Zhuhai, Nov.04 (China Defense Mashup Report by Johnathan Weng) --
Today Chinese Aero-Engine Manufacturer firstly opens the real face of
Taihang (WS-10) Turbofan Engine in 2008 Zhuhai Airshow. From the
picture, it can be seen that WS-10 is different with Russia's AL-31F
engine. In 2006 Zhuhai Airshow, a picture of WS-10 engine was once
displayed in exhibition hall but removed later.
My Analysing Article About Taihang ( WS-10) Enginem, which was written in 2006In
November 2005, the official press of Chinese aviation Industry--Chinese
Aviation Paper, released a group news, which disclosed that the first
Made-in-China Turbofan had been successfully finalized the design. As
the usual Chinese report rules on military equipments, no exact engine
type was showed in media. In fact, this engine is WS-10 Turbofan
(codename Taihang--A Mountain hill in North China) and its R&D time
has been 20 years long. The emersion of WS-10 engine declares that China
has owned the ability to manufacture advanced bypass engines for
Chinese fighters without exporting from other countries like Russia. And
the development history of WS-10 engine tells us the Chinese people's
great ambition in aviation industrial technologies, however, their road
ahead is still long......
Beginning from WS-6 Telling
story of WS-10 engine can not exclude the development of Chinese WS-6
Turbofan engine. WS-6 engine was once the first attempt of China in
bypass engine manufacturing, it failed but it created the foundation of
WS-10 engine. Many technicians involved in this project later all become
the main forces of Taihang Project research.
In
the 1960s, young People China just recovered from bloody civil war and
Korea war. Chinese people established primary aviation industry by the
captured Japan planes in Manchuria and help from CCCP. To China,
Aircraft engine was like a high mountain to impossible overcome because
of the so complicated machining technologies and advanced materials
production. However, China never says gives up. In 1961, 606 Engine
Design Institute was founded and it had begun to focus on the era's most
senior aircraft engine----Turbofan engine. Under the direct order from
General Chief Staff Gen. Luo Ruiqing, Chinese researchers began the
preliminary technical preparation.
In
May 1964, Chinese PLA Airforce announced to require a new fighter which
was better than J-7 (Mig-21). Hereafter, Shenyang 601 Aircraft Design
Institute and 606 Engine Design Institute cooperated to provide the
plan. After the consultant between Airforce and industries, the new
fighter would come out in two steps. One, to design a new frame with two
improved turbines (it is the origin of J-8 fighter and WP-7A turbine
engine); two, a whole new high altitude and high-speed interceptor
equipped with a new afterburning turbofan. The serial code of the
interceptor was J-9 and the new engine was WS-6.
The
argumentation of WS-6 was finished in September 1965. May 1966, the
project was turned into trial production. In June 1968, the first
experimental WS-6 engine was test on platform. However, Cultural
Revolution seriously interrupted the research of WS-6. In 1970, some PLA
leaders required large jet transporters. For this difficult project,
China began to get WS-6A engine from WS-6, which was using single stage
fan and middle compressor. The airflow and bypass ratio increased and
get off the afterburner. China produced 3 WS-6A engines. But the project
was cancelled just because the jet airlift was too unpractical for
Mao's China. This improper behavior also diverse the research team of
WS-6. Until October 1980, the performance of WS-6 had reached the design target. Then 24 months later, WS-6 passed the
24 hours
preliminary flight rating test, PFRT. The whole testing time was
totally 334 hours. In 1980, 606 Institute also designed WS-6G, an
improved type of WS-6. This modified type has higher low pressure rotor
speed, three-stage fan and higher turbine inlet temperature. And former
cannular combustor of WS-6 was turned to annular combustor in WS-6G.
Under the same size and lightening 100 kg from WS-6, WS-6G's
afterburning thrust raised 13.2% and thrust to weight ratio up 18.9%. In
February 1982, WS-6G entered quasi demonstration engine test. The
accomplishment of expected thrust proved the technical feasibility of
WS-6G.
