IAE SuperFan

Last updated
V2500SF SuperFan
Type Geared turbofan
Manufacturer International Aero Engines
Major applications Airbus A320 (175-seat stretch)
Airbus A340
Boeing 7J7
Number built0
Developed from IAE V2500

The IAE V2500SF SuperFan was a design study for a high-bypass geared turbofan derived from the IAE V2500. It was offered as the primary engine option for the Airbus A340-200 and 300 in January 1987. Although several customers signed preliminary contracts for this variant, the International Aero Engines board decided in April 1987 to stop the development of the SuperFan, which forced Airbus to partly re-design the A340.

Contents

Development program

In July 1986 IAE confirmed to conduct a preliminary design study for a concept examining a high-bypass engine which used the V2500 core components. The engine's projected maximum thrust was 28,000–32,000  lbf while having only 80% of the V2500's specific fuel consumption. Prior to that study the IAE shareholders Rolls-Royce plc, Pratt & Whitney and MTU Aero Engines had examined several configuration for a high-bypass engine, including several design features like a variable fan blade pitch, a geared fan or counterrotating concepts (geared as well as ungeared). Review of these design studies in June indicated the design of such a high-bypass engine as a single-rotation, geared fan configuration with variable blade pitch. The fan diameter was expected to range from 108 to 118 in while having a bypass ratio of 18:1 to 20:1. Availability of the engine was estimated between 1992 and 1994. [1] In December 1986 the V2500 SuperFan was officially offered to Airbus as powerplant for the Airbus A340 being developed at that time. With that offer, more design details were revealed. In addition to the V2500 core engine, IAE claimed to be able to derive all further components from proven technology. The RB.211-sized fan was to be driven through a Tyne-technology gearbox. This configuration had a 20:1 bypass ratio and was expected to provide a thrust of 30,000 lbf. [2] Due to the application of existing technology, the costs as well as the risks for the SuperFan development program were appraised lower than those of the competing CFM56-5 engine. [3] Due to the lower specific fuel consumption and higher thrust rating, the design of the A340 was modified. Compared to the original design's range of 7,000 nautical miles, the revised version – designated the A340-200 – was projected to have a range up to 8,000 nautical miles with full passenger load. [4] Airbus decided on 26 December 1986 to offer the SuperFan as primary engine option for the A340. [5] In late January, Boeing announced that it was studying the SuperFan as an option for the 150-seat 7J7 mid-range aircraft, with the SuperFan mounted under the wings instead of the aft fuselage mounting of the 7J7's baseline engine, the General Electric GE36 unducted fan. [6] (The 7J7, not the A340, was actually IAE's primary target aircraft for the SuperFan.) [7] Airbus was also considering the SuperFan for a 175-seat stretched version of its upcoming Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft. [3] [2]

Timeline of events
DateEvent
July 1986IAE announces its SuperFan engine concept. [1]
26 December 1986Airbus adds the SuperFan as an engine offering for its proposed new A340 airplane. [8]
15 January 1987Airbus announces its first sale of the A340: a purchase from Lufthansa of 15 jets with options for 15 more, using the SuperFan engine. [9]
23 January 1987Boeing offers the SuperFan as an alternative engine option for its proposed new 7J7 airplane. [10]
13 March 1987Airbus announces that it has 104 orders from nine airlines for its proposed new A330/A340 series of aircraft. [11]
19 March 1987IAE partner Rolls-Royce says that it has not decided whether to launch the SuperFan. It also says the consortium would need several months to decide on a final SuperFan design, and that it didn't know whether it could meet the mid-1992 target date for SuperFan delivery to Airbus. [12]
31 March 1987IAE misses Airbus's deadline for firm A340 engine proposals. [13]
3 April 1987Northwest Airlines orders 20 A340 aircraft from Airbus. [14]
6 April 1987Airbus eliminates the SuperFan as an initial engine offering for the A340. [15]
7 April 1987IAE delays the development of the SuperFan indefinitely. [16]
8 April 1987Boeing eliminates the SuperFan as a 7J7 engine offering. [17]

