"There were times where I wasn't sure it was going to work," Luthra admits. "But I guess I was too stubborn. I thought it was the right path."
THIS is what makes America great.
Posted on 05/15/2015 6:25:46 AM PDT by Abathar
NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (AP) — For nearly three decades Krishan Luthra stubbornly labored away in a General Electric research lab on a long-shot effort to cook up a new type of ceramic that few consumers will ever see or use.
Now this obscure material, which is lightweight, strong and can handle extreme temperatures, is being built into the bellies of jet engines and promises to save billions of gallons of fuel in the coming decades by reducing weight and allowing engines to run hotter.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Very interesting article. Thanks for posting.
10% fuel savings?
That is really huge, to an airline...............................
Almost every major breakthrough in technology in the last three thousand years was an improvement to someone else’s previous design. Some are considered genius.
This is true going back to the invention of the wheel. Some cave man probably said: “Hey, instead of using this log to move things around, why not attach it to something and it will roll easier.”
They have been talking about ceramic car engines for decades. Could the tech be scaled down?
Interesting, there are some mighty big numbers being thrown around here and I hope they pan out.
...
Unlike a lot of claims we see, this material is already in an engine and on the market. Nice article.
Jet engines are already amazing for their performance and reliability. Now they will be even better.
Big Bang Theory?
When it comes to turning a whole lot of fuel plus a whole lot of air into a whole lot of mechanical power, nothing comes close to a gas turbine.
"There were times where I wasn't sure it was going to work," Luthra admits. "But I guess I was too stubborn. I thought it was the right path."
THIS is what makes America great.
But what jumped out at me was the omission of who the other stakeholder(s) is in CFM International. From another site:
CFM International is a joint venture between GE Aviation, a division of General Electric of the United States and Snecma, a division of Safran of France. The joint venture was formed to build and support the CFM56 series of turbofan engine.Why this development, funded mostly by US taxpayers via NASA & DOD, had to partner with France is completely beyond me...
But I suppose it is marginally better than partnering with a multinational conglomerate such as United Technologies (Pratt and Whitney).
France is up to her hairy armpits in Airbus ...
Guess who's going to be using these engines?
("Boeing" is only half the answer ...)
Yes indeed, big numbers of improvement in performance and fuel savings, I do not believe it is being exaggerated either, these can be real numbers of improvement.
Imagion what this material done on the cheap can do for the auto industry, engine blocks, pistons, connecting rods, crank shafts, transmissions made out of this stuff, even brake rotors.
I do believe NASA used some kind of spray on ceramics for the space shuttle that is being used for commercial insulation.
A small example of why free-enterprise and capitalism is actually the most environmentally-friendly economic system as well.
Imagine that 10% fuel savings or more applied to the auto industry.
The auto industry has been playing with ceramics for years.
Ceramic pistons are common. They even have ceramic engine blocks.................
The trucking industry would be even more interested.
Get ready for more because GE is merging with the French company Alstom.
We need to read up more on it but I do believe it can be scaled up or down.
The jet engine parts I think they are talking about is the very core that of the jet engine where the jet engine spines or fins are attached to, or dove tailed into.
The problem with ceramics in the past is that they were brittle, or can crack, but now this new material is a big game changer because it’s properties act like ceramics that can handle extream tempetures, but yet are as strong and durible as metals, and light weight.
Don’t worry the Chinese will be stealing the know-how very soon or GE, in the spirit of international cooperation, will just give it to them. Can’t have America being too superior or exceptional you know.
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