How to build a Jumbo Jet Engine Anyone?
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How to build a Jumbo Jet Engine Anyone?
I know a lot of forumeers, especially on this particular forum, are probably a bit blaise' and perhaps find it a bit 'old hat', but the BBC2 programme about building the RR Trent engine was really quite profound.
As an engineer myself, although not an aero one, I will admit to being actually quite moved by the components, the assemblies and the engine as a whole. They were, I thought, quite beautiful. Seriously, I honestly believe even individual fan blades could - perhaps should? - be shown at the Tate Modern as truly beautiful works of art. Highest level engineering; true, state of the art (that word again) metallurgy; true, but genuine visual beauty and probably tactile as well.
The assemblies were like intricate, delicate watches and yet were three or four feet in diameter and required a crane to locate. The fully assembled engine was still a thing of beauty, yet could contain and control almost unimaginable forces and stresses. Am I alone in thinking this? And did anyone else flinch when they destroyed one in a blade containment test?
There was also good news for those of us who mourn the passing of manufacturing in this country. Apparently RR have orders for over a thousand Trent engines and are hopeful of at least that again and perhaps more. I have no concept of what one of those lovely donk's set an airline back, but it may not be enough when you see what you are getting. Single metallic crystal turbine blades, machined to 7 microns? It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Sorry about the gushing praise for everyone at Rolls-Royce Aero Engines, but I can never look at a 777 or A380 the same way again.
Roger.
As an engineer myself, although not an aero one, I will admit to being actually quite moved by the components, the assemblies and the engine as a whole. They were, I thought, quite beautiful. Seriously, I honestly believe even individual fan blades could - perhaps should? - be shown at the Tate Modern as truly beautiful works of art. Highest level engineering; true, state of the art (that word again) metallurgy; true, but genuine visual beauty and probably tactile as well.
The assemblies were like intricate, delicate watches and yet were three or four feet in diameter and required a crane to locate. The fully assembled engine was still a thing of beauty, yet could contain and control almost unimaginable forces and stresses. Am I alone in thinking this? And did anyone else flinch when they destroyed one in a blade containment test?
There was also good news for those of us who mourn the passing of manufacturing in this country. Apparently RR have orders for over a thousand Trent engines and are hopeful of at least that again and perhaps more. I have no concept of what one of those lovely donk's set an airline back, but it may not be enough when you see what you are getting. Single metallic crystal turbine blades, machined to 7 microns? It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Sorry about the gushing praise for everyone at Rolls-Royce Aero Engines, but I can never look at a 777 or A380 the same way again.
Roger.
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There are so many engineering objects that when they work really well are also things of beauty - the immediate object that springs to mind apart from the components of the Trent is of course Concord(e). As a graduate electronic engineer, I can apply the same reasoning to many electronic concepts (such as Maxwell's equations) and circuits as well. In my student days, our Welsh lecturer in electronic circuits (responsible amongst other things for the sampling oscilloscope) used to tell us that circuits were built of components which could be regarded as words. These were then built up to make sentences. Complex circuits could then be regarded as paragraphs or even an essay. But the good ones... the good ones were regarded as a poem!
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I certainly agree with the theme of this thread.
As it happens I try to encourage 6th formers to study for a career in the aerospace business and I tell them that in my view the first stage turbine blades in the hot end of a Trent or similiar are in my view the pinnacle of the mechanical engineers achievements to date.
I explain to them that each small credit card sized blade extracts from the airflow about three time the horsepower of a Formula 1 engine. It is also going round at a speed that means the force making it try to fly off would support the weight of a couple of double decker buses. It also happens to be operating in a gas stream that is several hundred degrees centigrade above its melting point. A good trick.
We should be very proud that R-R really is a world class company and does a great deal to keep P&W and GE honest.
As it happens I try to encourage 6th formers to study for a career in the aerospace business and I tell them that in my view the first stage turbine blades in the hot end of a Trent or similiar are in my view the pinnacle of the mechanical engineers achievements to date.
I explain to them that each small credit card sized blade extracts from the airflow about three time the horsepower of a Formula 1 engine. It is also going round at a speed that means the force making it try to fly off would support the weight of a couple of double decker buses. It also happens to be operating in a gas stream that is several hundred degrees centigrade above its melting point. A good trick.
We should be very proud that R-R really is a world class company and does a great deal to keep P&W and GE honest.
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i found this tv program last night by accident. superb. reminded me of the book on jet engines that rolls produce - simple explanations of a fiendishly complex machine. before i flew planes i was an engineer and know a bit about jet engines, but it always strikes me that, hung on the wing of an airliner they look so simple - just a streamlined pod and a big fan.. thats all the holidaymakers ever see and i'm sure that program was educational and fascinating to many people who didnt know much about the subject.
the level of the technology in the trent engine is just jaw dropping - inflating the metal fan blades with inert gas to make them hollow or growing single crystal turbine blades which run 300 degrees above their melting temperature, and the tiny manufacturing tollerances - its almost magic...
rolls is a company for the uk to be very proud of - the employees featured in the program obviously were. i just wish we could get our act together and reach the same level in automotive engineering and other fields.
the level of the technology in the trent engine is just jaw dropping - inflating the metal fan blades with inert gas to make them hollow or growing single crystal turbine blades which run 300 degrees above their melting temperature, and the tiny manufacturing tollerances - its almost magic...
rolls is a company for the uk to be very proud of - the employees featured in the program obviously were. i just wish we could get our act together and reach the same level in automotive engineering and other fields.
