RuAviation

In the 2016 movie Crew, the Tu-204SM plane hits a region of volcanic ash while taking off from Kanvu Island. One of the PS-90A engines in the story fails and has to be shut down, but the second engine, despite the fire, continues to work and eventually makes it possible to continue the flight.

This episode, as well as periodic NOTAMs of aviation regulators from different countries, including Russia, make you wonder what would happen in reality if a jet plane falls into a cloud of volcanic ash, not in the movies, but in reality? The Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM) told about it, and also explained in detail how the ash testing of the PD-14 engine took place.

Volcanic ash is an abrasive material. Once in an aircraft engine, it melts in the combustion chamber and turns into a vitreous substance that closes cooling ducts, creates a film on turbine blades, combustion chamber flame tube and other elements of the hot part of the engine. The possible result is a change in the “geometry” of the engine up to its complete shutdown.

In 2021, specialists of CIAM successfully tested the gas generator of the PD-14 engine with volcanic ash. According to the test program, the flight conditions of the aircraft were simulated in the cruising mode for one hour. Ashes from the Kamchatka volcano Shiveluch were used for this work. An hour of stay of the PD-14 in an aggressive environment did not lead to any changes in its characteristics. The propulsion system developed by Perm’s ODK-Aviatdvigatel confirmed its safety during flight through the ash cloud.

Perm Design Bureau is the first engine-building company in Russia whose product passed the ash test, which was taken from Shiveluch volcano, as the most compliant with certification standards.

“The ash was fed into the gas generator and the behavior of the engine was observed. After that, the engine was completely disassembled and the impact of volcanic precipitation on parts was evaluated. The ash did not have a significant impact on the elements of the flow part,” the press service of UEC quotes the words of the head of the CIAM department Sergey Kuptsov about the tests.

Serial production of the PD-14 engine for the MC-21-310 medium-range airliner is being carried out at the ODK-Perm Motors company. By 2030 the annual production volume shall be 72 MC-21-310 airplanes and 160 PD-14 engines.