Why is it in the News?

A micro turbojet engine designed and developed indigenously by Hyderabad-based firm Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools with the support of the IIT Hyderabad has been unveiled.

Key Highlights of the Micro Turbojet Engine “INDRA RV25: 240N”:

• It is an indigenous micro turbojet engine made in India.
• Its primary focus is on serving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
• Beyond UAVs, the engine exhibits versatile applications in air taxis, jetpacks, auxiliary power units, range extenders, and potential use in power generation for the future.
• Indigenous design and development: Engineered entirely in India by the Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools (RVMT) team of skilled engineers & supported by IIT, Hyderabad.
  • A great demonstration of the potential of Industry-Academia partnership
• Self-reliance and autonomy: By reducing reliance on imported technologies, components, and expertise, the Micro Turbojet Engine contributes to India’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in critical sectors, bolstering national security and economic resilience
• Empowering local manufacturing: The launch of the indigenous Micro Turbojet Engine not only drives technological innovation but also stimulates the growth of the domestic aerospace and defense manufacturing ecosystem, creating jobs and fostering economic growth.

What Is a Turbojet Engine and How Does It Work?

• Turbojet engines are jet engines that, like other jet engines, generate propulsion by discharging or expelling heated air.
• They feature a combustion chamber in which they burn fuel and air.
• As they burn this mixture, turbojet engines will discharge heated air.
• It can find turbojet engines in commercial airplanes, civilian airplanes, and military aircraft.

How Turbojet Engines Work?

• The process begins by drawing air through an intake.
  • Turbojet engines feature an air intake, which is typically located near the front of the engine.
  • Air will flow into this intake, at which point it will be redirected to the engine’s interior.
• After entering the engine, the air will become compressed.
  • Turbojet engines feature a set of rotating blades. Known as compressors, these rotating blades are designed to compress the air.
• The next step in the process is combustion which involves the burning of fuel and air.
  • Turbojet engines will inject fuel into the same combustion chamber where the compressed air is located.
  • A spark will then ignite the mixture of fuel and compressed air, thereby generating hot, high-pressure exhaust gas.
• The exhaust gas generated by the combustion is expelled out the rear of the turbojet engine.
  • This rearward expulsion allows for forward propulsion.
  • As the exhaust gas is discharged out the rear of the turbojet engine, the airplane will be propelled forward.