From
1965 to 1984, What Chinese people get is a semi-finished turbofan
engine, which is still in 1960s. No flight-test and lots of works were
waiting to be finished. Under the most optimistic estimation, WS-6 will
be realized in later 1980s. As being a thrust to weight ration of 6,
WS-6 is just a second-generation engine and has 30 years gap with USA
and Russia.WS-6G's thrust to weight ratio is 7 and its initial work just
began in early 1980s. WS-6G's technologies and high reliable materials
were hardly resolved at that time. By China's estimate, WS-6G was going
to be finished in mid 1990s, but it still not a third generation
aircraft engine which can not be applied with China's next generation
fighter (J-10). Besides, the WS-9 turbofan engine (Code Name: Qingling),
a strypped-down of Britain's 1970s product Spey MK 202, was being
carried on and this project was finished in 2002. The copy of Spey MK
202 also tells a truth that the project of WS-6 and WS-6G are impossible
missions.
The
great successes of nuclear weapon and ballistic missile in 1960s make
China overrate her technological ability. The decision-makers,
supervisors and implementers of Chinese aviation industry were all lack
of preparation of the hardship of aircraft engine manufacture. China's
aviation industrial plan is unprofessional, which has no solid
industrial foundation and basic scientific research. Before 1980s, the
aviation industries were shaken by political movements and post 1980s
were impacted by military expenditure and projects shrink. All these
factors lead one result: after 40 years, China in 1980s still was not
able to develop a new aircraft engine independently.
The
termination of WS-6 project was a rational measure. Then China halted
the rough and tumble investment in aviation power industry. In a whole
new door-opening condition, China started to import and learned engine
technologies from foreign countries.
Core Engine of WS-10The abandon of WS-6 project did do not mean that China gives up independent aircraft engine manufacture. In
1980, China started to implement a plan, High Performance Propulsion
System Preliminary Development (HPPSPD), to focus on basic research on
engine components. March 29th 1982, US famous "Aviation & Space
Technology Week" had a report with title of "China Waiting for CFM-56II
Turbofan Exportation". The report said that China purchase 2 CFM-56II
Turbofan engines to exchange China's Trident airliners' old ones. U.S.
DOD (Department of Defense) worried about this exportation, because
CFM-56
is based on the core
of the F101-GE-102 engine which was used in B-1B
Lancer Bomber. Despite of the dissidence, U.S. government still authorized
this exportation in 1980s' Sino-U.S. HoneyMoon Relation. Actually, some
resources from China showed that the development of WS-10 just bases on
the core engine from CFM-56. And WS-10's final object, is F110 engine.
WS-10 project got directly supports from top leader of China. In January
1986, Deng Xiaoping passed a new plan on China's Turbofan engine
development. One year later, 606 with its attached department formally
initial the development of WS-10, code name Taihang, for China's third
generation fighter J-10.
In
1989, after almost 10 years' preparation, WS-10's core engine project
started. June 12 1989, Chinese aircraft engine manufactures received the
order of "3 core test components of HPPSPD " In July, a conference of
"Three most Important Parts of High Pressure compressor" was held in 624
institute. These three parts include: 7-stage high pressure compressor,
short annular combustor with air blast atomizer and air film cooling
blade. With out these main parts, China's future core engine can not be
resolved. In future, the core engine will be able to become a medial
thrust & small bypass ratio turbofan which is 8 in thrust to weight
ratio. In China aviation industry, this core engine was called as Medial
Thrust Demonstration Turbofan Core Engine, MTDTCE.
At
the end of 1990, MTDTCE entered the list of 18 Significant SciTech
Projects of CSTIND (Commission of Science Technology and Industry for
National Defense) 's Eighth-Five-Year Plan. In January 1991, the concept
argumentation of MTDTCE and medial thrust demonstration engine had been
completed. The whole plan conclude 3steps: step 1: High Pressure
Compressor Components production; step 2, MTDTCE; step 3, demonstration
engine. For the first time, China followed a regular way on engine
development: basic research--technology break through--components--core
engine--demonstration engine--prototype production. A milestone in China
Aviation industry appeared in 1990s.
