Russia's UEC to Replace Aircraft Engine Testing with Mathematical Modelling

Russian UEC’s Salyut Production Complex has developed a program aimed at replacing conventional full-scale aircraft engine testing with mathematical modeling.

This initiative marks an advancement in engine development, with the complex utilizing mathematical modeling to analyze the self-oscillations of compressor blades within gas turbine engines for the first time in the industry's history.

The project has been recognized as a finalist for the CIPR Digital 2024 award. Engineers at the Salyut PC, in collaboration with Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, devised a methodology for early detection and correction of self-oscillations, or flutter, in gas turbine engine compressor blades during the design phase.

Using this methodology as a foundation, engineers developed software for automated mathematical computations. The program has been integrated into engine development processes after testing.

Stanislav Chepiga, head of the Salyut PC UEC design bureau, highlighted the software's economic benefits and its role in enhancing engine reliability. By employing this technique, the UEC achieved a milestone in domestic engine development by detuning the low-pressure compressor's first-stage impeller from self-oscillations solely through numerical simulation.

The project was shortlisted for the CIPR Digital-2024 award's Digital Breakthrough in Industry category. Among 480 submissions, only five projects in each category were selected as finalists.

The CIPR Digital-2024 award, now in its fourth iteration, showcases Russian innovations in the digital realm. Supported by governmental bodies such as the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Natural Resources, the award aims to spotlight domestic digital achievements.

This advancement in engine development aligns with UEC's broader digital transformation efforts. The transition to digital certification is underway, with digital twin technology and computer modeling poised to revolutionize engine certification processes. These advancements hold significance for projects like the PD-8 engine, tailored for the domestically produced SJ-100 passenger airliner, promising expedited certification processes and enhanced safety measures.

The integration of computer modeling enables comprehensive virtual testing of individual engine components and the system as a whole, ensuring thorough evaluation of engine performance under diverse conditions.