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The gas turbine design has really been at the cutting edge of what is possible in terms of materials and overall design for years. This geared turbofan engine is pretty amazing.

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/t ... rbofan.pdf

Pretty cool. Seems like a simple concept but rather fragile in real application.

How so?

It's not a concept, it's going to be a production engine. With the size of the gearing, I can't see it being too fragile.

Probably referring to the fact that it has to maintain such a high efficiency to keep it from burning up the lubrication.

That's how a lot of turbo engines work. They have to operate at really close to 100% but use variable stator vanes, props, or blades to change the torque without having to "increase the speed of the engine". Since they operate at that high level, they design the oil system that way to be most efficient.

kimokalihi wrote:Probably referring to the fact that it has to maintain such a high efficiency to keep it from burning up the lubrication.

This is what I meant.
And by 'simple concept', it seems so simple yet is only now being put into production.

Yeah I don't know the technology but 99.3% efficiency sounds pretty high.

Cool article. Looks like by the nature of the gearing, the fan and engine rotate in opposite directions, hypnotizing! You can see gear teeth on the outside of the ring gear driving the fan, I wonder if there is more gearing involved that is not shown. I like the Connecticut shout outs too, I wonder if they build them at Pratt's E. Hartford plant.

beatersubi wrote:And by 'simple concept', it seems so simple yet is only now being put into production.

Ahh ok.



It'd be cool to see one in person without the engine faring on.