624
Institute designed the MTDTCE and the chief designer was Jiang Hefu.
MTDTCE' startup was in February 1991 and successively completed in
preliminary design and main forgings and castings blueprints. In
February 1992, major components machining blueprint was issued to
sub-manufacturing plants. To speed the outside pipeline installation of
core engine, a metal model of engine was finished in only 4 months.
The
manufacturing of MTDTCE was carried by No.403 plant (military
industrial plant all use code as name for confidential) and involved 21
factories and research departments in China. The trial production was
initiated in March 1992. During the proceeding, 7 technologies were
breakthrough by Chinese people, like complex directionally solidifies
blade forging, short annular combustor manufacture, precision forging of
diffuser with shaped blade and electron beam welding of compressor.
China raises up its technology for 10 years. For 9 months (November 18
th, 1992), first finished product of MTDTCE was out of factory. After the installation of nozzle and accessories, the engine was fixed on the ground testing platform on November 24
th. On December 3
rd, PM 11:20, the engine was successfully powered on firstly. December 12
th, the eleventh test, the engine reached its maximum rotor speed and all testing parameters are normal.
However,
the project of MTDTCE and WS-10 turned to be more confusing. According
to China’s plan, the MTDTCE would bring a demonstration turbofan engine
and then entered into the stage of WS-10 prototype production. But some
research technicians of 624 institute once wrote that no demo engines
came out. The main reason probably was “Tian-an-men Square Crisis” in
1989. After Chinese government’s bloody suppression on democratic
movements and the end of cold war, the honey-moon Sino-US relation was
over and western countries were united to establish hi-tech exportation
border to China. WS-10’s object is F110, but then it was impossible in
China’s hard international political circumstance. Shortly just after
the success of core engine, however, 606 institute reported the airforce
that a demonstration WS-10 engine was finished and could be installed
with J-10 fighter in prototype research. How did this demo engine come
out?
Here a clear explanation is necessary. We have known the WS-10 project belongs to 606 institute (the opening name is
Shenyang Engine Design & Research Institute of AVIC I). And MTDTCE was designed by 624 institute (the opening name is
China Gas Turbine Establishment of AVIC I). 606 has been focusing on military aircraft engine design
and 624 institute is usually for advanced research of ship&aircraft
using turbine engines. After the political crisis in 1989, China clearly
understood the new situation and began to contact with Russia. China
bought squadrons of Su-27 fighters and related assemble line for J-11
Fighter production. Meanwhile, Chinese people gained some AL-31F engines
and hired some Russian engine experts. So the technicians from 624
institute said that no demo engine just for two possibilities. One is
cheating propaganda. Many Chinese experts in military area will give
some illusive information to media to cover the real things. Therefor,
624’s technicians knew the real steps of WS-10 but they hid the truth.
Another possibility is the 606 institute directly use mass Russian staff
in the demo engine to speed the WS-10 project. This demonstration
engine of WS-10 had lots of AL-31F engine technologies and turned to be a
“Hybrid” combined with U.S, Russian and China’s technologies.
An Unusual Sino-Russia Combination Why
606 rushed the WS-10 project? Because WS-10 would have displeased the
PLA Airforce. WS-10 was probably lost its “lover”. Since China had
imported Su-27 fighters and WS-10 was so late to J-10 fighter, which
then had to use a ready-to-wear turbofan engine---Russia’s AL-31F. 606
planned to use a J-10 fighter as a testing plane, but the airforce
object 606’s appeal. The main reason is that J-10 is a single engine
fighter and is in high risk when in WS-10 testing. Now WS-10 was just
like its ancestor WS-6 and faced the same situation: no testing
aircraft. At that time the Chief Designer of WS-10 was Zhang Enhe, who
once participated the project of WS-6. To save the life of WS-10, he
worked out a new proposition: using foreign fighter as substituted
testing plane. In March 1993, 602 requisitioned to China Aviation
Industrial Corporation (later divided into AVIC I and AVIC II) to
provide a Su-27 fighter for WS-10 testing. At this time, WS-10
eventually got the support from leaders of PLA forces.
