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Dr. Gary Seng

Web Developer:
Rick Cowin


NASA Glenn Research Center

 

 

Oil Free Turbine Engine Technology

Oil Free Turbine Engine Technology

 

Objective Technical Summary Milestones

Project Objectives

The Oil Free Turbine Engine Technology Project is aligned with Goal One: Revolutionize Aviation. Primary focus is on Objective 5: Mobility - Improve the mobility of U.S. citizens by reducing travel time for both short and long journeys by air. A secondary benefit is to Objective 4: System Capacity - Double the Aviation System Capacity by 2007 and triple it by 2022. The result of demonstrating an oil free turbine engine will be further drastic reductions in the costs of general aviation propulsion systems while improving their performance, ease of use, reliability and environmental compatibility.

The Oil Free Turbine Engine Technology Project also supports Goal Three - Pioneer Technology Innovation through Objective 9: Engineering Innovation. This project is focused on development of foil air bearing technology. Through research, analysis and testing in support of the project's primary focus, methods of implementing air foil bearings will be developed which will facilitate the use of these bearings in the commercial marketplace. Oil-free engines would eliminate a major portion of the maintenance problems encountered by the Aviation Industry. They eliminate the environmental issues associated with oil emissions and disposal. Simplified design and reduced maintenance yield lower costs and greater reliability.

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Technical Summary

The OFTET Project is focused on the Oil Free Turbofan (OFT) Task. The technologies developed in this Project will make major advances toward enabling very low or no maintenance propulsion systems for small aircraft vastly improving their reliability and safety with large reductions in operating cost.

Oil Free Turbofan Task

The turbofan task seeks to apply recent enabling technology advances in foil bearings, solid lubricant coatings and modeling to design, fabricate and test an oil free turbine engine. This will be accomplished through foil bearing technology scale up from the newly demonstrated turbocharger application. Foil bearing load capacity and performance characteristics required for man rated small turbine engines will be developed and demonstrated. Foil thrust bearing technology will be significantly advanced for this application. This application will involve much more complex systems and dynamic issues than encountered in the turbocharger.

Facilities Required:

  • High-Speed, High-Temperature Foil Journal Bearing Test Rig
  • Thrust Foil Bearing Test Rigs
  • Ambient Pressure Foil Bearing Test Rig
  • Oil-free Rotor Simulator Test Rig

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Milestones

Milestone Output Outcome
OFTET-1.1: Complete Core Hot Section Radial Foil Bearing Rig Testing (8/01) Test data on hot section foil bearing performance Proof of viability of hot section foil bearing. Bearing ready for installation into engine
OFTET-1.2: Complete Oil free Core Engine Testing (12/02) Test data on foil bearing and shaft performance in core engine Demonstrate oil free core with shaft fully supported by foil air bearings
OFTET-1.3: Complete Oil Free Engine Testing (6/04) Test data on foil bearing and shaft performance in full engine with interactions of all rotors Demonstrate oil free engine technology viability for light general aviation aircraft and readiness for commercial implementation

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