General Electric X353-5
| X353-5 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Turbofan |
| Manufacturer | GE Aviation |
| Major applications | Ryan XV-5 Vertifan |
| Developed into | General Electric TF39 |
The General Electric X353-5 was an unusual, high bypass ratio, turbofan developed for the Ryan XV-5 Vertifan V/STOL research aircraft [1] (known earlier as the VZ-11[2]). Two General Electric J85-5 turbojets were used for propulsion in wing-borne flight. During Lift the exhaust from these turbojets was diverted through ducting to a pair of vertically mounted turbine/fan units buried in the aircraft wings (one in the starboard wing, the other in the port wing). These turbine/fan units were similar in concept to the aft fan units on the General Electric CJ805 -23, the main difference being that the turbine blades of the X353-5 were outboard of the fan, rather than inboard. Each engine supplied half the exhaust gas needed to drive each fan unit. A cross-over duct kept both fans turning uniformly in the event of either engine failing. The aircraft also had a smaller turbine/fan mounted in the aircraft nose, which was used to control pitch. This pitch fan was similar in design to the main fan units and utilised 10.5% of the gas generator exhaust gas flow. Beneath each fan was a series of spanwise exit louvres, ganged together, which were used to vector the fan thrust in Lift mode. Effectively, the bypass ratio was 12.16:1 in the turbofan (i.e. Lift) mode.
Development
Although the Ryan XV-5 Vertifan never became a production aircraft, experience with the X353-5 enabled General Electric to develop other high bypass ratio turbofans, culminating in the TF39 which went into mass production for the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
Specifications (X353-5)
General characteristics
- Type: Turbofan Lift mode; Turbojet Forward Flight mode
- Length:
- Diameter: 62.5in (1588mm) overall turbine/fan unit; 17.7in (449.6mm) compressor inlet
- Dry weight:
Components
- Compressor: 8 stage axial;1 stage remote axial fan (Lift mode)
- Combustors: annular
- Turbine: 2 stage gas generator;1 stage remote LP turbine (Lift mode)
Performance
- Maximum thrust: 13946lbf (62.03kN) 2 engines Lift mode; 5316lbf (23.65kN) 2 engines Forward Flight mode
- Overall pressure ratio: 6.7:1
- Air mass flow: 535lb/s (242.7kg/s) fan Lift mode; 44lb/s (19.96kg/s) gas generator
- Turbine inlet temperature: ~1151K
- Specific fuel consumption: 0.385lb/hr/lbf (10.91g/s/kN) Lift mode; 1.01lb/hr/lbf (28.61g/s/kN) Forward Flight mode
- Power-to-weight ratio:
See also
- Related development
- Comparable engines
- Related lists
References
- ↑ "1964 | 2594 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
- ↑ "1962 | 2205 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 1962-09-27. Retrieved 2016-04-03.