Maximum temperatures in a gas turbine are seen in the flame tube of the combustor and then at the turbine inlet. State-of-the- art is about 1800 K which is 1527 degrees Celsius.
If you are working with 1500 degrees Class turbines you are at the top level.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries managed to achieve 1600 degrees Celsius which was classed as the highest ever in 2011.
It is a fact that the higher the temperature of turbines the more efficient they are. But with it comes the problems.
Yes F135 turbine inlet temperatures reach 1980 degrees Celsius. But just look at the engine troubles they are having. Look at the number of F35 planes waiting for new engines because P&W can’t produce enough blades in time to supply all the problem F135’s.
Same goes for 40+ Boeing Dreamliner planes grounded because RR can’t produce enough blades to fit on to the Trent-1000 engines that work at up to 2200Kelvin (1920 degrees C) .
So too high a temperature is not always good news and it definitely is not a sign of superlative engine. Sustainability of high temperatures on demand is the key.
Russian AL31F has max turbine inlet temperatures of 1472 degrees C.
AL41F has 1642 degrees C maximum turbine inlet temperatures.
Yet these two engines use directionally solidified super alloy turbine blades. OK their engine life cycles are shorter than western counterparts’. So what? They power some of the most formidable fighter planes in the world.
So horses for courses.
We are not aiming for a F135 or F136
If TEI can produce a f110GE132 equivalent with a thrust level of 32-35000lbf , that will suffice. TFX for the time being doesn’t need more. TEI Managing Director has said they can produce this engine in the given timeframe. So the rest of the argument is unnecessary.
Tokyo, May 26, 2011 - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has achieved the world's highest turbine inlet temperature of 1,600 degrees Celsius (°C), with the company's most advanced
www.mhi.com