First voices indicating not only the high risks associated with the new geared turbofan technology but also the potential failure to deliver the SuperFan in time appeared in February 1987. In addition to the fact that the V2500 was not certified yet, not even a mockup of the SuperFan was published, not to mention a test engine. [5] At the same time Deutsche Lufthansa and Airbus signed a preliminary contract for 15 orders and 15 options of the A340 with SuperFan engines. First deliveries were agreed for April 1992. [18] Reinhardt Abraham (vice chairman of the Lufthansa board) stated that Lufthansa acknowledges the risks connected to the SuperFan program but got binding guarantees by IAE for the performance data and the delivery date. He also described the SuperFan as a rather conservative technology compared to the several Propfan programs that gained a lot of attention at that time. [19] In contradiction to that, officials of Douglas Aircraft – responsible for the A340 competitor MD-11 – questioned the timetable for the SuperFan. In addition to the missing demonstrator and test engine, the feasibility of the required 20,000 SHP gearbox was challenged. [20] Competitor CFM International even completely ruled out the possibility to develop the SuperFan concept in the remaining time until 1992. [21] Despite these concerns, Airbus was able to announce at a meeting of the supervisory board on 13 March 1987 a total of 104 commitments from nine customers for their A330/A340 program. On 3 April, Northwest Airlines announced their commitment for up to 20 A340s with SuperFan engines. [11] Of the now-ten customers for the A330/A340 program, eight ordered the A340 with SuperFan engines; in addition to Lufthansa, the list of SuperFan customers included Finnair, UTA, Sabena, and Alitalia. [22] In a board meeting on 7 April 1987, [23] however, the SuperFan program was officially announced as "indefinitely delayed".

No official statement was made after that decision, but Ralph Robins, managing director of Rolls-Royce and board member of IAE, indicated problems with the low-pressure system posed a serious threat to deliver the engine in 1992. Airbus was formally notified about the technical risk in mid-March. He insisted that the problems IAE faced at the same time with the high-pressure compressor of the V2500 were not connected to the SuperFan delay. IAE also contended that the SuperFan was not more than an engineering study and they never committed to develop that engine. Nevertheless, further studies of the geared turbofan concept were announced. [24] In contradiction to IAE's understanding of the SuperFan as an engineering study, the vice chairman of the Lufthansa board, Reinhardt Abraham, made clear that the Lufthansa board had received verbal as well as written confirmations that the SuperFan was a fixed development program. He admitted that Lufthansa had realized the risks in the SuperFan program but had relied on the experience and reputation of the IAE shareholding companies. When asked for the delay's reason, he revealed that in a meeting at the beginning of 1987 IAE presented several technical problems that had arisen: not only the gearbox was mentioned, but also the variable-pitch mechanism and the bypass outlet duct. But in Abraham's opinion these problems could have been solved by investing more, he blamed the problems with the V2500 high-pressure compressor as the trigger to cancel the SuperFan. [25] This assumption is supported by the fact, that a core engine which is optimized for a conventional turbofan, can not be used for a geared turbofan without extensive modifications to prevent compressor surge during low thrust ratings. [26] Lufthansa's engineers recommended against buying the A340 because of doubts of the engine's readiness by 1992, but they were overruled by Lufthansa chairman Heinz Ruhnau with the backing of Franz Josef Strauss, who was both a Lufthansa supervisory board member and the Airbus chairman. [27] When it was clear that the SuperFan would not be available, Airbus decided to offer the CFM56-5C on the A340. In order to achieve comparable performance data to the SuperFan-powered version, the wingspan was extended by 2.6 meters to allow a larger fuel capacity. [28]

Design features

The fan diameter of the SuperFan was planned to be 107 in (2.72 m), resulting in a nacelle with a diameter of 120 in (3.05 m) made from composite materials. To ensure a good performance also in partload ratings and to support the thrust reverser, a variable-pitch mechanism for the 18 fan blades would have been installed. The blades itself were designed as hollow titanium blades. [29] [30] The fan blades would be shrouded by a cowling, but unlike with normal turbofans, the fan cowling would not extend backward, and the rest of the engine would be enclosed in a separate, slimmer cowling. [31] The fan gearbox with a gear ratio of 3:1 would have been derived from the Rolls-Royce Tyne gearbox, so it can be concluded that the SuperFan gearbox would have been realised as a planetary design with single helical gearing.

