Genius of the Rules-Style System

The three core components of a turbofan engine are the combustion chamber, high-pressure turbine and high-pressure compressor. They are combined to provide propulsion for the engine.

Combustion is the most basic source of power, and the high-pressure turbine is the component that drives the entire engine to operate under the driving force of the combustion chamber.

The high-pressure compressor has the most functions. It operates under the drive of a high-pressure turbine, providing a source of high-pressure air to the combustion chamber. It also provides high-pressure air for aircraft cabin pressurization, cooling of high-temperature components such as turbine blades, and for the air intake. Anti-icing, de-icing use, etc.

In addition, the high-pressure compressor rotor shaft also outputs a certain amount of power through gears to drive various accessories of the engine, such as oil pumps, fuel pumps, starters, generators and hydraulic pumps on the aircraft, etc.

The high-pressure compressor is at the center of the turbofan engine and is also one of the core components.

In addition to various incidental functions, the core technology of a high-pressure compressor still depends on the boost ratio and stability it can provide.

The high-pressure compressor needs to provide high-pressure air, so it becomes the most unstable component in the turbofan engine. Its stability determines the stability of the turbofan engine.

The stability of any mechanical device is the most important. Stability represents safety to a certain extent. During the flight of a fighter aircraft, any condition in the engine will be very fatal.

There are still many problems in the prototypes of the Kunlun engine unit, most of which are caused by the instability of the compressor. Among the instability problems of the compressor, the biggest problem is the occurrence of ‘surge’.

Surge is a state.

The airflow of the compressor comes from the flight of the fighter plane. When the fighter plane flies, the speed and altitude of the flight determine the amount of airflow entering the compressor, which causes instability at the 'airflow input end'.

With the constant changes in flight status and engine speed, the compressor must also withstand constant changes. The airflow is getting larger and larger. That is, the faster the fighter plane is, the faster it is. However, the problems encountered when decelerating are greater. The intensity of the airflow The decrease causes the compressor speed to decrease, and the internal boost ratio to decrease accordingly. The pressure decrease in the previous stages is not significant, but the pressure decrease in the later stages is more significant.

This is when a problem arises.

As the pressure decreases, the gas volume increases, and the airflow passages at the rear stages of the compressor become "too small" and the flow is not smooth. The airflow is blocked and cannot be fully discharged, and the blades do not work properly.

As a result, the gas pressure undergoes pulsating changes of high and low.

When the airflow entering the first few stages of the compressor flows backward, if the back passage is blocked and cannot flow through completely, the airflow will flow forward. The reverse flow will clear the back airflow passage, and the airflow will be sucked into the compressor, towards the compressor. When it flows backward, it is blocked again, and then flows backward...

With such repeated changes, the airflow moves back and forth in the compressor, and flows out of the outlet with unstable pressure and speed.

This is the "surge" problem of the engine.

When "surge" occurs, it will be accompanied by a sudden rise in the temperature of the gas in front of the turbine and a loud sound. Damage to the internal blades is still a minor problem, but in severe cases, it can cause the engine to stall directly.

When Zhao Yi set out to solve the compressor problem, the first thing to study was the "surge" problem. Compared with the performance of the compressor, stability is much more important.

This is like running an algorithm. No matter how efficient the algorithm is, it is full of bugs and cannot run at all, which is meaningless. Only by solving the bug problem can the performance be further improved.

"The compressor on the Kunlun has two designs to deal with 'surge', one is a bleed valve and the other is an adjustable stator blade."

"There should be no problem with the bleed valve, but I think the main problem lies in the design of the adjustable stator blades." Yuan Haitao expressed his thoughts while holding the design drawing of the high-pressure compressor.

This is also the thought of most people in the Kunlun Engine Group.

The deflation valve is simply a deflation valve. If the pressure inside the compressor is uneven, a part of the high-pressure gas will be released, and the pressure inside will naturally be relieved.

The design of the stator blades is much more complicated. The compressor has two sets of blades, one is the supercharging blade connected to the turbine shaft, and the other is the stationary stator blade. Each stage inside the compressor is made of It consists of a supercharger blade and a stator blade.

The supercharging blades are responsible for compressing the air, and the stator blades are responsible for decelerating the air.

When the high-pressure gas is decelerated, the pressure continues to increase. In this way, a large amount of gas is accumulated in a small space, and the pressure becomes very high.

If the stator blades rotate slightly as the pressure changes during the supercharging process, the wind resistance will continue to change, and the internal pressure changes can be stabilized, which can control and reduce the occurrence of 'surge' possibility.

In fact, a simple understanding is like something falling from the sky. The purpose is to create impact, but if it falls directly to the ground, it may be damaged. If it falls on the spring, the possibility of damage will be reduced accordingly.

