Kaveri Engine

Hari Sud

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
3,701
Likes
8,331
Country flag
The Kaveri engine has not succeeded in last 25 years. It should be dumped and the Kaveri development process department of DRDO closed. Otherwise vested interests in DRDO will keep on harping on it and continue to miss the bus in other areas.
 

SavageKing456

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Messages
3,078
Likes
18,149
Country flag
The Kaveri engine has not succeeded in last 25 years. It should be dumped and the Kaveri development process department of DRDO closed. Otherwise vested interests in DRDO will keep on harping on it and continue to miss the bus in other areas.
So who will do R&D?
You think a private company will come magically out of nowhere and start fielding world class engines?
The program should continue until we solve all of it's issues since we have to face them in future also.
 

Spitfire9

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
1,085
Likes
2,734
Country flag
only 2000 crores since 1989. how did they expect a World class engine with that puny budget
RR and SAFRAN have apparently offered to develop a 110kN engine for ~US$6 billion.

Indeed, you cannot seriously believe that - from a standing start - a viable fast jet engine can be created for a tiny fraction of that.

On the other hand a small amount spent to create an engine that can be used in non-fast jet applications could be viewed a good result.

And why not continue trying to develop the engine further to improve it and also gain extra knowhow?
 

Okabe Rintarou

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
2,337
Likes
11,986
Country flag
The Kaveri engine has not succeeded in last 25 years. It should be dumped and the Kaveri development process department of DRDO closed. Otherwise vested interests in DRDO will keep on harping on it and continue to miss the bus in other areas.
^Chinese agent asking to shut down important DRDO labs.
:bplease:


Just kidding. I know you aren't an agent.

And why not continue trying to develop the engine further to improve it and also gain extra knowhow?
I don't think they ever stopped. Recent progress, especially in thermal barrier coatings is very encouraging.
 

rodeo

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2021
Messages
267
Likes
631
Country flag
RR and SAFRAN have apparently offered to develop a 110kN engine for ~US$6 billion.
What are the constituents of this dollar figure? What kind of a deal is this? Do they provide technical assistance or is it joint-development?
 

Okabe Rintarou

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
2,337
Likes
11,986
Country flag
EXPAND PLS
Earlier we had only 1200 degrees C capable Yttrium Stabalized Zirconia TBC. Beyond 1200 C it used to become ineffective at creating a thermal gradient between the turbine blade material and the gases coming out of the combustor.
DRDO recently developed a two-layer TBC based on Lanthanum Zirconate top coat and a Ytrium Statbaized Zirconia layer under it. This can apparently withstand temperatures as high as 2000 degrees theoretically. Massive increase in turbine entry temperature is now possible allowing for much higher thrust engine as long as our turbine blade material itself is good enough (which maybe it isn't right now).

And then a few days ago, @Ajax01 was talking about a new TGO-less TBC being developed by some IIT in conjunction with some German institute. It reportedly withstood turbine temperatures as high as 1800 degrees C. And being TGO-less probably has a longer life.

Overall, its massive progress.

What are the constituents of this dollar figure? What kind of a deal is this? Do they provide technical assistance or is it joint-development?
No idea. Right now, no breakup or details are available. No deal announced just yet. But seems like FGFA saga in the making to me.
 

sorcerer

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
26,920
Likes
98,472
Country flag
DEVELOPMENT OF KAVERI ENGINE


Posted On: 29 NOV 2021 2:58PM by PIB Delhi






Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) sanctioned Kaveri Engine project in 1989. The following milestones were achieved:


· 9 Full prototype engines and 4 core engines built


· 3217 hours of engine testing conducted


· Completed Altitude tests & Flying Test Bed (FTB) trials. This is the first time that an indigenously developed military gas turbine engine was flight tested


Kaveri engine project has achieved higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL) in many critical technology domains and those technologies are being used in the various engine development programmes of the country. Further the engines are used as test vehicles for validating next generation technologies.


Funds details are as follows:



Funds allocated

Expenditure

Commitment

Rs. 2105 crore

Rs. 2035.56 crore

Rs. 2097.65 crore

At present, the LCA Tejas is integrated with an imported engine. However, in future, it is proposed to develop indigenous engines for powering our own aircrafts such as LCA variants and AMCA in association with an International Engine House. The technological capabilities built through the Kaveri engine project will be utilised.


LCA Tejas, Flight Operational Clearance (FOC) configuration demands higher thrust than the intended engine requirement. Hence the Kaveri in the present architecture cannot be integrated. In order to induct with LCA Tejas, a modified engine version is required.


This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt in a written reply to Shri M. Mohamed Abdulla in Rajya Sabha today.
 

THESIS THORON

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2021
Messages
6,594
Likes
32,199
Country flag
And then a few days ago, @Ajax01 was talking about a new TGO-less TBC being developed by some IIT in conjunction with some German institute. It reportedly withstood turbine temperatures as high as 1800 degrees C. And being TGO-less probably has a longer life.
is it already developed or in developement ?? can we expected it around 2024-5
 

Okabe Rintarou

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
2,337
Likes
11,986
Country flag
is it already developed or in developement ?? can we expected it around 2024-5
Not sure, @Ajax01 did mention that it has been physically tested already, so probably already developed. But don't know for what blade material. And if we can develop blades of that material. Don't think it can be part of any Indian engine by 2024-25. Maybe it will be used for AMCA engine though.
 

Rajaraja Chola

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2016
Messages
754
Likes
2,362
Country flag
Well man we achieved great stuff with that puny budget lol
Lack of Govt intent is a major issue.
I think 2000 crores over 3 decades. I mean 10cr spent in 1989 is effectively equavalent to 200 Cr today. I would say with inflation around a billion dollar have been spent.
I am.not even sure if manpower salary are calculated onto this.
 

Whitecollar

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
569
Likes
2,218
Country flag
On wiki, the dry weight of Kaveri is claimed to be 1236kgs. Do you think after adopting newer alloy tech, some weight shedding would've been achieved?
And if so, this isn't far away from RD-33 in terms of thrust. Given the dimensions n all, maybe DRDO could retrofit 2 Kaveri on old Mig 29 airframe and go for phase by phase trial(ground trial, taxi trial and finally flight worthiness trial).

I mean, even with lesser thrust this engine with afterburner could be technically used on TEDBF or ORCA.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top