Specifications

Data from [23] [29]

General characteristics

Components

Performance

See also

Related development

Comparable engines

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airbus A340</span> Type of aircraft

The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. In the mid-1970s, Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner, and developed the A340 quadjet in parallel with the A330 twinjet. In June 1987, Airbus launched both designs with their first orders and the A340-300 took its maiden flight on 25 October 1991. It was certified along with the A340-200 on 22 December 1992 and both versions entered service in March 1993 with launch customers Lufthansa and Air France. The larger A340-500/600 were launched on 8 December 1997; the A340-600 flew for the first time on 23 April 2001 and entered service on 1 August 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFM International CFM56</span> Turbofan aircraft engine

The CFM International CFM56 series is a Franco-American family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines made by CFM International (CFMI), with a thrust range of 18,500 to 34,000 lbf. CFMI is a 50–50 joint-owned company of Safran Aircraft Engines of France, and GE Aerospace (GE) of the United States. GE produces the high-pressure compressor, combustor, and high-pressure turbine, Safran manufactures the fan, gearbox, exhaust and the low-pressure turbine, and some components are made by Avio of Italy and Honeywell from the US. Both companies have their own final assembly line, GE in Evendale, Ohio, and Safran in Villaroche, France. The engine initially had extremely slow sales but has gone on to become the most used turbofan aircraft engine in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney PW6000</span> Turbofan aircraft engine

The Pratt & Whitney PW6000 is a high-bypass turbofan jet engine designed for the Airbus A318 with a design thrust range of 18,000–24,000 lbf (80–107 kN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Propfan</span> Type of aircraft engine

A propfan, also called an open rotor engine, open fan engine or unducted fan, is a type of aircraft engine related in concept to both the turboprop and turbofan, but distinct from both. The design is intended to offer the speed and performance of a turbofan, with the fuel economy of a turboprop. A propfan is typically designed with a large number of short, highly twisted blades, similar to the (ducted) fan in a turbofan engine. For this reason, the propfan has been variously described as an "unducted fan" (UDF) or an "ultra-high-bypass (UHB) turbofan".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAE V2500</span> High-bypass turbofan engine

The IAE V2500 is a two-shaft high-bypass turbofan engine built by International Aero Engines (IAE) which powers the Airbus A320 family, the McDonnell Douglas MD-90, and the Embraer C-390 Millennium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Europrop TP400</span> Military turboprop engine

The Europrop International TP400-D6 is an 11,000 shp (8,200 kW) powerplant, developed and produced by Europrop International for the Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft. The TP400 is the most powerful turboprop in service using a single propeller; only the Kuznetsov NK-12 from Russia and Progress D-27 from Ukraine, using contra-rotating propellers, is larger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 7J7</span> Proposed short to medium range airliner that would have succeeded the 727

The Boeing 7J7 was an American short- to medium-range airliner proposed by American aircraft manufacturer Boeing in the 1980s. It would have carried 150 passengers and was touted as the successor to the successful Boeing 727. It was initially planned to enter service in 1992. This was intended as a highly fuel-efficient aircraft employing new technologies, but it was postponed indefinitely as the price of oil dropped during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupolev Tu-334</span> Airliner by Tupolev

The Tupolev Tu-334 was a Russian short-to-medium range airliner project that was developed to replace the aging Tu-134s and Yak-42s in service around the world. The airframe was based on a shortened Tu-204 fuselage and a scaled-down version of that aircraft's wing. Unlike the Tu-204, however, the Tu-334 has a T-tail and engines mounted on the sides of the rear fuselage instead of under the wings. With the nationalisation of the Russian aircraft companies in 2009 to form United Aircraft Corporation it was decided not to continue with the programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Electric GE36</span> US experimental propfan

The General Electric GE36 was an experimental aircraft engine, a hybrid between a turbofan and a turboprop, known as an unducted fan (UDF) or propfan. The GE36 was developed by General Electric Aircraft Engines, with its CFM International equal partner Snecma taking a 35 percent share of development. Development was cancelled in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Trent 500</span> 1990s British turbofan aircraft engine

The Rolls-Royce Trent 500 is a high-bypass turbofan produced by Rolls-Royce to power the larger A340-500/600 variants. It was selected in June 1997, first ran in May 1999, first flew in June 2000, and achieved certification on 15 December 2000. It entered service in July 2002 and 524 engines were delivered on-wing until the A340 production ended in 2012.

IAE International Aero Engines AG is a Zürich-registered joint venture aeroengine manufacturing company.

The Yakovlev Yak-46 was a proposed aircraft design based on the Yak-42 with two contra-rotating propellers on the propfan located at the rear. The specification of the Samara turbofans was in the 11,000 kg thrust range. Though proposed in the 1990s, production of the Yak-46 never commenced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progress D-27</span> Propfan engine

The Progress D-27 is a three-shaft propfan engine developed by Ivchenko Progress, and manufactured by Motor Sich in Ukraine. The gas generator was designed using experience from the Lotarev D-36 turbofan. The D-27 engine was designed to power more-efficient passenger aircraft such as the abandoned Yakovlev Yak-46 project, and it was chosen for the Antonov An-70 military transport aircraft. As of 2019, the D-27 is the only contra-rotating propfan engine to enter service.