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I honestly believe even individual fan blades could - perhaps should? - be shown at the Tate Modern as truly beautiful works of art. Highest level engineering; true, state of the art (that word again) metallurgy; true, but genuine visual beauty and probably tactile as well.
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Can anyone tell me the name of the program so I can keep an eye out for it if it ever slides this far down the globe. The program sounds really interesting and hope to see it one day.
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I work at R-R in Derby, on repair and overhaul, on the 04 module, (hp system) and in the last 20 years the evolution of the 211 into the Trent has been great to watch.
The fancases are getting bigger, while the cores are getting smaller.Flamecans are now lined in ceramic tiles, hp turbine blades and guide vanes are also ceramic-covered on the gas path surfaces.The hp compressor drums are now 1-piece items on the -700,the blades located in circumfrential slots instead of dovetail slots,compared to a 524 B4 it`s a world away in terms of ease to build.
Weight saving, low emission and noise levels have all been achieved through re- designing nacelles, fan blades and exhaust features, anyone notice the rear nacelle on the T1000?.
XWB next, already completed it`s 1st run with success and over 1000 on order.
Daz
The fancases are getting bigger, while the cores are getting smaller.Flamecans are now lined in ceramic tiles, hp turbine blades and guide vanes are also ceramic-covered on the gas path surfaces.The hp compressor drums are now 1-piece items on the -700,the blades located in circumfrential slots instead of dovetail slots,compared to a 524 B4 it`s a world away in terms of ease to build.
Weight saving, low emission and noise levels have all been achieved through re- designing nacelles, fan blades and exhaust features, anyone notice the rear nacelle on the T1000?.
XWB next, already completed it`s 1st run with success and over 1000 on order.
Daz
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great programme!
i stumbled on it too by accident just flicking thru channels.
Filled with pride for being British and having worked with Rolls for 6 years too before moving onto a flying job I look back and think it was a great company to work for!
Great engines too
i stumbled on it too by accident just flicking thru channels.
Filled with pride for being British and having worked with Rolls for 6 years too before moving onto a flying job I look back and think it was a great company to work for!
Great engines too
As a pilot I felt humbled by this programme. Apart from the technology which in itself is remarkable I was impressed beyond measure by the skill and the dedication of all those involved in the manufacturing of these master pieces.
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robertbarsch: jet exhaust noise is proportional to the fourth power of the velocity of the exhaust. The fan exhaust is a slower stream than turbojets of old. It also shrouds the faster exhaust from the core.
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Robertbartsch
Why were jet engines so noisy just a few years ago when compared to modern jet engines of today? Is this a fan blade inovation thing?
Despite that, Whittle knew the engine he was desperately trying to build and run, was not going to be the only way to do it and certainly not the best. Among the recognizably modern innovations Whittle patented were prop-jets, water injection, multi shaft engines and, his most important belief, the high bypass jet engine. Whittle knew that low volume, high gas velocity jets would mean high speed, but high volume, relatively low gas velocity would mean power and efficiency. Of course, by the time many of those things were possible, his patents had all expired.
Which is a very long winded way of saying; the enormous volume of relatively cool, slow moving air - although it produces the vast majority of the thrust - from the fan, forms a perfect tube around the very hot, noisy, fast moving gas from the core engine, thereby shielding our ears from it.
Roger.
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jet exhaust noise is proportional to the fourth power of the velocity of the exhaust
Depends a lot on which source you are reading. For interest an early NACA paper can be constrasted with more recent papers, eg by Bodony and
Papamoschou ... but don't sweat the math too much.
A NASA death by powerpoint presentation regarding supersonic noise might be of interest as well.
Depends a lot on which source you are reading. For interest an early NACA paper can be constrasted with more recent papers, eg by Bodony and
Papamoschou ... but don't sweat the math too much.
A NASA death by powerpoint presentation regarding supersonic noise might be of interest as well.
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Does anyone know the approximate weight and cost of a Trent 895 as used on 777s?
I was asked that question by an enthusiastic passenger a while ago and was unable to give him an answer.
Incidentally years ago I was told by a colleague that a 747 engine weighed the same as a Routemaster double decker bus but had my doubts as to the accuracy of that comment.
I was asked that question by an enthusiastic passenger a while ago and was unable to give him an answer.
Incidentally years ago I was told by a colleague that a 747 engine weighed the same as a Routemaster double decker bus but had my doubts as to the accuracy of that comment.
The RR Trent 895 that hangs on the BA 777 apparently has a 'basic engine weight' of 13100 lbs. Couldn't find anything on the RR website about the weight of the engine, but the above comes from a large table lower down this Wikipedia article:
Rolls-Royce Trent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rolls-Royce Trent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia