Integration of Intercooling and Heat Recovery for Efficiency Improvement in Advanced Turbofan Engines

This study presents a thermodynamic performance analysis of an Intercooled Recuperated Turbofan (IRTF) engine using GasTurb 14 simulation software. The research aims to evaluate the effect of integrating intercooling and recuperation systems on the efficiency, fuel consumption, and energy utilization of a modern turbofan configuration. A baseline turbofan model was established with defined pressure ratios, bypass ratio, and combustion parameters, which served as the reference for subsequent performance evaluation. The simulation results showed that the inclusion of intercooling reduces the compressor work by lowering the inlet temperature of the high-pressure compressor, while the recuperator significantly improves thermal efficiency by recovering exhaust heat to preheat the compressed air before combustion. The T–s and P–v diagrams demonstrated that these modifications optimize the thermodynamic cycle by minimizing irreversible losses and expanding the effective work area. The integrated configuration achieved improvements in thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC) and overall thermal efficiency compared to a conventional turbofan. These findings highlight the potential of the intercooled recuperated cycle as a promising solution for enhancing fuel economy and reducing emissions in next-generation aircraft propulsion systems.