Pratt & Whitney Installs Geared Turbofan(TM) Engine Flight Nacelle System for phase II test
Pratt & Whitney installed the flight inlet and nacelle system on the Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine in preparation for Phase II ground testing scheduled to begin next month. The nacelle system, provided by Geared Turbofan demonstrator program partner Goodrich, was installed during a fit check before final test sensors are connected and the engine returns to the test stand.
The Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine will return to Pratt & Whitney’s advanced test facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., to begin its next series of tests. Phase II testing will focus on engine performance, acoustic characteristics, and nacelle system validation.
The Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine has logged a total of 130 hours since ground testing began in November 2007. Running from idle to full power, Phase I testing validated the design of the fan, low pressure compressor, fan drive gear system and thermal management system to
demonstrate the Geared Turbofan engine’s operational efficiency.
The Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine is part of Pratt & Whitney’s overall technology readiness program to power the next generation of commercial aircraft. The company is actively testing key components of the Geared Turbofan engine on 15 test rigs worldwide. The Geared Turbofan engine is expected to set new standards in environmental and operational
engine performance.
In 2007, Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engine was selected as the exclusive power for the new Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the Bombardier CSeries. If launched, both aircraft are scheduled to enter service in 2013.
In a Geared Turbofan engine, a state-of-the-art gear system allows the engine’s fan to operate independent of the low-pressure compressor and turbine, resulting in greater fuel efficiency and a slower fan speed for less noise. The Geared Turbofan engine builds on more than 20 years of technology development with improvements in every major module.
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