Shenyang WS-10
The Shenyang WS-10 (Chinese: 涡扇-10; pinyin: Wōshàn-10; lit.: 'turbofan-10'), codename Taihang, is a turbofan engine designed and built by the People's Republic of China.
WS-10 | |
---|---|
Type | Turbofan |
National origin | People's Republic of China |
Manufacturer | Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company |
Designed by | Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute |
First run | 1990s |
Major applications | Shenyang J-11B Shenyang J-16 Shenyang J-15 |
Status | In production[1] |
Number built | 300+[1] |
Developed from | CFM International CFM56/General Electric F101 |
Developed into | Shenyang WS-20 |
The WS-10A reportedly powers the J-11B[2] the J-16, and the Shenyang J-15.[1] Unconfirmed reports claim the WS-10A powers some J-10Bs.[3] Unconfirmed reports also claim an improved WS-10A powers the J-11D.[4]
Chinese media said 266 engines were manufactured from 2010 to 2012 for the J-11 program.[5] Unofficial estimates placed production at more than 300 units by May 2015.[1]
Description
The WS-10A is advertised as 120–140 kilonewtons (27,000–31,000 lbf) thrust engine.[1] It has full authority digital engine control (FADEC).[6]
Development
The WS-10 is derived from the CFM56 with the experience gained from the Woshan WS-6 turbofan project, which was abandoned at the start of the 1980s.[7] The WS-10 project was reportedly started by Deng Xiaoping in 1986 to produce an engine comparable to the Saturn AL-31. The work was given to the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute (606 Institute) of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).[6] The WS-10 may have been based on the core of the CFM-56II (itself based on the General Electric F101); China purchased two CFM-56IIs in the 1980s before the arms embargo.[8] After being unable to purchase source code from Salyut, China spent nearly 20 years developing its own source code for the WS-10 engine.[1]
The WS-10A, targeted for 130 kilonewtons (29,000 lbf) of thrust,[6] was already in development in 2002.[9] An early version was flown on an J-8II in 2002.[1] In 2004, Russian sources familiar with project reported problems meeting the thrust target;[10] in 2005, they reported problems reducing the weight of the primary and secondary compressors, in addition to problems meeting thrust requirements.[11] Engine testing on the J-11 had already started by 2004,[10] and testing using one engine on the J-11 may have occurred as early as 2002.[9]
A full-scale WS-10A engine was first seen at the 2008 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.[6]
In 2009, Western media claim that the WS-10A approached the performance of the AL-31, but took much longer than the AL-31 to develop thrust.[12] Furthermore, the engine reportedly only generated 110–125 kilonewtons (25,000–28,000 lbf) of thrust.[6] In April 2009, Lin Zuoming, head of AVIC, reported that the engine's quality was unsatisfactory.[13] In 2010, it was reported that reliability was also poor; the WS-10A lasted only 30 hours, while the AL-31 needed refurbishing after 400 hours.[14] The quality problems encountered with the WS-10A reflected the state of the Chinese aerospace industry. AVIC initiated a general effort to improve quality control throughout its production chain in 2011.[15]
The WS-10A reportedly matured enough after 2009 to power the J-11B Block 02 aircraft.[16] A WS-10A-powered J-10B was seen in July 2011, but the engine did not power the initial J-10B production batch, possibly because of production or performance issues.[17] In 2018 it was reported in Chinese state media that the increased heat resistance of new third-generation single-crystal turbine blades had increased the engine lifespan from 800 to 1,500 hours. [18]
Unconfirmed reports claimed the first flight of the J-11D was powered by a new WS-10 variant; the variant reportedly had improved reliability, with a thrust of more than 13t, but less than that of the AL-31F-M1. The flight was revealed in early May 2015.[1]
WS-20 (WS-188)
The Shenyang WS-20 (WS-188)[19] is a high-bypass engine[17] reportedly producing 13.8 tons of thrust.[20] It is believed to be based on the core of the WS-10A.[6][21]
The Shenyang WS-20 was first seen in January 2014 while being tested on an Il-76,[19] and is believed to be intended for the Y-20 strategic airlifter.[20]
WS-10 TVC
A testbed J-10B powered by a WS-10 with thrust vectoring (TVC) was demonstrated at the 2018 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.[22] The TVC nozzle uses actuator-assisted moving petals, similar in concept to General Electric's axisymmetric vectoring exhaust nozzle (AVEN) and Pratt & Whitney's pitch-yaw balance beam nozzle (PYBBN).[23]
Variants
- WS-10
- WS-10A – improved variant; advertised to have 120–140 kilonewtons (27,000–31,000 lbf) of thrust[1]
- WS-10B – improved variant with greater reliability; based on the WS-10A[24]
