Demonstrator Powerplant Completes Phase II Ground Testing
Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine
has completed Phase II ground tests, and has been cleared for
flight testing on Pratt & Whitney’s 747SP flying testbed
mid-year.
Phase II, which began in April at Pratt & Whitney’s
advanced test facility in West Palm Beach, FL, focused on engine
performance and ground acoustics with the Geared Turbofan
engine’s flight capable nacelle system. The engine completed
120 hours of testing during Phase II and has logged a total 250
hours since ground testing began in November 2007.
"The ground test program has been a complete success and the
Geared Turbofan engine has met or exceeded all performance
targets," said Bob Saia, Pratt & Whitney vice president, Next
Generation Product Family. "This demonstrator engine has confirmed
the laboratory results of our Fan Drive Gear System demonstrating
excellent efficiency and operational characteristics. The
double-digit reductions in fuel burn, engine noise, environmental
emissions and operating costs we’ve targeted make the Geared
Turbofan engine the best solution for the next generation of
commercial aircraft."
The Phase II test program included the acoustic measurements of
the Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine. The tests measured the
ground-level noise characteristics of the engine, which is expected
to be 50 percent quieter than today’s engines and 20 dB
quieter than International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Stage
4 noise regulations. The testing used an array of 32 individual
microphones around the engine test stand and 16 sound pressure
transducers inside the engine to get accurate data for noise
modeling.
"Initial data from the ground acoustic testing show the Geared
Turbofan engine is right on target," Saia said. "The ground test
noise data will be compiled with flight test measurements taken
later this year to validate the Geared Turbofan engine’s
noise signature. The significantly lower noise of the Geared
Turbofan engine is a key benefit to airlines and operators, giving
them increased flexibility for landing and takeoff at airports with
heavy noise regulations."
The Geared Turbofan engine is expected to set new standards in
environmental performance and operating value for the next
generation of commercial aircraft. In a Geared Turbofan engine, a
state-of-the-art gear system allows the engine’s fan to
operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and
turbine, resulting in greater fuel efficiency and a slower fan
speed for reduced noise.
In 2007, Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engine was
selected as the exclusive powerplant for the new Mitsubishi
Regional Jet and the proposed Bombardier CSeries. The Mitsubishi
Regional Jet program was officially launched on March 28, 2008,
with an order from All Nippon Airways. The CSeries program is
expected to launch later this year. Both aircraft are scheduled to
enter service in 2013.
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