Shenyang WS-10

WS-10
Type Turbofan
National origin People's Republic of China
Manufacturer Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company
First run 1990s
Major applications Shenyang J-11B
Shenyang J-16
Status In production[1]
Number built 300+
Developed from CFM International CFM56/General Electric F101
Developed into WS-20

The Shenyang WS-10 (Chinese: 涡扇-10; pinyin: Wōshàn-10; literally: "turbofan-10"), codename Taihang, is a turbofan engine designed and built by the People's Republic of China.

The WS-10A reportedly powers the J-11B[2] and the J-16.[1] Unconfirmed reports claim the WS-10A powers some J-10Bs.[3] Unconfirmed reports also claim an improved WS-10A powers the J-11D.[4]

Chinese media claimed 266 engines were manufactured from 2010 to 2012 for the J-11 program.[5] Unofficial estimates placed production at more than 300 units by May 2015.[1]

Description

The WS-10A is advertised as 120–140 kilonewtons (27,000–31,000 lbf) thrust engine.[1] It has Full Authority Digital Engine Control.[6]

Development

The WS-10 was derived from the WS-6 turbofan, which was abandoned at the start of the 1980s.[7] The WS-10 project was reportedly started by Deng Xiaoping in 1986 to produce an engine comparable to the AL-31. The work was given to the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute (606 Institute) of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).[6] The WS-10 may have been based on the core of the CFM-56II (itself based on the General Electric F101); China purchased two CFM-56IIs in the 1980s.[8] China may have spent nearly 20 years developing source code, after being unable to purchase code from Salyut.[1]

The WS-10A, targeted for 130 kilonewtons (29,000 lbf) of thrust,[6] was already in development in 2002.[9] An early version was flown on an J-8II in 2002.[1] In 2004, Russian sources familiar with project reported problems meeting the thrust target;[10] in 2005, they reported problems reducing the weight of the primary and secondary compressors, in addition to problems meeting thrust requirements.[11] Engine testing on the J-11 had already started by 2004,[10] and testing using one engine on the J-11 may have occurred as early as 2002.[9]

A full-scale WS-10A engine was first seen at the 2008 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.[6]

In 2009, Western media reported that the WS-10A approached the performance of the Saturn AL-31, but took much longer than the AL-31 to develop thrust.[12] Furthermore, reportedly the engine only generated 110–125 kilonewtons (25,000–28,000 lbf) of thrust.[6] In April 2009, Lin Zuoming, head of AVIC, reported that the engine's quality was unsatisfactory.[13] In 2010, it was reported that reliability was also poor; the WS-10A lasted only 30 hours, while the AL-31 needed refurbishing after 400 hours.[14] The quality problems encountered with the WS-10A reflected the state of the Chinese aerospace industry; AVIC initiated a general effort to improve quality control throughout its production chain in 2011.[15]

The WS-10A reportedly matured enough after 2009 to power the J-11B Block 02 aircraft.[16] A WS-10A-powered J-10B was seen in July 2011, but the engine did not power the initial J-10B production batch, possibly because of production or performance issues.[17]

Unconfirmed reports claimed the first flight of the J-11D was powered by a new WS-10 variant; the variant reportedly had improved reliability, with a thrust of more than 13t, and less than that of the AL-31F-M1. The flight was revealed in early May 2015.[1]

WS-20 (WS-188)

The WS-20 (WS-188)[18] is a high-bypass engine[17] reportedly producing 12 tons of thrust.[19] It is believed to be based on the core of the WS-10A.[6][20]

The WS-20 was first seen in January 2014 while being tested on an Il-76,[18] and is believed to be intended for the Y-20 strategic airlifter.[21]

Variants

Specifications (WS-10A)

General characteristics

Components

Performance

See also


Comparable engines
Related development


Related lists

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fisher, Richard (27 May 2015). "ANALYSIS: Can China break the military aircraft engine bottleneck?". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  2. Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (26 August 2014). "Chinese J-11BH 'aggressive' with USN P-8A, says DoD". janes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  3. Weening, Alexander; Hardy, James (9 October 2014). "New pictures of J-10B revealed". janes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  4. Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (5 May 2015). "Images show J-11D variant with possible new radar". janes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  5. "美称中国近三年内共生产约266台太行发动机". mil.news.sina.com.cn (in Chinese). 20 December 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Fisher, Richard, Jr. (30 December 2009). "October Surprises In Chinese Aerospace". International Assessment and Strategy Center. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  7. "LM WS10A Tai Hang (China), Aero-engines - Turbofan". janes.com. 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  8. "Liming WS10A Taihang Engine". globalsecurity.org. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  9. 1 2 Fisher, Richard D., Jr. (7 October 2003). "New Developments In Russia-China Military Relations: A Report On The August 19-23 2003 Moscow Aerospace Salon (MAKS)". uscc.gov. United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Archived from the original on 12 January 2005. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  10. 1 2 Fisher, Richard, Jr. (13 December 2004). "Report on the 5th Airshow China: Zhuhai, PRC, November 1-7, 2004". International Assessment and Strategy Center. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  11. Fisher, Richard, Jr. (12 September 2005). "Chinese Dimensions of the 2005 Moscow Aerospace Show". United States: International Assessment and Strategy Center. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  12. Saunders et. al: p.37
  13. Saunders et. al: p.44
  14. Pomfret, John. "Military strength is eluding China." Washington Post, 25 December 2010.
  15. Collins, Gabe; Erickson, Andrew (27 June 2011). "Jet Engine Development in China: Indigenous high-performance turbofans are a final step toward fully independent fighter production". chinasignpost.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  16. Rupprecht, Andreas (December 2011). "China's 'Flanker' gains momentum. Shenyang J-11 update.". Combat Aircraft Monthly 12 (12): 40–42.
  17. 1 2 Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (12 January 2015). "Images suggest J-10Bs close to entering Chinese service". janes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  18. 1 2 Aviation International News, Business, Air Transport, Defense & General Aviation News (10 January 2014). "China Flies First Large Turbofan". AIN Online. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  19. CHINA AEROSPACE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
  20. Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P.W. (20 February 2015). "China's most powerful aircraft engine ever takes to the sky: Presenting the WS-20". popsci.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  21. 1 2 Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (4 September 2014). "China's Y-20 'enters second phase of testing'". janes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  22. Saunders et. al: p.45
Bibliography
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