Software for designing parts of a jet

[gezim]

Hello,

I'd like to say hi to everyone since I'm pretty new here, and I guess my first post goes directly to asking a question. Anyway, could someone here recommend me some program for designing parts of a jet or a space vehicle that resembles a delta winged jet. I'm doing this for learning about stuff. Also, I don't need a software which aids me in drawing lines because I could just use paint for that. I'm thinking about something more advanced like integrated simulators for draft resistance, etc.

I am also very interested in designing engines for jets and rockets, so any kind of software which would help me model them and test them(virtually), would be awesome.

Thanks,
Gezim

 

[Cyrus]

Hi Gezim,

I'm sorry to say that it just doesn't work that way. If you are trying to learn about airplanes I would start by going through a few books that explain the basics, like the FAA handbook.

Doing any kind of design you propose would require an advanced engineering degree.

 

[gezim]

Yeah, I am aware of that Cyrus. However, I am going to grab that software and test stuff as I read. You see, a lot of people learn by reading or listening or watching videos. I learn by looking at examples or doing the thing I just read. So i am pretty much bound to finding a good software that will draw the part exactly as I specify the parameters, and then if it doesn't have simulators inside, I'll just simply make calculations myself. Anyway, thanks for the handbook recommendation, I'll make sure to check that out.

 

[Cyrus]

Yeah, I am aware of that Cyrus. However, I am going to grab that software and test stuff as I read. You see, a lot of people learn by reading or listening or watching videos. I learn by looking at examples or doing the thing I just read. So i am pretty much bound to finding a good software that will draw the part exactly as I specify the parameters, and then if it doesn't have simulators inside, I'll just simply make calculations myself. Anyway, thanks for the handbook recommendation, I'll make sure to check that out.

As I said earlier, it doesn't work that way. What is your mathematical background?

 

[gezim]

Well I am doing Calculus II as part of the standard school curricula, Calculus IV and Applied Calculus as extra curricula. Back at sophomore year in high school I leaped Algebra, Pre-Calculus and Calculus by just doing an exam where I excelled and then I spent the rest of my school year doing advanced mathematics with the guidance of a professor.

 

[Cyrus]

Well I am doing Calculus II as part of the standard school curricula, Calculus IV and Applied Calculus as extra curricula. Back at sophomore year in high school I leaped Algebra, Pre-Calculus and Calculus by just doing an exam where I excelled and then I spent the rest of my school year doing advanced mathematics with the guidance of a professor.

What engineering courses have you taken?

 

[russ_watters]

...not to mention, any software that even remotely resembles what you are talking about is hugely expensive.

 

[Aero_Marty]

Are you still in high school?

If you are interested in jet aeroplanes you should do an Aerospace Engineering course or equivalent at university. Then you should have access to the software you need for designing jet engines/aeroplanes.

Im currently doing my masters year and my university has such software. The programs I have used are Advanced Aircraft Analysis (AAA), Gambit and Fluent for computational fluid dynamics (CFD), there are a few stress analysis programs such as ANSYS workbench and CAD programs are essential for the geometry and layout which can then be imported into the other programs for further analysis.

I hope this is information is useful to you.

 

[FredGarvin]

There is a software package for designing jet engines? I should tell my management about that. Here we were doing it the old fashioned way by doing some thinking.

 

[Brian_C]

I'm taking a grad level course in propulsion, which covers stuff like parametric cycle analysis and performance analysis of jet engines. We're using a sofware suite from AIAA to do some of the calculations.

Here's a link:
http://www.aircraftenginedesign.com/EOP_S.html

 

[FredGarvin]

Yeah. I have a copy of that as well. Cycle stuff has tons of different software to do that. When I think of design, I tend to think of the hands on design of the actual components.

 

[Brian_C]

Isn't CFD software used quite a bit in the design of engine components? A professor told me that engine designers perform a full 3D Navier-Stokes analysis of components such as inlets, compressors, etc.

