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kled7 t1_irp75wu wrote

It’s not so much the math. It’s testing. The math is pretty straightforward, but it was the prototyping and testing that got the engines we have today.

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HEBushido t1_irp93tc wrote

You need the components to actually fit the math

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Stealth_NotABomber t1_irpbq2s wrote

And the material sciences/metallurgy to make parts that can withstand the heat and pressure.

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gnusmas5441 t1_irpczq6 wrote

If I understand correctly, another challenge is finding and shaping materials that can withstand the forces generated by the fan blades spinning very fast and having to withstand, among other things, the forces generated by their tips moving much faster than their base at the center if the engine.

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evanc3 t1_irpejoo wrote

Plenty of materials that can do this, the trick is to get one that doesn't creep over time because the blade tips are remarkably close to the engine wall (tip clearance)

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slater_just_slater t1_irq2fgg wrote

Creep is why most 1st stage turbine blades are single crystal. Fun fact, single crystal blades are "grown" not cast.

They are also the most boring thing ever to look at under a metallograph.

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evanc3 t1_irq2u47 wrote

Still blows my mind!

But yeah I can imagine lol

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slater_just_slater t1_irq4gst wrote

What is interesting is that it's the same principle to how single crystal silicone is grown for microchip substrates. However the blades are hollow.

Since they have no grain structure, nothing responds to an acid etc, on a metallograph it's just a white blob.
They do have a thermal barrier coating (TBC) One of my jobs as a process engineer at Rolls Royce was the TBC coating. If you are bored here is a link about it.

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evanc3 t1_irq4nd0 wrote

I've actually worked in both industries! Very cool link though, I do thermal for aerospace currently but haven't come across these.

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Sands43 t1_irpaqbm wrote

Also metallurgy and lubricant technology

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