To date, people have invented many different types of equipment, which can not only move along the roads, but also fly. Airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft allowed to explore the airspace. Helicopter engines, which were required for normal operation of the respective machines, are characterized by high power.
General description of the device
Currently, such units are of two types. The first type is piston or internal combustion engines. The second type is jet engines. In addition, a rocket engine can also act as a helicopter engine. However, it is usually used not as the main one, but is briefly included in the operation of the machine when additional power is needed, for example, during landing or take-off of equipment.
In the past, turboprop engines were often used for installation on helicopters. They had a single-shaft scheme, but they began to be superseded by other types of equipment quite strongly. This was especially noticeable on multi-engine helicopters. On this technique, twin-shaft turboprop helicopter engines with the so-called free turbine are most widely used.
Twin Shaft Units
A distinctive feature of such devices was that the turbocharger did not have a direct mechanical connection with the rotor. The use of twin-shaft turboprop units was considered quite effective, since they allowed the most complete use of the helicopter's power device. The thing is that in this case, the rotational speed of the main rotor of the equipment did not depend on the speed of the turbocompressor, this in turn made it possible to select the optimal frequency for each flight mode separately. In other words, the twin-shaft turboprop helicopter engine provided efficient and reliable operation of the power plant.
Jet propeller drive
Helicopters also use propeller propulsion. In this case, the circumferential force will be applied directly to the rotor blades themselves, without using a heavy and complex mechanical transmission, which would force the entire rotor to rotate. To create such a circumferential force, either stand-alone jet engines are used, which are located on the rotor blades, or resort to gas outflow (compressed air). In this case, gas will escape through special nozzle openings that are located at the end of each blade.
As for the economical operation of a jet drive, here it will be inferior to mechanical. If you choose the most economical option only among jet devices, then the best is a turbojet engine, which is located on the rotor blades. However, it was too difficult to construct such a device constructively, which is why such devices have not received wide practical application. Because of this, helicopter engine plants did not engage in its mass production.
The first models of turboshaft devices
The first turboshaft engines were created back in the 60–70's. It should be noted that at that time such equipment fully met all the requirements of not only civil aviation, but also military. Such units were able to ensure parity, and in some cases, superiority over the inventions of competitors. The most mass production of turboshaft type helicopter engines was ensured by assembling the TV3-117 model. It is worth noting that this device had several different modifications.
In addition to it, the D-136 model was also well distributed. Before the release of these two models, D-25V and TV2-117 were produced, but at that time they could no longer compete with new engines, and therefore their production was stopped. However, it is fair to say that a lot of them were released, and they are still installed on those types of air transport that were released a long time ago.
Equipment graduation
In the mid-80s, a need arose to unify the design of a helicopter engine. In order to solve the task, all turboshaft and turboprop engines available at that time, it was decided to lead to a common size range. This proposal was accepted at the government level, and therefore there was a division into 4 categories.
The first category is devices with a capacity of 400 liters. with., the second - 800 liters. S., the third - 1600 liters. from. and the fourth - 3200 liters. from. In addition, it was allowed to create two more models of a helicopter gas turbine engine. Their capacity was 250 liters. from. (0 category) and 6000 liters. from. (5 category). In addition, it was understood that each category of these devices would be capable of generating power by 15–25%.
Further development
In order to fully ensure the development and construction of new models, TsIAM conducted a fairly extensive research work. This made it possible to obtain a scientific and technical reserve (NTZ), along which the development of this direction will go.
In such an NTZ it was pointed out that the principle of operation of helicopter engines of future generations should be based on the simple principle of Brighton's thermodynamic cycle. In this case, the development and construction of new units will be promising. As for the design of the new models, they should be with a single-shaft gas generator, and the power turbine with the output of the power shaft forward through this gas generator. In addition, the design must also include an integrated gearbox.
In accordance with all the requirements of the scientific and technical groundwork at the Omsk MKB, work began on the manufacture of such a model of an engine for a helicopter as TV GDT TV-0-100, the power of this device was to be 720 liters. with., and it was decided to use it on such a machine as the Ka-126. However, in the 90s, all work was stopped, despite the fact that at that time the device was quite perfect, and also had the ability to force power to such indicators as 800-850 liters. from.
Production at Rybinsk Motors OJSC
At the same time, Rybinsk Motors OJSC was engaged in the refinement of such an engine model as the GD RD-600V TV. The power of the device was 1300 liters. with., and planned to use it for this type of helicopter, as the Ka-60. The gas generator for such a unit was made according to a rather compact scheme, which included a four-stage centrifugal compressor. It had 3 axial stages and 1 centrifugal. The rotational speed provided by such an aggregate reached 6,000 rpm. An excellent addition was the fact that such an engine was additionally equipped with protection against dust and dirt, as well as from the ingress of other foreign objects. This type of engine has passed many different tests, and its final certification was completed in 2001.
Further, it is worth noting that, in parallel with the refinement of this motor, specialists worked on the creation of the TVD-1500B turboprop engine, which was planned to be used on An-38 model helicopters. The power of this model is only 100 liters. from. higher and, thus, amounted to 1400 liters. from. As for the gas generator, its layout and equipment were the same as on the RD-600V model. During their development, creation and assembly it was planned that they will form the basis for a family of engines such as turbo-propellers and turboprops.
Helicopter Motorcycle
To date, the production of various kinds of equipment has advanced quite widely. This is true for almost all industries, including motorcycle manufacturing. Each manufacturer always tried to make his new model more unique and original than that of competitors. Because of this desire, not so long ago, Marine Turbine Technologies launched the first motorcycle to include a helicopter engine. Naturally, this change strongly affected both the structural part of the machine and its technical characteristics.
Technique Parameters
Naturally, the characteristics of a motorcycle that has a helicopter engine at its disposal also have unique technical parameters. In addition to the fact that such an innovation made it possible to accelerate the motorcycle to the almost unthinkable 400 km / h, there are other properties that are worth paying attention to.
Firstly, the fuel tank volume of this model is 34 liters. Secondly, the weight of the equipment has increased quite a lot and amounts to 208.7 kg. The power of this motorcycle is 320 horsepower. The maximum possible speed that could be developed on such an apparatus is 420 km / h, and the size of its rims is 17 inches. The last thing worth mentioning is that the operation of the helicopter engine had a great effect on the acceleration process, because of which the equipment reaches its limit in a matter of seconds.
The first such creation that Marine Turbine Technologies showed the world was called Y2K. Here you can add that the exact acceleration time to 100 km / h takes only a second and a half.
Summing up all of the above, we can say that the industry for the creation of helicopter engines has come a long way, and the current development of technology has allowed the use of products even in such equipment as motorcycles.