The PS-90 aircraft engine was developed in Perm at the end of the last century and fully corresponded to the world level of engine building development of that time. As in the story of any successful design, several modifications have been created that are used for various purposes. Serial production of the PS-90 engine continues to this day.
History of creation
Initially, the engine was intended for a new aircraft, which was supposed to replace the main workhorse of Aeroflot - the Tu-154 aircraft, to replace which the new Tu-204 airliner was already being developed. Without delving into the history of the creation of this transport, which was sometimes equipped with 3 engines, then 2, repeatedly changed the configuration and layout, it should be noted that the competition among design bureaus for the right to develop an engine for this liner was extremely intense. As a result, the Perm project won, then bearing the designation D-90.
In the process of finalizing the engine, he received a new name - PS, which stands for Pavel Solovyov (development manager). The engine type certificate was obtained in 1992. He himself was conceived as unified for different aircraft, but his appearance and certification coincided with the decline in industrial production in aviation.
From 1996 to 2001, not a single PS-90 engine was delivered to consumers. Currently, the situation is getting better. Relatively recently, an order was received for 154 engines for the production of military transport aircraft of project 476, which is under implementation. Unpacking the PS-90 engine at Ulyanovsk Aviastar is shown in the picture.
Trouble with the IL-96
The decision to create a PS-90 engine, unified for different types of aircraft, led to a major change in the design of the IL-96 airbus. Just at that time, its development was ending.
Due to the fact that “on the go” it was necessary to change the power plant for this unified engine, the fuselage of the new aircraft was shortened by more than 6 meters with a corresponding reduction in passenger capacity and the completion of the wing. Much later, a cargo version of the IL-96-400T was developed, which retained its original dimensions, but in the cargo version. And only a couple of years ago it was decided to resume production of the IL-96 wide-body passenger airbus in its original size under the IL-96-400M brand, the creation of which was made possible by increasing the thrust of the PS-90 engine modification.
Specifications and Modifications
PS-90 is a dual-circuit twin-shaft turbojet engine with reverse thrust. It is installed on airplanes of the Ilyushin and Tupolev design bureaus. A number of its aviation modifications have been developed with a thrust of 14, 16 and 17 tons, as well as for use in ground power plants. The main characteristics of the PS-90 A engine and its modifications are shown in the following table.
| Name of indicator engine PS | 90A | 90A1 | 90A-76 | 90A2 |
| Maximum traction, tf | 16.0 | 17.4 | 14.5 | 16.0 |
| Cruising thrust, tf | 3,5 | 3,5 | 3.3 | 3,5 |
| Gross weight, t | 4.16 | 4.25 | 4.16 | 4.23 |
| Dry weight, t | 2.95 | 2.95 | 2.95 | 3.0 |
| Resource before removal from the wing, cycles | 1255 | 643 | 2500 | 2500 |
All modifications have the same bypass ratio - 4.5 and fuel consumption in flight - 0.595 kg / kgf / h. The length of the engine is 4.96 meters and the diameter of the fan is 1.9 meters.
Features of modifications and their use on aircraft
The very first PS-90A version was intended for general use on airplanes of various design bureaus. It was used on IL-96-300 and Tu-204/214. Considering that the number of orders was insignificant, a modification PS-90A-76 was developed, which was a deformed version, but with an increased resource. This modification was intended for the remotorization of military transport and cargo aircraft Il-76.
In the 90s, these machines ceased to meet ICAO noise and emission standards. Replacing the old D-30KP engines with the PS-90A-76 allowed eliminating this problem. However, their high price and the considerable age of the IL-76 aircraft remaining in operation often made this replacement economically inexpedient.
Installation of PS-90 engines was carried out for a small number of cargo aircraft. A modification of the IL-76TD-90VD, currently operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, and the version of the IL-76TD-90, in Azerbaijan, were created. For the extended version of the IL-96-400T cargo airbus, the PS-90A1 modification was developed, where the thrust was significantly increased and additional noise reduction measures were taken.
In the period of cooperation with the company "Pratt and Wittney" using American technology, the PS-90A2 was created. Many engine units have been replaced with imported counterparts. The quality and reliability of the power plant has increased significantly, but subsequently the Americans actually banned the export of this engine, citing the use of dual technologies, which made it necessary to work on the development of their own fully domestic engine, called PS-90A3. Type certificate was issued in 2011. However, this did not help. The contract, as they say, "left."
Ground installations
An engine for gas pumping units was ordered in 1999 and allowed Perm engine builders to survive the difficult years of stagnation in the aviation industry. If Gazprom had not made this order, there would have been no plant, no design bureau.
The power plant is already a single-circuit engine, that is, without a reactive component, and is used as an energy source for power plants and gas pumping units. To date, a large number of them are in operation, and the creation of the latest modification of the PS-90GP-25A with a capacity of 25,000 kW was awarded a prize in the field of innovative technologies.
Service and Repair
The repair manual for the PS-90 engine was developed by AL Aviadvigatel, and the United Engine Corporation is involved in organizing the maintenance of operators.
Each unit has its own form, in which the assigned resource of the main parts of which it consists is indicated, the permissible values of various operation parameters recorded by sensors or measuring instruments are also recorded.
Spent cycles of parts, exceeding permissible parameters and various kinds of incidents serve as the basis for sending the engine for repair. Since the design is constantly being improved, during the repair, its improvements are simultaneously carried out with the introduction of all the necessary changes. Usually the engine is repaired in 6 months.