- WS-10G – thrust vectoring variant for the J-20;[25] generated 152–155 kilonewtons (34,000–35,000 lbf) of thrust during testing[6]
- WS-20 – high-bypass derivative for the Y-20 transport; 138 kilonewtons (31,000 lbf) of thrust[20]
- QD70 – 7MW class gas turbine engine developed from WS-10 for industrial & naval applications[26]
- WS-10 TVC – thrust vectoring variant enabling supermaneuverability[22]
Specifications (WS-10A)
General characteristics
- Type: Afterburning turbofan
- Length:
- Diameter:
- Dry weight:
Components
- Compressor:
- Combustors: annular
Performance
- Maximum thrust: 120–140 kilonewtons (27,000–31,000 lbf)[1]
- Thrust-to-weight ratio: 7.5[6]
See also
Comparable engines
Related development
Related lists
References
- Fisher, Richard (27 May 2015). "ANALYSIS: Can China break the military aircraft engine bottleneck?". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (26 August 2014). "Chinese J-11BH 'aggressive' with USN P-8A, says DoD". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Weening, Alexander; Hardy, James (9 October 2014). "New pictures of J-10B revealed". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (5 May 2015). "Images show J-11D variant with possible new radar". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- "美称中国近三年内共生产约266台太行发动机". mil.news.sina.com.cn (in Chinese). 20 December 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Fisher, Richard, Jr. (30 December 2009). "October Surprises In Chinese Aerospace". International Assessment and Strategy Center. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- "LM WS10A Tai Hang (China), Aero-engines - Turbofan". janes.com. Jane's Information Group. 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- "Liming WS10A Taihang Engine". GlobalSecurity.org. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Fisher, Richard D., Jr. (7 October 2003). "New Developments in Russia-China Military Relations: A Report on the August 19-23 2003 Moscow Aerospace Salon (MAKS)". United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Archived from the original on 12 January 2005. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Fisher, Richard, Jr. (13 December 2004). "Report on the 5th Airshow China: Zhuhai, PRC, November 1-7, 2004". International Assessment and Strategy Center. Archived from the original on 26 April 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Fisher, Richard, Jr. (12 September 2005). "Chinese Dimensions of the 2005 Moscow Aerospace Show". International Assessment and Strategy Center. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Saunders et al., p. 37
- Saunders et al., p. 44
- Pomfret, John (25 December 2010). "Military strength is eluding China". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Collins, Gabe; Erickson, Andrew (26 June 2011). "Jet Engine Development in China: Indigenous high-performance turbofans are a final step toward fully independent fighter production". China SignPost. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Rupprecht, Andreas (December 2011). "China's 'Flanker' gains momentum. Shenyang J-11 update". Combat Aircraft Monthly. Vol. 12 no. 12. pp. 40–42.
- Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (12 January 2015). "Images suggest J-10Bs close to entering Chinese service". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Chan, Minnie (7 September 2018). "Engine boost for China's J-15 fighter jets as Beijing tries to build up navy". South China Morning Post. South China Morning Post. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- Donald, David (10 January 2014). "China Flies First Large Turbofan". AINonline.com. Aviation International News. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (4 September 2014). "China's Y-20 'enters second phase of testing'". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P.W. (20 February 2015). "China's most powerful aircraft engine ever takes to the sky: Presenting the WS-20". Popular Science. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Waldron, Greg (6 November 2018). "J-10B TVC wows Zhuhai crowds with surprise performance". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- Tate, Andrew (5 January 2018). "Image suggests China may be testing thrust-vectoring engine on J-10 fighter". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Chan, Minnie (10 February 2018). "Why China's first stealth fighter was rushed into service with inferior engines". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Saunders et al., p. 45
- "涡轴-16发动机与法国合作用于武直10,QD70燃气轮机技术优势明显". cn1n.com (in Chinese). 18 October 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- Bibliography
- Saunders, Phillip C.; Wiseman, Joshua K. (December 2011). "Buy, Build, or Steal: China's Quest for Advanced Military Aviation Technologies" (PDF). Chinese Strategic Perspectives. Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University (4). Retrieved 25 May 2015.