Argus As 014
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The Argus As 014 was a pulse jet used on the German V-1 flying bomb of World War II.
The As 014 was also under consideration as a potential power source for various last ditch German fighters in the closing days of WWII. The As 014 was a model of simplicity and low cost. The engine was made from a sheet of mild steel that was rolled into a tube. At the front of the engine there was a spring flap-valve grid (shutters), a fuel inlet valve and an igniter.
The shutters at the larger diameter forward section of the engine open as the aircraft moves forward. Fuel is then injected behind the intake. The fuel is ignited by spark plugs and due to the expansion of gases the shutters close. The thrust is then directed through the smaller diameter rear portion of the engine. The pressure in the engine drops after ignition and the shutters reopen and the cycle is repeated. This operation was repeated roughly 100 times per second. Since the engine was rather simple low grade gasoline could be used and a good amount of thrust was produced, but the engine wasn't very efficient and range was limited to 150-250 miles. The resonant frequency of this combustion process was around 45 Hz and the engine produced roughly 2.7 kN (660 lbf) of thrust. The 45 Hz frequency gave the V-1 its nicknames "buzz bomb" or "doodlebug", because it emitted a low frequency sputtering sound. The prototype engine was tested slung below a Gotha Go 145 in April of 1941 and the first prototype V-1 flew on Christmas Eve of 1942. Production amounted to 31,100 units.
[edit] References
- Gunston, Bill. (1986). World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens: Wellingborough. p.17
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