March 21, 2005 -- EVENDALE, OHIO - General Electric Company has surpassed a key milestone in the GEnx engine development program in committing to a final architectural design.
Called "Tollgate 6" in GE nomenclature, completing this stage in the development process launches the detailed design phase. Also, fabrication of components is underway, leading to assembly of the first full engine in October. The first engine goes to test in 2006.
"In a nut shell, we have frozen the GEnx design," said Tom Brisken, general manager of the GEnx program. "We've completed the maturation of key technologies and the engine's fundamental architecture. We've determined the fan diameter, the compressor and turbine stages, and the location of bearings. Now, we enter the detailed design phase where each component is further refined."
The GEnx, selected for both Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft, is the next-generation of engine technology to succeed GE's highly successful CF6 series, the best-selling engine family for wide-body aircraft. It will produce 55,000 to 75,000 pounds of thrust.
While the GEnx engine is a new design, it is basely heavily on technologies GE has invested in over several years. For this program, GE has run its most aggressive technology maturation program ever prior to full-engine testing, including rig tests to define the composite front fan system, and a new-generation combustor for efficient fuel mixing before ignition and significant lower NOx levels. The status of these key tests:
*Composite fan blades: Multiple configurations of subscale fan blades have been tested at GE, Snecma Moteurs, and NASA Glenn Research Center. As a result, the GEnx engine will be designed with 18 composite fan blades (down from 22 blades for the GE90.) The fan blade reduction will provide greater efficiency, weight reduction, and lower maintenance costs. Further rig tests will be run later this year and in 2006 with full-scale GEnx composite blades.
*Composite fan case: In late 2004, GE successfully completed a "blade-out" rig test using a composite fan case and composite blades representative of the GEnx configuration. A second sub-scale blade-out rig test, using 18 blades, will be conducted in May, followed by a full-scale test in the fourth quarter of this year.
*Combustor: GE recently completed its first rig tests for the twin-annular, pre-swirler (TAPS) lean-burning combustor. The tests, which evaluated four nozzle configurations, confirmed lower NOx levels and lower temperatures to the turbine. Two additional rig tests will be run this year and in early 2006 with the actual GEnx configuration.
Based on the architecture of the GE90 engine, the GEnx is being designed to meet or exceed the aggressive performance targets for the twin-engine 787 and A350 aircraft. Engine certification is schedule for 2007.
Five international companies combine for an approximately 35 percent share of the new GEnx engine. They are Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) of Japan, Avio SpA of Italy, Volvo Aero of Sweden, Techspace Aero of Belgium.
Deb Case
GE Aviation
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