F3 | |
---|---|
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IHI F3 Turbofan Engine | |
Type | Turbofan |
National origin | Japan |
Manufacturer | IHI Corporation |
First run | 1981 |
Major applications | Kawasaki T-4 |
Number built | ~550 [1] |
The Ishikarajina-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) F3 is a low bypass turbofan engine developed in Japan by Ishikarajina-Harima Heavy Industries for the Kawasaki T-4 trainer aircraft. The first prototype engine, the XF3, was manufactured in 1981 and first flew in the XT-4 in July, 1985.
Ishikawajima-Harima began developing a small turbofan engine in the late 1970s as a competitor for the new jet trainer aircraft being developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries . The developmental engine was named the XF3, and it was selected over the SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac in 1982 to power the XT-4 trainer. The early developmental models of the engine produced 2,600 pounds-force (12 kN) of thrust, but later models (including the model selected for the XT-4) produced 3,600 lbf (16 kN) of thrust. [2]
The production engine was designated the F3-30 (alternatively, the F3-IHI-30), and it first flew in the XT-4 aircraft in 1985. Production of the qualified engine also began in 1985. [3]
After the engine and aircraft were in production there were several incidents where one or two of the high pressure turbine blades failed, forcing the aircraft to make emergency landings. [4] An investigation revealed that the turbine section was suffering from a vibration resonance problem, leading to the turbine blade failures. The blades were strengthened modified to dampen the vibrations. The engine, and the aircraft, returned to service in 1990. [5]
Beginning in 1999, IHI began upgrading the fielded engines with a new high pressure turbine to increase their service life. This variant of the engine was known as the F3-IHI-30B. [1]
In 2003, IHI began updating the engine with a more advanced Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). This updated engine was designated the F3-IHI-30C. [1]
Soon after IHI began working on the XF-3, they began developing a more powerful variant of the engine as a technology demonstrator for a theoretical supersonic fighter. This engine was designated the XF3-400. It was designed to be a higher performance, afterburning version of the XF-3, producing around 7,600 lbf (34 kN) of thrust. One distinctive quality of this engine was that it was to have a thrust-to-weight ratio of 7:1, higher than any similarly sized engine. [6]
Work on this engine began in earnest in 1986, and a demonstrator engine was built and tested in 1987. IHI was formally awarded a contract for the engine in 1992, after spending the previous years developing and testing the engine internally. [6]
The primary difference between the XF3-400 and the standard F3-30 is the inclusion of an afterburner. Adding the afterburner is the primary reason why the maximum thrust of the -400 is much higher than the -30. Other changes included compressor and turbine blades that were aerodynamically optimized using 3D computational fluid dynamics techniques, and improved temperature performance in the high pressure turbine. [6]
A 1998 report revealed that thrust vectoring was also being integrated into the XF3-400. [7]
The F3 is two shaft (or two spool) low-bypass turbofan. It features a two stage fan (low pressure compressor) on the low pressure shaft, followed by a five stage high pressure compressor on the high pressure shaft. The engine uses an annular combustor, which feeds a single stage high pressure turbine followed by a single stage low pressure turbine. The XF3-400 variant includes an afterburner after the low pressure turbine, the production F3 does not. [6]
The two stage fan uses wide chord blades, and both the production F3 and the advanced XF3-400 use the same fan. [3] [6] Unlike the fan, the five stage compressor differs between the F3 and the XF3-400, with the advanced XF3-400 benefiting from 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) improvements. [6]
The high pressure turbine blades are single crystal blades, and they are cooled by a thin film of air from inside of the blades. The low pressure turbine blades, like the high pressure compressor were improved between the F3 and the XF3-400 using 3D CFD. [6]
Both the F3 and the XF3-400 use a FADEC for engine control. [6]
Data from [8]
[[Category:Turbofan engines 1980-1989]
F3 | |
---|---|
![]() | |
IHI F3 Turbofan Engine | |
Type | Turbofan |
National origin | Japan |
Manufacturer | IHI Corporation |
First run | 1981 |
Major applications | Kawasaki T-4 |
Number built | ~550 [1] |
The Ishikarajina-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) F3 is a low bypass turbofan engine developed in Japan by Ishikarajina-Harima Heavy Industries for the Kawasaki T-4 trainer aircraft. The first prototype engine, the XF3, was manufactured in 1981 and first flew in the XT-4 in July, 1985.
Ishikawajima-Harima began developing a small turbofan engine in the late 1970s as a competitor for the new jet trainer aircraft being developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries . The developmental engine was named the XF3, and it was selected over the SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac in 1982 to power the XT-4 trainer. The early developmental models of the engine produced 2,600 pounds-force (12 kN) of thrust, but later models (including the model selected for the XT-4) produced 3,600 lbf (16 kN) of thrust. [2]
The production engine was designated the F3-30 (alternatively, the F3-IHI-30), and it first flew in the XT-4 aircraft in 1985. Production of the qualified engine also began in 1985. [3]
After the engine and aircraft were in production there were several incidents where one or two of the high pressure turbine blades failed, forcing the aircraft to make emergency landings. [4] An investigation revealed that the turbine section was suffering from a vibration resonance problem, leading to the turbine blade failures. The blades were strengthened modified to dampen the vibrations. The engine, and the aircraft, returned to service in 1990. [5]
Beginning in 1999, IHI began upgrading the fielded engines with a new high pressure turbine to increase their service life. This variant of the engine was known as the F3-IHI-30B. [1]
In 2003, IHI began updating the engine with a more advanced Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). This updated engine was designated the F3-IHI-30C. [1]
Soon after IHI began working on the XF-3, they began developing a more powerful variant of the engine as a technology demonstrator for a theoretical supersonic fighter. This engine was designated the XF3-400. It was designed to be a higher performance, afterburning version of the XF-3, producing around 7,600 lbf (34 kN) of thrust. One distinctive quality of this engine was that it was to have a thrust-to-weight ratio of 7:1, higher than any similarly sized engine. [6]
Work on this engine began in earnest in 1986, and a demonstrator engine was built and tested in 1987. IHI was formally awarded a contract for the engine in 1992, after spending the previous years developing and testing the engine internally. [6]
The primary difference between the XF3-400 and the standard F3-30 is the inclusion of an afterburner. Adding the afterburner is the primary reason why the maximum thrust of the -400 is much higher than the -30. Other changes included compressor and turbine blades that were aerodynamically optimized using 3D computational fluid dynamics techniques, and improved temperature performance in the high pressure turbine. [6]
A 1998 report revealed that thrust vectoring was also being integrated into the XF3-400. [7]
The F3 is two shaft (or two spool) low-bypass turbofan. It features a two stage fan (low pressure compressor) on the low pressure shaft, followed by a five stage high pressure compressor on the high pressure shaft. The engine uses an annular combustor, which feeds a single stage high pressure turbine followed by a single stage low pressure turbine. The XF3-400 variant includes an afterburner after the low pressure turbine, the production F3 does not. [6]
The two stage fan uses wide chord blades, and both the production F3 and the advanced XF3-400 use the same fan. [3] [6] Unlike the fan, the five stage compressor differs between the F3 and the XF3-400, with the advanced XF3-400 benefiting from 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) improvements. [6]
The high pressure turbine blades are single crystal blades, and they are cooled by a thin film of air from inside of the blades. The low pressure turbine blades, like the high pressure compressor were improved between the F3 and the XF3-400 using 3D CFD. [6]
Both the F3 and the XF3-400 use a FADEC for engine control. [6]
Data from [8]
[[Category:Turbofan engines 1980-1989]