The composite production facility of the “Ilyushin” branch – VASO has achieved a groundbreaking accomplishment by manufacturing the first-ever experimental, completely composite air intake for an aircraft engine. This innovative development represents a substantial advancement in aviation technology.
The word Lamina is derived from the Latin word which means plate. Laminar flow is the term used to describe the movement of liquid or gas in which the trajectories of the particles are nearly parallel to the primary flow direction. This new design guarantees the creation of laminar flow by providing aircraft fuselage components with a surface that is as clean as possible. Ultimately, this contributes to enhanced aircraft performance and efficiency by preventing air from splitting into vortices and reducing aerodynamic drag.
Western aerospace companies have been actively pursuing natural laminar flow nacelle. Research organizations such as NASA and the European Clean Sky program, as well as companies such as Boeing, Airbus, GE Aviation, and Rolls-Royce, have been investigating advanced nacelle designs to enhance aerodynamics and decrease drag. The research encompasses the use of composite materials in nacelle components, the investigation of Natural Laminar Flow technology, and hybrid laminar flow control systems.
Dmitry Mitin, the PD-14 and PD-8 program manager at VASO, provided an explanation of the project’s context: “The production planning and manufacturing of the air intake for the PD-14 engine nacelle, which features natural laminar flow, were conducted on behalf of our partners from Perm, ‘UEC-Aviadvigatel,’ as part of the research and development groundwork for the PD-35 engine.” He further explained on the limitations of the traditional design and the objectives of the new approach: “Traditionally, the air intake of nacelles includes a heated aluminum nose. However, airflow is disrupted at its junction, resulting in aerodynamic drag and an increase in fuel consumption.” The objective of the fresh research is to significantly mitigate this influence by modifying the technological framework and design.
The potential impact of this innovation is substantial. Specialists from “UEC-Aviadvigatel” and TsAGI predict that the laminated composite structure, with its laminar airflow over the surface, could reduce the loss of effective thrust in the aircraft by up to 1%. This improvement, though seemingly small, can lead to significant fuel savings and enhanced performance over time.
The ingenuity of VASO’s team was demonstrated during the manufacturing process. VASO’s technologists and production specialists made substantial contributions to the realization of the initial concept, which was conceived by the designers. They proposed innovative modifications to the design, developed intricate tooling, developed a method for uniformly heating the large carbon fiber unit in an autoclave, and implemented a variety of other ideas and enhancements. It is remarkable that this entire process was completed within the constrained timeframe of a single month.
Real-world testing is the next aspect of this experimental air intake. It will be installed on the PD-14 engine in the Il-76 flying laboratory for a series of tests and measurements. The objective of these investigations is to assess the actual impact of natural laminar flow in operational settings.
Alexander Rogov, the interim director of composite parts production, underscored the strategic significance of this advancement: “The fact that in this area we may not surpass our Western competitors, but at least keep pace with them, is also important.” This statement emphasizes the project’s importance in preserving the Russian competitive parity in the global aviation industry.
This project’s dependence on domestic resources is a noteworthy feature. The new air intake was built exclusively from Russian-made materials, including core components and auxiliary technological materials. This method illustrates Russia’s capacity to innovate autonomously in the field of high-tech aerospace manufacturing.
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