Voronezh Aviation Plant (VASO) has reached a new level of technological development, presenting a prototype of a fully composite air intake with natural laminar flow for the PD-14 engine. The development was carried out by order of "ODK-Aviadvigatel" as part of the scientific and technical reserve for the promising PD-35 engine.
Traditional air intakes use an aluminum leading edge, which creates an aerodynamic joint with the fairing and causes flow separation, increasing drag and fuel consumption. The new design, developed at VASO, is a single glued composite element that eliminates such a joint. According to calculations by ODK engineers, this saves 1-2% of fuel, which is equivalent to 500 thousand rubles per commercial flight.
VASO technologists have proposed a number of solutions: an original modification of the design, complex tooling for molding and a method for uniform heating of large carbon fiber products in an autoclave. The entire cycle - from idea to finished product - was completed in less than a month.
Currently, the prototype air intake is awaiting installation on the Il-76 flying laboratory for field testing. Based on their results, the real effect of laminar flow will be assessed.
Plant specialists note that such developments make it possible not only to catch up with, but also to surpass Western competitors in certain aspects. It is already predicted that with the transition to mass production of such structures, the nacelle assembly cycle will be halved, and the labor intensity will be significantly reduced throughout the production chain.