June 7
th 1995, Deputy Chief General Staff Cao Gangchuan (now minister of Defense
Department) led naval and air senior generals and heads of CSTIND
(Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense) to
606 Institute. Chief designer Zhang Enhe made a proceeding report. On
the report conference, Cao Gangchuan delivered an important message from
CPC Military Commission. He said: “‘Taihang’ engine (WS-10) is designed
for one new fighter (J-10) and as one imported fighter (Su-27 and its
Chinese edition J-11) ‘s next generation engine. So the final result and
development time of Taihang decide the success of China’s new fighter
and imported fighter. It examines the good or bad sense of top
decision-makers. If Taihang fails, it means the end of China’s future
fighter. Leaders of PLA forces all make big mistakes. It is criminal of
wasting people’s money. If so, we all will see each other in prison.
Taihang engine is the extremely significant central part of Airforce’s
future strategy. All people involved must understand their duties. ”
Under the support and spurring of highest officials, a Su-27 was
delivered for WS-10 development. But to put a WS-10 demonstration engine
into Su-27 fighter is a fairly difficult course. WS-10, after all, was
an engine designed for Su-27. The size of WS-10 is bigger than AL-31F’s,
especially in oil tank and afterburner nozzle adjuster. Besides, the
change of AL-31F was strictly limited. But the biggest thread to WS-10
was not the size, but the depression of China military Industries.
Since
the reform and door-opening policy, China is always paying attention on
economic growth. Despite the instructions from China leaders, WS-10
still starved for country’s investment. From 1992 to 1997, WS-10
project’s progress was unfavorable. In the same period, the state-owned
enterprises in China, such as military industries, faced the utmost
formidable economic shock. From the planned economy to market economy
which was directed by Deng Xiaoping, the state owned facilities involved
in WS-10 project lost of experts and experienced technicians. In 1997,
China’s war industries
have hit the ground and WS-10’s matching
with Su-27 was also in hard time. This year when a WS-10 demonstration
engine in ground testing, a serious accident took place that the blade
of fourth-stage fan in high-pressure compressor broken. For 2 years,
this problem was just solved. Before 1999, the 606 institute and
manufacturer (
Liyang Engine) merely proved that WS-10 could be used in Su-27 and the flight test schedule was unclear.
After
US’ Bombing on China’s Embassy in Yugoslavia, however, all have been
changed. China was extremely furious on losing face from U.S.’ behavior.
The Chinese government admitted that U.S.’ military threads on China
were real and concrete. So China’s investment on national defense
stepped into a rapid growth period. Meanwhile, WS-10 project profited
from it. About 2001 to 2002, WS-10 began the flight testing with Su-27
(J-11). In 2003, PLA Daily, official newspaper of PLA, had a report
about WS-10 engine. It said: “Our new Turbofan engine is being tested on
China’s new fighter (J-11)…the fighter is equipped with two different
engines, one is made by China, the other is from foreign country.” This
is the main evidence that WS-10 had been on critical developing stage
since 2003.
Although
WS-10 project got stronger support from government, it was still not
smooth to excogitate Turbofan engine in developing country. And china
defense enterprises were not recovery from the decline in 1980s and
1990s. Interior quality control and discursive employees often made
WS-10 into great troubles. From August to September in 2003, WS-10 here
and after performed some quality problems. In 2004, a fatal accident
almost killed WS-10. At July 20
th 2004, a Su-27 fighter (test
pilot Ding Sanxi) took off from Yanliang (in Shan’xi Province) Airport
for WS-10 engine testing. When in flight testing, Ding Sanxi suddenly
heard a “Bang”, then the left engine shut down. Pilot Ding Sanxi
immediately judged that it was not like old in-flight shutdown accident.
