Advanced technology engine

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Advanced technology engine is a turbine engine that allows different turbines to spin at different, individually optimum speeds, instead of at one speed for all. It became common in the 21st century. [1] It emerged on larger airplanes, before finding other applications.

Contents

Details

One version has three drive shafts instead of the usual one. This allows the three sets of blades to revolve at different speeds. An intermediate design is a twin-spool engine, allowing two different speeds. ATE advantages allow lower noise levels.

Examples

Rolls Royce Ultrafan

The Rolls Royce Ultrafan is the largest and most efficient engine to allow multiple turbine speeds. The turbines behind the main fan are small and allow more air to pass straight through, while a planetary gearbox "allows the main fan to spin slower and the compressors to spin faster, putting each in their optimal zones." [2]

Other geared turbofans

Geared turbofans are also used in the following engines, some still in development: Garrett TFE731, Lycoming ALF 502/LF 507, Pratt & Whitney PW1000G, Turbomeca Astafan, and Turbomeca Aspin, and Aviadvigatel PD-18R.

Astro Mechanica

In 2024 this startup announced its TurboElectric Adaptive Engine. Instead of a fixed gearbox, it uses an electric motor to turn the turbine(s) behind the fan at an ideal speed for each phase of flight. The company claimed it would support efficient take-off, subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speeds. The electric motor is powered by a generator in turn powered by a turbine. The approach relies on the improved power density of novel electric motors such as yokeless dual-rotor axial flux motors that offer far more kw/kg than conventional designs that were too heavy for such an application. [3]

Air flows in through a turbogenerator to produce electric power to power an electric motor. The electric motor adaptively controls the propulsion unit, allowing it to behave like a turbofan, turbojet, or ramjet depending on airspeed. In effect the engine can operate at any point along the specific impulse (Isp) curve - high Isp at low speed or low Isp at high speed. [4] [3] [5]

It is in some respects similar to turbo-electric marine engines that allow propellers to turn at a different speed than the steam turbines that power them.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turbocharger</span> Exhaust-powered forced-induction device for engines

In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gas turbine</span> Type of internal and continuous combustion engine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turbofan</span> Airbreathing jet engine designed to provide thrust by driving a fan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircraft engine</span> Engine designed for use in powered aircraft

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ducted fan</span> Air moving arrangement

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bypass ratio</span> Proportion of ducted compared to combusted air in a turbofan engine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Electric CJ805</span> Civil series of the J79 turbojet aircraft engine

The General Electric CJ805 is a jet engine which was developed by General Electric Aircraft Engines in the late 1950s. It was a civilian version of the J79 and differed only in detail. It was developed in two versions. The basic CJ805-3 was a turbojet and powered the Convair 880 airliner, while CJ805-23, a turbofan derivative, powered the Convair 990 Coronado variant.

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The General Electric YF120, internally designated as GE37, was a variable cycle afterburning turbofan engine designed by General Electric Aircraft Engines in the late 1980s and early 1990s for the United States Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program. It was designed to produce maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. Prototype engines were installed in the two competing technology demonstrator aircraft, the Lockheed YF-22 and Northrop YF-23.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geared turbofan</span> Turbofan engine with a gearbox used to drive its fan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine propulsion</span> Systems for generating thrust for ships and boats on water

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney PW1000G</span> Geared turbofan engine produced beginning 2007

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The Turbomeca Astafan is a single-spool, variable-pitch turbofan engine developed from the Turbomeca Astazou. Despite successful flight-testing, an efficient, quiet and clean design and some commercial interest, the Astafan never entered series production. The engines were only flown on the Fouga 90 prototype and Turbomeca's two test aircraft.

A variable pitch fan is similar in concept to that of a variable-pitch propeller and involves progressively reducing the pitch of the fan on a turbofan as the engine is throttled. Although variable pitch fans are used in some industrial applications, the focus of this article is on their use in turbofan engines. No production engine uses such a feature; however, it will likely be required on at least some of the next generation of high bypass ratio turbofans.

References

  1. Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 4. ISBN   9780850451634.
  2. "World's largest and most efficient aircraft engine aces first tests". New Atlas. 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  3. 1 2 Keil, Christian (February 28, 2024). "Interview with Ian Brooke". x.com.
  4. McCormick, Packy (April 1, 2024). "Astro Mechanica". www.notboring.co. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  5. Côté, Andrew (February 28, 2024). "Astro Mechanica". x.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.