? Shit, shouldn't have said that, some lib is gonna run and make it so.

Nah...the need to put little fluid jets on the inlet nacelle and squirt in Pepto Bismol to prevent engine indigestion.

 

[miketx]

Tell it to Shelley.

Who is that?

 

[Delldude]

Who is that?

The guy who landed in the Hudson River after a huge bird strike.....actually it's Sully.