Designing Digital Twin, Engine Modernization, New Gearbox Circuit

Results of the Samara Region’s Competition of Innovative Projects aimed at scientific, technological and innovative development of the aerospace propulsion-engineering industry have been summed up. Among the winners, there are three projects of Samara University’s Institute of Engines and Power Plant Engineering.

·         “Designing digital twin of the technological process of casting into cold-hardening mixtures of gas-turbine engine body parts”, with Roman Vdovin, Head of the Department of Engineering Drawing, as the project management;

·         “Gas-dynamic modernization of NK-14ST engine assemblies, using digital modeling for improving its performance and competitiveness”, with Grigory Popov, Associate Professor at the Department of Aircraft Engine Theory, as the project manager.

·         “Selection of the kinematic diagram of the aircraft engine gearbox with its thrust of 18–26 metric tons and its bypass ratio more than 9”, with Ilya Leikovsky, Head of the Educational Laboratory of the Department of Aircraft Engine Construction and Design, as the project manager.

The target product of the first innovative project will be the developed digital twin of the technological process of casting large-sized body parts of a gas-turbine engine into cold-hardening mixtures. The existing technological process of casting body parts into a sand-clay mold cannot be characterized by high accuracy and flexibility of the process. “The current state of engineering and technology determines the need for introducing the new casting technology for the purpose of manufacturing body parts. The digital twin under development differs from the existing one with elaborating related tasks of heat and mass transfer and modeling of the stress-strain state of the technological system, for improving quality of blank production. Besides, in this project we will use domestic software and databases of materials”, explained Roman Vdovin, head of the innovation project.

The second project will result in the system of gas-dynamic modernization of the NK-14ST engine” aimed at significantly improving its performance and competitiveness when the minimum number of parts of the base engine changed. “This will make it possible to modernize the engines in operation during repair work, as well as reduce technical risks and the cost of modernization”, said Associate Professor Grigory Popov, the project manager. Moreover, results of the project can be used for improve parameters of gas-turbine engines of various types, which will be in demand at enterprises related to designing and producing gas-turbine engines, industrial compressors and power turbines.

As for implementation of the third project “Selection of the kinematic diagram of the aircraft engine gearbox with its thrust of 18–26 metric tons and its bypass ratio more than 9”, as explained by project manager Ilya Leikovsky, there are currently a number of projects using the gearbox both in mass production and at the testing and development stage. “Together with ODK-Kuznetsov PJSC, the strategy for restoring and gaining experience in designing high-power gearboxes has been developed, including the strategic niche – gas-turbine engines with its thrust of 18–26 metric tons and its bypass ratio more than 9 – to be determined. The University’s staff will take the first step in implementing the gearbox design for this engine, namely, they will determine its structural and power diagram and create the design methodology”, concluded Ilya Leikovsky.