specific fuel consumption

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specific fuel consumption

[spə′sif·ik ′fyül kən‚səm·shən]
(mechanical engineering)
The weight flow rate of fuel required to produce a unit of power or thrust, for example, pounds per horsepower-hour. Abbreviated SFC. Also known as specific propellant consumption.

Specific fuel consumption

The ratio of the fuel mass flow of an aircraft engine to its output power, in specified units. Specific fuel consumption (abbreviated sfc or SFC) is a widely used measure of atmospheric engine performance. For reciprocating engines it is usually given in U.S. Customary units of pound-mass per hour per horsepower [(lbm/h)/hp or lbm/(hp·h)], and International System (SI) units of kilograms per hour per kilowatt [(kg/h)/kW]. See Reciprocating aircraft engine

For the gas turbine family of atmospheric aircraft engines, and for ramjets, performance is usually given in terms of thrust specific fuel consumption (abbreviated tsfc or TSFC) expressed as fuel mass flow per unit thrust output with Customary units of pound-mass per hour per pound-force [(lbm/h)/lbf] or SI units of kilograms per hour per newton [(kg/h)/N; 1 N equals approximately 0.225 lbf]. For high-supersonic and hypersonic ramjets, specific fuel consumption is sometimes given in pound-mass per second per pound-force [(lbm/s)/lbf] or kilograms per second per newton [(kg/s)/N]. See Aircraft propulsion, Jet propulsion, Propulsion, Ramjet, Turbine propulsion, Turbojet

specific fuel consumption (SFC)

The quantity of fuel consumed (by weight) to produce one unit of power in one unit of time. In piston engines, the SFC is equal to the mass ratio of fuel/shaft horsepower. In gas turbine engines, the SFC is equal to the mass ratio of fuel/thrust. It is best when its value is minimum. The value of the SFC decreases with height and in colder temperature conditions.
References in periodicals archive ?
5 MJ/kg] - Brake specific fuel consumption corrected to [H.
7- For ethanol gasoline blends, the engine performance, the power output are increased and the brake specific fuel consumption decreased up to a blending ratio (80% gasoline+20% ethanol).
10 represents the comparison between brake specific fuel consumption and brake power at inlet air temperature of 50[degrees]C.
The methods were demonstrated on a GTDI engine with the goal of load and CA50 target following, while minimizing break specific fuel consumption with constraints on combustion stability, exhaust temperature and knock.
A matrix of E10 fuels with market relevant octane and sensitivity values were tested in a single cylinder engine at different operating conditions and compression ratios to study the impact of RON and sensitivity on engine efficiency or specific fuel consumption.
vt]), specific fuel consumption (C), and engine thrust (Th) for optimization were chosen as the representative set for optimization:
Thus it is necessary to define a ratio between the specific fuel consumption of the next gear and the current gear; this ratio ensures the gear shifting results in a global fuel consumption reduction.
4 present the variations of percent specific fuel consumption parameter with fan overall pressure ratio and bypass ratio for at one inlet turbine temperature.
The Wartsila Generation X engines also feature a higher stroke to bore ratio than the RT-flex engines, thus achieving lower engine speed and lower brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC).
Respectively, specific fuel consumption varies depending on the load of engine and propeller characteristics.
To assess the efficiency and potential saving of fuelwood of a new and improved prototype of wood-burning cookstove, three well-known protocols were used: (1) the water boiling test (WBT), which assesses thermal efficiency, boiling time, burning rate, and specific fuel consumption (SFC); (2) the controlled cooking test (CCT), which was implemented in 30 rural households to establish the cookstove's efficiency in terms of SFC; and (3) the kitchen performance test (KPT), also applied in 30 rural households, to measure impact in real household conditions.

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