Kaveri’s Compressor Blades + The Indian Single Crystal Effort

Got a lot of queries from you folks asking for more on the Kaveri aeroengine. Sourced the photos and slides above from a presentation from India’s Defence Metallurgical Research Lab (DMRL) in Hyderabad. Will update this with more.

28 thoughts on “Kaveri’s Compressor Blades + The Indian Single Crystal Effort”

  1. hey every one checkout the first pic…when u scroll down slowly it appears as if the blades are moving….great report shiv…

  2. No great report for DRDO..

    Simplistically, I ask Indian scientists and industrialist some funny questions, may be out of my ignorance:

    Why is that a simple thing like a saw blade, a planer, a lathe machine, an auto engine etc are still made out side the country..

    We either import it or assemble it.

    What ever DRDO has discovered or researched, how much of it has ever gone to enhance technology in common economic activities.. ??

    DRDO seems to be good at dreaming and merely an assembler since Indian Industry does not produce any quality basic machines, motors, electric and electronic subsystems..

    Then what is DRDO… some mesmerizing mantra system..

    Our basic approach is wrong.. Industry can not produce a good car engine and you ask DRDO to make airplane engine..

    It is not fault of DRDO. Their fault is that they think too much of themselves and tell plain lies.. to earn their bread.

  3. Can this engine drive a Tank ??

    Very simple, humble and a childish or laymans question..

    What if this is fitted into a tank ?

  4. Shiv,

    Its almost a week since u tickled us with "MMRCA Why IAF is nervous abt Americans" and no revert or update on it…………

    Pls clarify if its off…no offense intended if your source is not coming thru……..

    Hopefully We can forget this as a n aberration in what is a superb blog of yours

  5. Dear Shiv, Thanks! This is most enlighting thing I've seen on Kaveri.There's very little info on this subject from the relevent labs etc.Keep us up to date!
    Pradip.

  6. Single crystal blades, BLISK assembly and thermal barrier coatings: these are three core technologies that the DMRL/GTRE need to develop ASAP by hook or crook. Russia and the West have had them for decades already and are moving on to newer-generation stuff like laser-shaped and ceramic blades.

  7. Congrats to the guys who did this. Looks like a lot of hard work at low pay. They must be a motivated bunch!

    Anon@10:04,
    I believe the single crystal blades are more robust and are capable of withstanding comparatively high temperatures and high pressure over longer periods of time, than conventionally forged blades. It seems that if these SC-blades are used in the compression chambers, then you can sustain higher temperature and pressure, thus improving thrust for the engine and making it more reliable and efficient. Higher temperature and pressure means greater fuel-efficiency and thrust. Just like an internal combustion engine.

  8. @Mirza,
    They have to identify a process to make these things reliably and deterministically each time they want to make them. Thats the issue. It looks like they have developed some mechanism to check and verify their devices, but now they may have to try out many different variations in process parameters to reliably make these things. Once they settle on a set of process parameters that will work each time, their job will be done. It does look like they have made a lot of progress and I may be wrong and they may have already identified a good process to make these devices. Just my 2 cents.

  9. Anonymous at 10:19, he possibly told you what you want to hear. It is called brushing someone aside.

    Congratulations I-team. Good work. Thank you.

  10. Great job folks. We have to keep moving.

    We could also explore using Toughened Zirconia ceramic blades for the hot zone instead of metal SC blades. There are chemical pumps entirely made out of ceramics for corrosive applications in chemical industry.

  11. Thanks for the theoretical update – folks. Its refreshing to learn how many pages of Aerodynamics 101 you have learnt in the past 2 years. Good to know you all are on top of things. Keep moving and winning.

  12. TEM clearly shows a lot of effort has to go to remove that gamma.

    but that is the technology we really need badly to get rid of those cells.

    in a typical crystal, those cells are absent.

  13. great work as usual Shiv.Looks like they are working hard on the blade technology.

    I think we have to keep the light focused hard on this one subject after all like ISROs GSLV this is one area that will take the entire nation to new heights. I am hopeing HAL,GTRE will succeed in this if we encourage them and keep some flame on.

    Thanks.

  14. great work as usual Shiv.Looks like they are working hard on the blade technology.

    I think we have to keep the light focused hard on this one subject after all like ISROs GSLV this is one area that will take the entire nation to new heights. I am hopeing HAL,GTRE will succeed in this if we encourage them and keep some flame on.

    Thanks.

  15. Congrats, good work keep it up.
    For others who are making huge cry here, let us learn to encourage what ever has come till date. You cannot all a sudden build a 4th generation or 5th generation technology and demonstrate to world we are super power. American's, Europeans, russians have been doing the same from 1st generation. They would have also taken this much time, we have already missed the bus, but atleast we need to start from here and if not overtake them atleast try to reach their level. It will not come in few years. It is a continuous process, so dont always blame our scientist and engineers. We have reached this point in spite of having our own biting issues and brain drain. So let us encourage and wait for much more better results from our engineers and scientist. Let us learn to encourage, it will boost to do more. Good work continue rocking

  16. keep it up DRDO/GTRE!!! we were denied cryogenic engine technology for gslv years ago due to MTCR. now what happened!! we are flying the gslv with our own cryogenic engine. same thing happened as far as jet engine technology is concerned in respect of single crystal blade technology. nobody will share this complex technology. it is great to hear that drdo/gtre are putting effort in this regard following the footstep of isro. R&D is the best option. though it is a bit late but better than never. so let's give them some encouragement and time. then we will be able to see the amca (when it is ready) flying with our own engine in the near future. Jai hind.

Leave a Reply to Spirit of Exuberance Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Scroll to Top