Ingestion of stones, sand, and airfield debris remains one of the main causes of aircraft engine damage during takeoff and landing. Yuri Sitnitsky, a designer from Pushkin, proposed a system that intercepts dangerous particles before they enter the compressor.
The development is primarily intended for engines with a low underwing placement, including the PS-90A, used on the Il-96, Tu-204, and Il-76. These configurations are more susceptible to foreign object ingestion during taxiing and takeoff.
The main feature of the design is the protection of only the most dangerous lower zone of the air intake. Air passes through the channels almost freely, while stones and debris, due to inertia, collide with reflective surfaces and are ejected into the engine's outer bypass duct.
Boeing previously studied a similar scheme, but American engineers encountered problems with deteriorated aerodynamics and thrust loss. In the Russian project, the problem was solved by using a movable screen that automatically retracts into the air intake immediately after the aircraft lifts off the runway.
According to Sitnitsky's idea, this will reduce compressor blade damage, increase engine life, and lower aircraft maintenance costs.
It should be noted that ODK continues to modernize the PS-90A. Recently, designers developed a new scheme for fuel manifold mounting brackets.