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

The geared turbofan is a type of turbofan aircraft engine with a planetary gearbox between the low pressure compressor / turbine and the fan, enabling each to spin at its optimum speed. The benefit of the design is lower fuel consumption and much quieter operation. The drawback is that it increases weight and adds complexity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Electric CF34</span> High bypass turbofan aircraft engine

The General Electric CF34 is a civilian high-bypass turbofan developed by GE Aviation from its TF34 military engine. The CF34 is used on a number of business and regional jets, including the Bombardier CRJ series, the Embraer E-Jets, and Comac ARJ21. In 2012, there were 5,600 engines in service.

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

The Pratt & Whitney PW1000G family, also known as the GTF, is a family of high-bypass geared turbofan produced by Pratt & Whitney. Following years of development and testing on various demonstrators, the program officially launched in 2008 with the PW1200G destined for the Mitsubishi SpaceJet. The first successful flight test occurred later that year. The PW1500G variant, designed for the Airbus A220, became the first certified engine in 2013. The program cost is estimated at $10 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lycoming ALF 502</span> High-bypass turbofan aircraft engine

The Lycoming ALF 502/LF 507 is a geared turbofan engine produced by Lycoming Engines, AlliedSignal, and then Honeywell Aerospace. The U.S. military designation for the ALF 502 is YF102.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney/Allison 578-DX</span> Experimental aircraft engine

The Pratt & Whitney/Allison 578-DX was an experimental aircraft engine, a hybrid between a turbofan and a turboprop known as a propfan. The engine was designed in the 1980s to power proposed propfan aircraft such as the Boeing 7J7 and the MD-91 and MD-92 derivatives of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. As of 2019, it is still one of only four different contra-rotating propfan engines to have flown in service or in flight testing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progress D-436</span> Soviet turbofan engine

The Progress D-436 is a triple-spool high-bypass turbofan engine developed by the Ukrainian company Ivchenko-Progress, and manufactured by Motor Sich in Ukraine. It was initially developed to meet the requirements for late versions of the Yakovlev Yak-42 and the Antonov An-72 in the 1980s. The engine first ran in 1985 and was subsequently certified in 1987. Several variants have been developed and are currently in service with a variety of aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuznetsov NK-93</span> 1980s Soviet propfan aircraft engine