According to his experience, Pilot Ding Sanxi estimated that it was
mechanical failure then he decidedly drove a single engine Su-27 to land
on successfully. After four months’ investigation, the direct cause is
the engine bearing failures
. Since the beginning of WS-10 project, over 18 years have been passed
and WS-10 had been troubled by bugs, from the mysterious sound to
difficult starting in high temperature. To overcome these problems,
Chinese people found ideas by their talents and even the bravery of test
pilots.
WS-10’s Success: Just a BeginningOn May 11
th 2005, the endurance life test of WS-10 engine started in 606 institute,
which declared that the project is close to the designed approval of
prototype. This period includes two important test-operations: endurance
life test and then full life test. In the history of China’s engine
development, WS-10’s created a series of top records in testing range,
programs and hours. Those two tests are the most rigorous trials on
engine’s reliability. November 10
th 2005, WS-10 at last got
across the full life test. WS-10 waltzed through 40 days’ trial without
any failure. WS-10 project was finally finished after almost 20 years’
work. The supposed performance of WS-10 can be compared in the table in
below.
According to resources from China, WS-10 engine can be described as follow:
It
is a great power, high thrust to weight ratio and low bypass ratio
engine with 12 stages structures, including 3-level fan, nine-level
stator, one-level high pressure compressor and one low pressure
compressor. For the development of WS-10, China makes almost 300
breakthroughs in aviation technologies and materials, like transonic
turbine, air film cooling blade, integrated fan rotor by electron beam
welding, squeeze film damper, metal brush seal, high energy igniter,
variable camber inlet guide vanes and convergent—divergent nozzle.
Especially the combined cooling blade of turbine used hi-tech materials
called as Directionally Solidified Eutectic Super-alloy and can stand
5000 time tests without crackles.
In
fact, the signification of WS-10 engine is beyond a mechanism, which is
a usually simplified in western country. Five Permanent Countries of UN
Security Council all have authorities to product and possess nuclear
weapons. But there are only four powers which can independently
manufacture modern turbofan for combat aircraft. The absent one is
China. The birth of Ws-10 is a milestone that China has filled up the
blank in fighter’s engine system. Production for nowaday generation,
design for next generation and advanced research for future generation
are running through the central line of China’s armament development
history, so it is can be affirmed that China is developing the more
powerful engine from WS-10 for a chrysalis---China’s fourth generation
fighter, F-22 and F-35 made in China. At present, Russia’s new engine
could not be realized for the atrophied economy. The well-known AL-31F
is from Soviet’s foundation and notorious for low MBTF. UK plans to
cooperate with U.S in F-119 engine which will be used in F-35. However,
these two countries are in dispute for technology transformation. After
the M-88-3 for Rafael, there are no engine development projects in
France’s schedule. The fewer players in the fighter engine competition
tell a truth that no one single country can endure the black hole of
money and time for engine development. Russia, UK and France have to
quit the game or cooperate with others. By holding abundant financing
and advanced technologies, U.S. has been being the strongest player who
is investing on future aviation engine, such as high-speed ramjet,
variable cycle engine. Now a new player participate this expensive game.
China’s GPD has been the 7
th in the world and its foreign
exchange reserve has surpassed Japan and became the Top one. China’s air
transport is growing in double number. Besides, China’s geopolitics
condition, like in Korean peninsula and Taiwan Straight, was serious bad
to breaking military conflicts in any moments. Therefor, China has
motivation and power (money) to develop aviation engine from the
strategic view. China and United States maybe the only two nations who
provide more fund to engine projects. From WS-10 engine, the great
ambitious strategy of China is so clear.
