In the field of aero engines in China, the turbofan 10 series engine can be described as a bright pearl. As a high-thrust turbofan engine developed by Continental, the turbofan 10 series has not only gradually approached the international advanced level in terms of performance, but also achieved remarkable results in terms of life, reliability and maintenance. After decades of development, the turbofan 10 series has derived a number of models, which are widely used in the ground field of the continental army and carry the beam of China's aviation power.
Since the establishment of the project in 1986, the turbofan 10 series engine has experienced 38 years of continuous development, and mainland researchers have continued to explore and innovate, and have successfully developed more than 10 sub-models, including WS-10, WS-10A, WS-10B, WS-10B-3, WS-10C, WS-10D, WS-10G, WS-10H, as well as civil QC-70 and QC185 gas turbines.
The WS-10A engine was finalized in 2005 as an early finalized version. The maximum thrust of this type of engine is about 13.5 tons. In earlier versions, it had a service life of only about 900 hours. However, through continuous technical improvement and design optimization by Chinese engineers, the service life of the WS-10A engine has been successfully increased to 1,500 hours, significantly enhancing its reliability and economy.
The WS-10B is a mid-range improvement of the series and the most striking star product in China's aviation development industry, with a significantly longer service life than earlier versions of the WS-2,000 hours. On the basis of absorbing the experience and lessons of earlier models, the WS-10B draws on the technical characteristics of the Russian-made 99M1 engine, and combines the design concept of the WS-10H carrier-based aircraft special engine, after a series of technical research and development and verification, it was officially finalized in 2015.
This model adopts advanced production technology and technology, including high-tech turbine blades that can withstand high temperatures of 2000 degrees, three generations of single crystal materials, integral blisk design, integrated titanium alloy casing, FADEC digital ESC system, and nickel-based aluminum alloy nozzles. The application of these technologies has brought the overall technical level of the WS-10B close to the level of Europe and the United States at the beginning of this century.
In particular, the WS-10B uses static isothermal and linear friction welding and composite assembly processes, which greatly improve the performance of the engine. The WS-10B has a thrust-to-weight ratio of 8.5 to 8.8 and a maximum thrust of 14 tons, all of which indicate its high performance.
The biggest change from the WS-10B is that it has a more concealed serrated tail feathers, and the thrust has been increased to 14.2 tons, with a maximum thrust of nearly 15 tons. The service life reaches 3,500 hours, the first overhaul time is 1,500 hours, and the second and third overhaul intervals are 1,000 hours. Although the service life is only half that of similar Western engines such as F119 and F110, it is already a great improvement for Continental.