GKN Validating Fan Blade Coatings To Protect Against Erosion

LONDON—GKN Aerospace is working to validate a new engine fan blade coating that will help make repaired blades “better than the original,” which should reduce aircraft fuel burn.

In daily operations, the leading edges and tips of engine fan blades are subject to debris that causes erosion and degradation that eventually reduces their efficiency.

GKN already repairs these blades at sites in Malaysia, Sweden and the U.S., where the company has opened a new facility near San Diego with capacity to repair 54,000 blades a year.

Now GKN is testing a propriety ceramic coating that is applied to the repaired blades which allows them to withstand the effects of erosion and degradation for longer.

“Chips and erosion of the leading edge of the blade can increase specific fuel consumption by 1%,” said Russ Dunn, GKN’s chief technology and head of strategy, in a briefing with journalists on April 17.

“With the repair, you gain that 1% back … and then apply the coating, you can keep that 1% improvement for longer,” Dunn said. “What we are doing here is putting a fan blade back into service which is better than the original.”

The coating has been developed in Sweden, where research work was underway on understanding negative effects of fan blade degradation in flight and the benefits of fan blade repair.

Tests have already been carried out on the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan, to which GKN is a significant supplier, but the company hopes to be able to offer the capability for all commercial engine models. Work on certification of the coating is taking place in the U.S.

The company does not discount the potential of making the coating available to engine OEMs under license in the future for implementation during the manufacture of new engines.

“We are taking one step at a time,” said Peter Dilnot, the CEO of GKN Aerospace and its parent Melrose. “We need to prove it, test it in a repair environment and then make sure it works.”