 

[FredGarvin]

Isn't CFD software used quite a bit in the design of engine components? A professor told me that engine designers perform a full 3D Navier-Stokes analysis of components such as inlets, compressors, etc.

Of course. CFD is done on all aerodynamic aspects as well as burners. The OP made it sound like they were looking for one catch all software package that will spit out a jet engine design. It also doesn't even begin to cover the notion of knowing what one is putting into a simulation or analysis. I won't go into that rant.

 

[minger]

Of course. CFD is done on all aerodynamic aspects as well as burners.

Oh don't get his hopes up. You're telling him that often times useless very pretty pictures can now be multi-phase? haha.

 

[Cyrus]

Oh don't get his hopes up. You're telling him that often times useless very pretty pictures can now be multi-phase? haha.

Hey, you leave colored fluid dynamics alone!

 

[minger]

I'm as guilty as anyone. In fact, to usually push it over the top, I'll throw a couple animations over time.

...just don't look at the boundaries, just don't look at the boundaries...

 

[FredGarvin]

...and then a miracle happens here...and then...

But the arrows are all you need to look at. Really.

 

[Brian_C]

I was actually hoping that CFD wasn't used very much. My software knowledge is pretty poor for an engineering major...

 

[minger]

I was actually hoping that CFD wasn't used very much. My software knowledge is pretty poor for an engineering major...

CFD is used quite extensively. Luckily, as GUIs and interfaces become more user-friendly, less qualified people are actually getting to use the software and design based on it.

What's a turbulence model?

 

[physixlover]

Hi gezim,
Try Catia V5 or V6 it may be very useful in designing some typical parts

 

[AIR&SPACE]

Hello,

I'd like to say hi to everyone since I'm pretty new here, and I guess my first post goes directly to asking a question. Anyway, could someone here recommend me some program for designing parts of a jet or a space vehicle that resembles a delta winged jet. I'm doing this for learning about stuff. Also, I don't need a software which aids me in drawing lines because I could just use paint for that. I'm thinking about something more advanced like integrated simulators for draft resistance, etc.

I am also very interested in designing engines for jets and rockets, so any kind of software which would help me model them and test them(virtually), would be awesome.

Thanks,
Gezim

Shameless Plug Alert
I'm an Aero-Mech major and ever since I was 13 I've been using a program to "play" with aircraft design. It very much is what motivated me to go Aero. It's called "www.x-plane.com"[/URL]. It is a flight sim designed by an Aero alum from Iowa State. It uses a complex flight model. The best part is that it comes with two programs for design, Airfoil-Maker, and Plane-Maker. You can "build" your plane up from the smallest detail, throw it in the sim, plot/record data throughout the flight. It's pretty sweet.
I lied, best part is that you can download it as a free demo; Plane-maker Airfoil-maker are included with full functionality. In fact, the only difference between it and the full version are that after 10 minutes in the simulator it stops accepting joystick input.

Anyways, give it a look and maybe give it a try.

 

[Cyrus]

X-Plane works by reading in the geometric shape of any aircraft and then figuring out how that aircraft will fly. It does this by an engineering process called "blade element theory", which involves breaking the aircraft down into many small elements and then finding the forces on each little element many times per second. These forces are then converted into accelerations, which are then integrated to velocities and positions... Of course, all of this technical theory is completely transparent to the end user... you just fly! It's fun!

Is nonsense. Blade element theory is used for propellers and helicopter rotors. There are also complex interaction effects going on, and this is making an assumption of a 2-D section with no cross flow at each element. Yeah, I wouldn't use this for anything other than having fun on your computer as a hobbyist.

 

[AIR&SPACE]

Is nonsense. Blade element theory is used for propellers and helicopter rotors. There are also complex interaction effects going on, and this is making an assumption of a 2-D section with no cross flow at each element. Yeah, I wouldn't use this for anything other than having fun on your computer as a hobbyist.

Very true, the program is more of "back of the envelope." That being said, for the amateur aero-designer on a (very) low budget, it's about as good as it gets.