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Moreover, two of the main technical problems encountered this year, both linked to the TP400D turboprop engine, have been addressed and fixes are now being put in place. One led to an inflight engine shutdown because of a component failure in June. Analysis found that the fatigue crack in the gear-tooth fillet radius was caused by resonance in the idler gear at cruise propeller speed, says Simon Henley, president of the Europrop International engine consortium.
The idler gear has been redesigned to shift the frequency at which resonance occurs, thereby avoiding fatigue. In addition to fixing the issue on new engines, the component will be replaced on current engines. Engineers also have developed an algorithm to help identify early signs of failure to avoid an inflight shutdown.
The other issue is linked to the high-pressure compressor, which prompted the removal of three engines owing to problems occurring on the ground.
Henley says the blade fatigue was found to be caused by wake separation from an upstream variable inlet guide-vane, compounded by an acoustic resonance. The problem occurred only within a tight speed range, he notes.
A double fix has been developed: One is to adjust the full-authority digital engine control to ensure the compressor does not run at the speed where the problem occurs; the second involves a redesign of the variable inlet guide-vane to eliminate the wake separation.
Overall, engine performance is ahead of specification, with current TP400Ds already beating by 1% the specific fuel-consumption target for the entry-into-service standard powerplants, says Martin Maltby, TP400 program technical director. Assembly of the engines for the first customer aircraft, MSN007 for the French air force, is to start by year’s end for delivery to Airbus Military by the second quarter of next year.
EPI Europrop International (EPI) has started delivery of the first production series TP400-D6 engines which will power the French Air Force’s first A400M military transport aircraft into service in early 2013.
The engines were assembled in Munich from modules produced by the four EPI partner companies - ITP, MTU, Rolls-Royce and Snecma - prior to testing in Berlin and dispatch to the Airbus A400M final assembly line in Seville, Spain.
Commenting on the delivery Simon Henley, President of Europrop International, said: “The delivery of our first production TP400 marks a significant milestone in the engine programme. We’ll now see a rapid ramp up our production rates as we begin a new chapter of the EPI story.
“Meanwhile, the engine continues to perform well in the flight test programme. We have now accumulated over 10,000 flying hours as we build towards the entry into service of an aircraft and engine that will bring a significant improvement in operational capability to customers.”
The TP400 engine was certified by EASA in May 2011. Since the first engine run in 2005 the TP400 has completed over 20,000 running hours, both in flight and on the ground.
RR !
)Voilà pour le poids à comparer avec un CFM56-7 si vous vouler pour juger de l'efficacité d'un TurbopropA three-stage low-pressure turbine drives a reduction gearbox
that powers the eight-blade composites 1,475-lb., 17.5-ft.-dia. UTC
Aerospace
Ratier-Figeac propeller . Dry engine
weight with accessories is 4,200-4,250 lb., depending upon
direction of rotation.
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par Poncho (Admin) Ven 6 Mai 2011 - 15:43