So the disadvantages are also obvious.

The movable stator blades have a negative effect on the performance of the compressor, that is, it reduces the boost ratio. The same is true for the bleed valve, which discharges high-pressure gas and also reduces the boost ratio.

Of course.

In order to pursue stability and reduce performance, it is also a last resort. Even the world's top turbofan engines will have similar designs to make the engine run more stable.

After hearing Yuan Haitao's explanation, Zhao Yi frowned and thought about it carefully and asked, "Is there any other way?"

"Any more, I don't know."

Yuan Haitao spread his hands helplessly, saying that he was not a professional.

Zhao Yi pursed his lips vigorously and asked, "It seems that our R\u0026D team does not have talents in this field, right?"

Yuan Haitao smiled bitterly, his expression clearly meaning, ‘Don’t you know if there is something wrong? ’

The R\u0026D team currently has less than ten people. Counting technicians, workers, and the team sent by the aviation group, there are only about twenty people. Among them, there are still only a few people who specialize in R\u0026D.

Zhao Yi frowned and asked, "Do you know where there are talents in this field?"

"Turbine set!"

Yuan Haitao said, "Almost all the people who are really available in this area are in the two engine groups. I don't know if there are any from the Academy of Sciences or other institutions. But for those who specialize in aviation high-pressure compressor research, it is best to find them in the engine group." What he means is I don’t know if other institutions have relevant talents, but it is difficult to find irrelevant people when it comes to major national projects.

This is the biggest problem encountered by the R\u0026D team.

It is difficult for Zhao Yi to recruit a few external people because it is a major national-level project. It is best to find "internal talents", and "internal talents who have long-term research and development of high-pressure compressors" are almost all related to Kunlun and Wangwu engine units. association.

so……

"Poaching?"

Zhao Yi thought about it carefully and still felt that poaching was not a good idea. After all, they were all engaged in aircraft engine research and development and belonged to the aviation group. To put it bluntly, they were all their own people. There was no need to say whether the poaching was successful or not.

"Contact the person in charge of Wangwu Engine for me!" Zhao Yi simply asked him if he could send someone over.

The person in charge of Wangwu Engine is Zhang Shuqing. He is a middle-aged man in his fifties. He was born in a scientific research unit under the Academy of Sciences and joined the Kunlun engine group. Later, the Wangwu Engine project was established and he was responsible for the research and development of Wangwu Engine.

Compared with the Kunlun engine, the Wangwu engine has high hopes, because the design of the Wangwu engine is finalized very quickly, and there is no big problem in manufacturing the first prototype. It is already preparing to manufacture other prototypes.

When the project progresses to this level, generally speaking, the finishing work can be done.

However, Zhang Shuqing is not satisfied with completing the project, but hopes to improve the engine and continue to increase the performance of the engine without increasing fuel consumption so that the engine can be assembled on more types of fighter aircraft.

This goal is also normal.

There are indeed not many problems with the Wangwu engine, and even if there are, they are minor problems. Hundreds of tests have shown that it can be assembled into a fighter jet. However, a fatal problem with the Wangwu engine is that it is a turbojet engine, and The biggest problem with turbojet engines is high fuel consumption.

High fuel consumption seems to just consume more energy, but this is not the case on fighter jets, because the amount of fuel that fighter jets can carry is limited. High fuel consumption means short driving range. Most fighter jets equipped with turbojet engines can only When it comes to short-range deterrence and strike capabilities, the type of fighter aircraft it can adapt to is severely limited.

It turns out that Zhang Shuqing also hoped to increase engine performance, but it was basically just a dream. After all, their technology was based on Kunlun engine technology, and the inside of the engine was very similar to the Kunlun engine.

It's different now.

Zhao Yi has developed the most advanced turbine blade material, which will greatly improve the high temperature resistance of the turbine. The corresponding compressor can also be designed with a higher boost ratio, making the engine more efficient and bringing higher thrust. ratio without increasing fuel consumption.

Recently, Zhang Shuqing has been taking the engine unit and working hard to overcome the technical problems of the compressor.

If you want to increase the boost ratio, you must improve the compressor design. Whether it is the booster blades, stator blades, or other auxiliary components, certain design adjustments are required.

The purpose of this adjustment is to maintain stability.

It is relatively easy to increase the boost ratio of the compressor, even with the same design. Just like a battery, two batteries connected in series can provide a higher voltage. The same is true for the inside of the compressor. Add a few more Adding blades and stator blades to the group will definitely directly increase the boost ratio.

However, the subsequent increase in air pressure also brought about an extreme decrease in stability.

