UEC Explained the Destruction of the PD-8 Blade After the Explosion

Destructive testing of a fan blade directly during the operation of an aircraft engine is one of the most important in the global aviation industry as part of certification. The United Engine Corporation (UEC) explained in detail why they were conducted on the new domestic power plant.

This engine test simulates the destruction of an element in takeoff mode at maximum loads. All blade fragments must be contained within the engine casing.

For this purpose, the corporation's engineers installed a special pyrotechnic charge and brought the engine to takeoff mode. Fragments of the blade did not penetrate the power plant casing.

Before the experiment, UEC specialists prepared a test bench, equipping it with a current collector, phasing system, and air sampling system. Measurements showed that even with this scenario, the level of oil vapor emissions into the air conditioning system remained within the normal range.

UEC also explained that the blades for the PD-8 are not stamped or machined from a blank, but literally grown. In a vacuum furnace, the metal is first melted, and a single-crystal seed is placed at the base of the mold. Then the mold is slowly pulled out of the hot zone, and the crystal begins to grow upward, forming the future blade. Thanks to this technology, the blades withstand enormous temperatures, up to 2000 K.

Read more materials on the topic:

• PD-8 Engine for SJ-100 Was Poured with Tons of Water: It Continued to Work 
• Honored Pilot Criticized the Re-equipment of Superjet with PD-8 Engines: A New Aircraft Needs to Be Built
• Former Sukhoi Designer Urged Not to Pass Off the PD-8 Engine as Technological Progress