MEASUREMENT OF JET ENGINE THRUST IN A SUPERSONIC CAR

G. M. Robinson, A. J. Knott

Abstract

On 15 October 1997 on the Black Rock desert, Nevada, Squadron Leader Andy Green drove ThrustSSC through a measured mile at an average speed of Mach 1.02 (763.035 mph or 1 227.986 kmph) to achieve the first supersonic land speed record.<BR />This paper presents the work carried out at NPL to develop a method of directly measuring the thrust of each of ThrustSSC’s jet engines. This was a safety-critical application, the thrust imbalance being monitored by the car’s computers and presented on a gauge in the cockpit.<BR />Without this thrust-measuring system, it is likely that the risks involved in driving the car would have been too great for the project to proceed. Its success has demonstrated the possibility of real-time direct engine thrust measurement.

Keywords

jet engine, thrust, measurement

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IMEKO-WC-2000-TC3-P099.pdf

DOI

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IMEKO TC

TC3 - Measurement of Force, Mass, Torque, and Gravity

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