Klimow TW3-117

Klimow TW3-117

The Klimow TW3-117 (also Isotow TW3-117 ) is a helicopter turbine from the former Soviet, now Russian engine manufacturer Klimow . Since the development in 1972, more than 25,000 units have been produced, the engine was used in 95% of all Soviet and Russian helicopters .

development

The Klimov company in Saint Petersburg , Russia , was named after its former chief designer Vladimir Klimov , who died in 1960 . His deputy and successor, Sergei Isotow , designed this engine following the TW2-117 and the associated reduction gear.

Originally developed for the Mil-OKB helicopter types Mi-24A and Mi-14 , the TW3-117 was later also used in Mi-17 , Mi-28 and Mi-35 as well as in the Kamow helicopter types Ka-27 , Ka-28 , Ka-29 , Ka-31 , Ka-32 , Ka-50 and Ka-52 installed. The starting power is 2,000 to 2,400 hp depending on the version.

Based on the TW3-117, further engines such as the Klimow WK-2500 or the Klimow WK-1500 were built at the beginning of this decade .

Despite its similar name, the engine family TW7-117 is a completely new design and not related to the TW3-117.

Versions

• TW3-117 - for Mi-24A (1972)
• TW3-117M ("M" for sea) - for Mi-14 (1976)
• TW3-117MT ("MT" for modernized, transport) - for Mi-8MT / Mi-17 (1977)

Klimow TW3-117W

• TW3-117KM ("KM" for Kamow, Meer) - for Ka-27
• TW3-117W ("W" for height) - for the Mi-24 (1980) used in the Afghan war
• TW3-117WK ("WK" for height, Kamow) - for Ka-27, Ka-29 and Ka-32 (1985)
• TW3-117WM ("WM" for height, modernized) - for Mi-28 (1986)
• TW3-117WMA (modification "A") - for helicopters Ka-50, as well as Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-31, Mi-24, Mi-28A / H, Ka-32 (1986)
• TW3-117WMA series 02 - for Ka-32 (1993)
• As a turboprop TW3-117WMA-SBM1 for the Antonov An-140 regional airliner
• As Turbojet TW3-117 (A) - for unmanned reconnaissance aircraft ( drones )

commitment

After the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan it quickly became apparent that the engines of the Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters used were only partially suitable for the climatic conditions of the region. The TW2-117A of the Mi-8 achieved only about 2/3 of its normal operating performance at the usually prevailing daytime temperatures of around 40 ° C, in the higher altitudes of the Afghan highlands this even sank to 50%. So from 1980 Mi-8 with the improved TW3-117MT were used. In a further evaluation of the experience, the Mi-24D combat helicopters used had to be equipped with dust protection systems in front of the air inlets, as the engines, which were idling on the ground at a higher speed than usual, sucked in a large amount of the very sand and dust-laden air that the compressor blades generated irreparably damaged. The filter was able to reduce the foreign body content by 70 to 75%. In 1981 the Mi-24W appeared, whose improved TW3-117W provided 15 to 20% more power in the heights of the mountains and with which the Mi-24D used in Afghanistan were gradually also equipped.

The seaworthy variant "M" (for morskoi, sea) indicates that the rotors and stators of the first compressor stages are provided with a special alloy that prevents the build-up of salt. Explanation: when hovering over sea or flying at low altitude above sea, the engines suck in sea water that evaporates in the engines, what remains is the salt from the sea water that settles on the blades of the engines and the surface structure and thus the air circulation influenced. This leads to a not inconsiderable loss of performance. The special alloy makes it difficult to set the salt. The set salt can be removed by a "washing process". The loss of power due to the added salt was so great that it was necessary to clean the engines after each flight over sea. To do this, after landing on the ground with the engines idling, an alcohol-water mixture was injected into the air intakes of the engines. As a result, the salt deposits were rinsed off, got into the combustion chamber and were also burned here due to the addition of alcohol or simply ran out of the exhaust gas tract as a liquid residue. The problem of deposits on the rotors and stators of the compressor stages of the TW3-117 with considerable power losses also occurred due to environmental pollution, for example the units equipped with Mi-24, but also Mi-8 in the GDR, which were in use over central Germany came, the same problems caused by deposits of coal dust and exhaust gases from the lignite power plants. They then took over the process of “washing” the engines after the flight from Marine Helicopter Squadron 18 .

Technical specifications

The engines have a twelve-stage axial compressor, which is driven by a two-stage turbine. The output shaft is also driven by a two-stage turbine.

Surname	TW3-117WM series 02	TW3-117WMA series 02
Emergency service	2,200 PS (1,618 kW)	2,400 hp (1,765 kW)
Starting power	2,000 PS (1,471 kW)	2,200 PS (1,618 kW)
Specific fuel consumption	299 g / kWh	292 g / kWh
Continuous output	1,500 PS (1,103 kW)
length	2055 mm
width	660 mm
height	728 mm
Weight	295 kg

Web links

Commons : Klimow TW3-117  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• TW3-117 on the manufacturer's website

Individual evidence

1. ^ Viktor Markowskij: Hot skies over Afghanistan . Elbe – Dnjepr, Klitzschen 2006, ISBN 3-933395-89-5 , p. 103 .
2. ↑ Markovsky, Himmel, p. 117