But
China’s road to great engine manufacturer is still too long. To WS-10
here, whose thrust to weight ratio is likely under 8, it as a whole is
better than AL-31F. Even the WS-10 catches up the F-110, it is still a
product in 1980s’ level. China’s gap with U.S., remains in 20 years. In
the production of materials for engine, China has countless problems to
be solved. The more serious factor is from the unchanged disadvantages
of China’s military industry. For the long “Shocking” time, rigidified
managing structure and losing intelligence, the state owned military
enterprises, comparing with Chinese private companies, were terrible in
production efficiency and quality control. Several severe accidents were
all caused by those soft spots. Although the investment growing after
1999, the state’s manufacturers need long time to become competitive
enterprises. A military industrial journal, Aviation Engine, once
published an article that there are totally 24 WS-10 demonstration
engines after 15 years’ production in 2001, less two per year. It also
said that the processing period of WS-10 first stage fan blade requires
10-12 months in China, and similar product only 6-8 months in
Rolls-Royce. Even thought WS-10’s success is not propaganda trick,
people have to doubt if Chinese enterprises can satisfy the need of PLA
Airforce. In case China decides to enter mass-production, WS-10 possibly
shows poor quality, otherwise shrinking performance. As a matter of
fact, after the bearing failures accident in 2004, AVIC I Deputy General
Manager Lin Zuoming who was in charge of WS-10 project, once told
research staff to “produce an available WS-10 engine” to end this hard
and long project. Perhaps, today’s WS-10 doesn’t have the expected
performance and will be continuously improved.
China,
however, is always having unbelievable changes in foreigner’s view.
Chinese state owned manufacturers have lots of disadvantages, but they
find ways to become contractors for oversea aviation giants, like Boeing
and Airbus, and learn too much in project management. Besides, China
armed forces now can open some equipment production to private
companies, even some foreign registered companies owned by Chinese
people. The significance of WS-10 which likes the China’s first Atomic
Bomb in 1966 and just proved that China has ability to produce turbofan
engine. If China can keep its economic growth and unswervingly invest on
an opening and healthy aviation industry, her aviation engine
manufacturing level will likely to exceed Russian, France and Germany,
then narrow to tiny gap with United Stages in next 15 to 20 years.
Performance Comparison
|
Model Name
|
F100-PW-100
|
F110-GE-100
|
AL-31F
|
WS-10
|
Manufacturer
|
P&W
|
GE
|
Saturn
|
Liming Corporation
|
maximum thrust (daN)
|
10590
|
12268
|
12258
|
12500~13200
|
intermediate thrust (daN)
|
6520
|
7406
|
7620
|
|
turbine inlet temperature (K)
|
1643~1672
|
1644~1700
|
1685
|
1650~1750
|
Airflow (Kg/s)
|
101.1
|
113.4~122.4
|
112.0
|
~124.7
|
specific thrust (daN/ Kg/s)
|
~107
|
~108
|
~110
|
~106
|
thrust per frontal area (daN/ m2)
|
9369
|
|
|
|
afterburning fuel consumption (Kg/ daN·h)
|
2.31
|
2.01~2.05
|
2.0
|
|
intermediate fuel consumption (Kg/ daN·h)
|
0.72
|
0.70
|
0.795
|
|
thrust to weight ratio
|
7.7~7.8
|
7.07
|
7.14
|
7.5
|
bypass ratio
|
0.63 (0.60)
|
0.87
|
0.6 (0.571)
|
~0.78
|
total compressor pressure ratio
|
25
|
30.4
|
23.8
|
>30
|
fan pressure ratio
|
2.9
|
3.2
|
3.6
|
~3.3
|
high pressure compressor pressure ratio
|
8
|
9.7
|
6.46
|
12
|
compressor stage number
|
3F+10H
|
3F+9H
|
4F+9H
|
3F+9H
|
turbine stage number
|
2H+2L
|
1H+2L
|
1H+1L
|
1H+2L
|
main combustor style
|
Short annular combustor
|
Short annular combustor
|
annular combustor
|
Short annular combustor
|
afterburner
|
|
|
|
|
3200kgf Turbofan Engine
9500kgf Turbofan Engine
700kgf Turbofan Engine for UAV and Cruise Missile
200kgf Turbofan Engine
http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/this-is-the-real-face-of-taihang-ws-10-turbofan-engine.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_WS-10
موضوع: رد: جي-11 لمصر 
الأحد 15 مايو 2011 - 5:28
