PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC

Power turbine to form technological base for US Army's UH-60X Black Hawk helicopter programme

General Electric has signed a co-operative research and development agreement with the US Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) to design and test a new power turbine that will form a technological base for the Common Engine Programme (CEP) planned for the SikorskyUH-60X Black Hawk helicopter.

The aim of the Advanced Power Turbine Programme (APTP) is for GE to design, fabricate and rig test turbine technologies that will enable CEP to met the performance improvement required by AATD. The research and development effort is also designed to benefit the commercial turboshaft market. GE will share 50:50 with the army the cost of the 43-month APTP effort.

AATD's objectives for the 2,235kW(3,000shp) CEP - which is intended as a replacement for GE's T700 - is to reduce specific fuel consumption (SFC) by 25%, increase power-to-weight ratio by 60% and cut production and support costs. The APTP will have approximately a 1.5% improvement in efficiency and 425íC (800íF) increase in turbine inlet temperature. Features are expected to include reduced solidity aerofoils, compound lean stator blades, hub and tip decamber, contoured endwalls and brush seals.

APTP will complement other AATD technology programmes, including an advanced Inlet Particle Separator (IPS) and Advanced Adaptive Fuel Control, all of which will transition into CEP. Allison Advanced Development is working on IPS with the goal of reaching a 98% separation for coarse sand and 80% for fine sand, with no more than a 1.5% loss in pressure. Goodrich wants to harness advances in commercial microprocessors to improve SFC, engine responsiveness, and maintenance diagnostics and prognostic checks, and cut costs.

These efforts will be combined with the Joint Turbine Advanced Gas Generator (JTAGG) phase I and II programmes, addressing improvements to the engine's compressor, combustor and turbine gas generator. "The three component technology programmes, along with the JTAGG core technology efforts which are almost complete, provide a very good technology base that keeps the technical risk of achieving a successful CEP demonstration to reasonable levels," says AATD. It expects to release a draft request for proposals in the first half of next year for a CEP science and technology demonstration.

Source: Flight International