This problem is very challenging to the level of R\u0026D personnel.

Zhang Shuqing is not specialized in researching compressors, but as the person in charge of the engine unit, he must supervise relevant personnel and work hard on design issues. He often goes on stage in person to discuss R\u0026D difficulties with others, and he also has a certain knowledge of compressor design. I understand.

What Zhang Shuqing didn't expect at this time was that he would receive a call from Zhao Yi.

"Academician Zhao? Are you sure you are Academician Zhao? Yanhua University? Early twenties? Goldbach's conjecture?"

"should be……"

Zhang Shuqing asked the staff who transferred the call and was stunned.

"Why is Academician Zhao calling me? By the way! He just set up an engine research and development team? Kunlun Group 2?" Zhang Shuqing muttered, "Aren't you here to ask for help?"

He knew it as soon as he thought about it.

The Kunlun Engine Group 2 has just been established and will definitely need talents from all aspects. It is normal to ask the Wangwu Engine Group.

"If Academician Zhao opens his mouth, let a few people pass." Zhang Shuqing thought.

soon.

The call was answered.

Zhao Yi directly explained the problem of the R\u0026D team without too many pleasantries and asked Zhang Shuqing for compressor-related R\u0026D talents.

"Compressor?"

Zhang Shuqing thought that Zhao Yi would open his mouth, so he sent a few talents over, but he immediately stopped when he heard about the compressor. The Wangwu Engine Group was also focusing on the compressor problem. He also felt that there were too few talents, and it would not be enough to double the number. Too much, so Zhao Yi also wants to study compressors?

"He doesn't even have a compressor professional there, so what else is he doing?"

"Did Zhao Yi do his own research?"

"Puch~~"

Zhang Shuqing couldn't help but laugh when he thought about it. Fortunately, he didn't make any sound. He took a deep breath to adjust and said, "Let's do this, Academician Zhao, to be honest with you, we also lack compressor-related R\u0026D talents here. . But I will convey your request to the mechanical design team. I will definitely not stop anyone who wants to go..."

After he finished speaking, he paused and added, "Don't worry. Even if no one is willing, I will assign someone to go there."

“Thank you in advance!”

Zhao Yi was quite satisfied with Zhang Shuqing's arrangement and ignored what he said before. He knew that he would definitely 'appoint someone to come over' in the end, but having someone come over was better than nothing.

Now there is no one in the R\u0026D team!

…

Zhang Shuqing did fulfill his promise.

He told Zhao Yi's needs to all the personnel related to compressor research and development, and also emphasized, "The Kunlun Group 2 is really short of people. Academician Zhao said there is no one."

After saying this, no one wanted to go.

The design of the compressor is not a mathematical problem. There are more than a dozen R\u0026D personnel related to the Wangwu engine unit. It took more than a year to finalize the design of the compressor.

The work of more than a dozen people for more than a year, how long would it take for one person to do it?

Anyway, there is no hope!

"When our new design is finalized, if the Kunlun Group II still needs it, you can go and have a look."

"Anyway, it's just been established there, so there's no rush."

"Their research and development has just begun. We are now making corrections, which is much more important."

"Whoever wants to go, I won't go anyway."

"I won't go either!"

A large group of people gathered around and said they didn't want to go.

In fact, there are no relevant personnel in Kunlun Group 2, which is just one of the reasons why they don't want to go there. Another important reason is that the base of Wangwu Engine Group is too far away from the capital. It takes more than three hours to fly, and it is difficult to go on a business trip. Dislike is too far.

In addition, in the past, it was probably equivalent to joining the Kunlun Group II. The Wangwu Engine Group had been established for nearly ten years. Most people had long been accustomed to life here and did not want to be suddenly transferred to the capital.

It would be better if the future is bright, but if you go to the capital to do research and development with Zhao Yi, the future is really hard to say.

It's not that they don't believe in Zhao Yi. In fact, most people have confidence in Zhao Yi and even admire him. However, the research and development of aerospace engines is very complicated, especially turbofan engines. No matter how short the development and design time is, it will take several years. Who knows what will happen in a few years?

Therefore, most people still want to stay in Wangwu Engine Group, and the progress of the engine group is also very gratifying.

This is the visible results and future.

When a large group of people shook their heads and said they couldn't go, a middle-aged man with an unshaven beard suddenly raised his hand and said, "I'll go."

"Uh-huh!"

Everyone looked over.

Zhang Shuqing also looked over and asked doubtfully, "Sun Lei? Are you willing to go?"

Sun Lei nodded heavily.

"Okay, just go ahead!"

Zhang Shuqing walked over and patted Sun Lei on the shoulder, "It might be good for you to go to the capital to change the environment and relax."