The Kuznetsov NK-93 was a civilian aircraft engine, a hybrid between a turbofan and a turboprop known as a propfan. The engine was also unique in having a separate duct around the contra-rotating propellers, as most other propfans are unducted. Once described in a respected aviation encyclopedia as "potentially the most fuel-efficient aircraft jet engine ever to be tested", the NK-93 was targeted for derivatives of Soviet/Russian airliners such as the Ilyushin Il-96, Tupolev Tu-204, and Tupolev Tu-330. Five in-flight engine tests were conducted on the NK-93 from December 2006 to December 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 Kandebo, Stanley W. (7 July 1986). "IAE Examines Ultra High Bypass V2500 SuperFan Engine Concept". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 26. ISSN   0005-2175.
  2. 1 2 Mason, David, ed. (6 December 1986). "SuperFan powered A340 a possibility". Flight International . 130 (4040): 4. ISSN   0015-3710 . Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 Mason, David, ed. (6 December 1986). "Engines big and little". Flight International . 130 (4040): 1. ISSN   0015-3710 . Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  4. ↑ Lenorovitz, Jeffrey M. (5 January 1987). "Airbus Industrie to Offer International Aero Engines SuperFan on Proposed A340". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 33. ISSN   0005-2175.
  5. 1 2 Dörpinghaus, Rolf (February 1987). "Langstrecken-Airbus A340:Lufthansa-Entscheidung setzt Zeichen. Noch viele Fragen offen" [Long range Airbus A340: Decision of Lufthansa Sets a Course. Many Questions Open]. Aerokurier (in German): 114–115. ISSN   0341-1281.
  6. ↑ O'Lone, Richard G. (26 January 1987). "Boeing Will Consider Alternative To Unducted Fan for Twin-Aisle 7J7". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 31. ISSN   0005-2175.
  7. ↑ Eglin, Roger; Williams, Ian (12 April 1987). "SuperFan stirs up a dust storm for Rolls". Sunday Times . London, England, UK. ISSN   0956-1382 – via LexisNexis.
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  15. ↑ Donne, Michael (7 April 1987). "Aircraft consortium loses orders due to government delays: Airbus urges decision on finance" (PDF). European News. Financial Times . No. 30204. Toulouse, France. p. 2. ISSN   0307-1766.
  16. ↑ Getler, Warren; Krause, Axel (8 April 1987). "Airbus engine shelved: Doubt is cast on future of A-340 jetliner". International Herald Tribune . No. 32385. London, England, UK. pp. 1, 17. ISSN   0294-8052.
  17. ↑ "Company news; Airbus, Boeing turn to G.E." Business. New York Times . 8 April 1987. p. D5. ISSN   0362-4331.
  18. ↑ Wange, Götz (April 1987). "SuperFan ist im Wort" [SuperFan is bound on their promise]. FlugRevue: 24. ISSN   0015-4547.
  19. ↑ Auth, Heinz; Dörpinghaus, Rolf (February 1987). "Lufthansa wählt Airbus A340 mit IAE v2500 SuperFan. Vorvertrag über je 15 Festbestellungen und Optionen. Ein Interview mit Reinhardt Abraham" [Lufthansa chooses Airbus A340 with IAE V2500 SuperFan. Preliminary contract for 15 orders with 15 options. An interview with Reinhardt Abraham]. Aerokurier (in German): 130–135. ISSN   0341-1281.
  20. ↑ O'Lone, Richard G. (16 February 1987). "McDonnell Executives Question Target Date of superFan Engine". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 30–31. ISSN   0005-2175.
  21. ↑ Fink, Donald E., ed. (9 March 1987). "Airbus Industrie Faces Decision Of Whether to Launch A330/A340". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 215–219. ISSN   0005-2175.
  22. ↑ Eglin, Roger; Williams, Ian (19 April 1987). "Rolls flotation under a cloud". Sunday Times . London, England, UK. ISSN   0956-1382. Gale   A117726825.
  23. 1 2 Gunston, Bill (1988). Airbus. London: Osprey. pp.  194–197. ISBN   0-85045-820-X.
  24. ↑ Brown, David A. (13 April 1987). "IAE Board Cancels Development of V2500 SuperFan Version". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 34–35. ISSN   0005-2175.
  25. ↑ Dörpinghaus, Rolf; Auth, Heinz (May 1987). "IAE stoppt SuperFan. Reinhardt Abraham:Vertrauensverhältnis stark belastet. Airbus A340 jetzt mit CFM56-Motoren" [IAE cancels SuperFan. Reinhardt Abraham: Mutual trust hampered. Airbus A340 now with CFM56 engines]. Aerokurier (in German): 524–528. ISSN   0341-1281.
  26. ↑ Duchstein, Peter (2013). Getriebeturbofan und konventioneller Turbofan - Ein Vergleich auf der Basis stationärer Leistungsrechnungen (in German). Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag. p. 22. ISBN   978-3-8428-6200-5.
  27. ↑ "Lufthansa executives on Airbus choice". Flugzeuge (Aircraft). Der Spiegel . No. 16. Translated by Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS) (published 13 April 1987). 1987. pp. 62, 65. ISSN   0038-7452.
  28. ↑ Fink, David E., ed. (11 May 1987). "Airbus Defines A340 with Larger Wingspan, CFM56-5C1 Engines". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 38. ISSN   0005-2175.
  29. 1 2 Gersdorff, Kyrill; Schubert, Helmut; Ebert, Stefan (2007). Flugmotoren und Strahltriebwerke (in German) (4th ed.). Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. pp. 433–434. ISBN   978-3-7637-6128-9.
  30. ↑ Fink, David E., ed. (16 March 1987). "Pratt & Whitney Expands Role In V2500 Compressor Work". Aviation Week & Space Technology : 33–34. ISSN   0005-2175.
  31. ↑ Gavaghan, Helen (7 May 1987). "The high flying sell-off: Rolls-Royce used to be a lame duck, then it began to fly. Now it is up for sale. This morning is the deadline for share applications. More than in most companies, the dividends will depend heavily on the correct technical decisions". New Scientist . Vol. 114, no. 1559. pp. 52–54. ISSN   1032-1233.
  32. ↑ Donne, Michael (13 February 1987). "Two groups battle for Boeing 7J7 engine contract" (PDF). World Trade News. Financial Times . No. 30159. p. 4. ISSN   0307-1766.

Bibliography

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