Comprehensive thermodynamic, environmental and sustainability analysis of the intercooled recuperated turbofan engine

• Calculate the energy dissipation of the intercooler and the recuperator. • Assess the performance of heat exchangers under various flight conditions. • Established the IRTE exergy analysis model. • Compare multiple exergy performance indexes of the IRTE and CCTE. • Evaluate the environmental and sustainability of the IRTE. The intercooled recuperated turbofan engine (IRTE) is a competitive option for the energy-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft. Nevertheless, the heat transfer capability of the heat exchangers in the IRTE has received limited attention in the research literature. Using entransy dissipation theory, this research has computed and assessed the heat exchange performance of the intercooler and recuperator in the IRTE at various flight altitudes, velocities, and throttling conditions. The calculations reveal that the entransy dissipated in the intercooler and recuperator is small at low altitudes and low Mach numbers, indicating a favorable heat transfer capacity. And the entransy dissipation increases with the percentage rotational speed, and the entransy dissipation is minimum for the design point cruising state. Furthermore, to fill the existing gap in the evaluation of the environmental and sustainability level of the IRTE and its sub-components, this study constructs a comprehensive evaluation framework based on exergy analysis methods, thereby conducting a systematic analysis of the techno-economic, environmental and sustainability of IRTE. And by comparing with the conventional cycle turbofan engine (CCTE), the potential of the intercooled recuperated cycle in enhancing the engine exergy efficiency and reducing fuel exergy flow is revealed from the principle of available energy utilization and transfer, which can play a pivotal role in decreasing adverse environmental risks.