General Electric J31

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General Electric J31 at the Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida

The General Electric J31 was an American turbojet engine that was developed by General Electric on behalf of the US Army from 1941 .

history

IA

In 1941 General Electric received an order from the US Army to develop a jet engine based on the existing engine developed in England by Frank Whittle . Six months later, on April 18, 1942, the General Electric IA engine was the first jet engine to operate in the United States. It delivered a thrust of 5.6 kN (1250 lbf) and was a direct copy of the Whittle W.1 X. However, the durability was poor, so that after 10 to 20 hours of running a major overhaul was necessary. The IA was initially used in the Bell XP-59A , but the more powerful I-16 was later used in the standard P-59A.

I-14

In autumn 1942, work began on the further developed version I-14 (1400 lb thrust), which received a new compressor housing, a modified air duct with a smaller number but larger turbine blades, a modified combustion chamber lining and improved materials. The first test bench runs took place in February 1943.

I-16 / J31

Construction on the I-14 based I-16 began in January 1943. The 1600 lb. thrust I-16, designated J31 in 1946, first ran in April 1943. General Electric delivered a total of 30 IA and 241 I-16s to the Army and some I-16s to the US Navy, which they used in Ryan FR- 1. Most of the P-59A were powered by two J31-GE-3s, each with 1650 lb of thrust, while some of the last ones received J31-GE-5s, each with 2000 lb.

Only prototypes of the I-14, the I-18 (1800 lbf thrust) and the I-20 (military designation: J39 ) delivering a thrust of 2000 lbf were built.

Technical specifications

Cutaway model J31
Parameter Data J31-GE-1 / GE-3 Data J31-GE-5 / GE-7
compressor single-stage radial (double-flow impeller)
turbine single-stage axial
length 1.83 m
diameter 1,054 m
Dimensions 864  lb (about 390  kg )
thrust 7.16 kN (1610 lb) 6.90 kN (1550 lb)
Specific
fuel consumption		 136 kg / kN · h 126 kg / kN · h

literature

  • Élodie Roux: Turbofan and turbojet engines - Database Handbook , Éditions Èlodie Roux, 2007, p. 207 f.
  • Dennis R. Jenkins, Tony R. Landis: Experimental & Prototype US Air Force Jet Fighters , Specialty Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-58007-111-6 , pp. 21-23, p. 42
  • Bill Gunston: World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines , Patrick Stephens Ltd., 3rd updated edition, 1995, ISBN 1-8526-0509-X , pp. 65 f.
  • Leonard Bridgman (Ed.): Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1950–1951. Samson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., London 1950, pp. 25d-26d

Web links

Commons : General Electric J31  - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ J31 on designation-systems.net (accessed on March 21, 2019)
  2. ↑ http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/engines.html#_Turbine4668
  3. ↑ a b Élodie, 2007, p. 206 f.