Demonstration of Inter-Turbine Burners for Part-Power Fuel Efficiency Improvements

Advanced turbojet and turboshaft engines will be required to support future Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) missions which require a significant amount of time at cruise conditions to achieve a primary objective of increased range and time-on-station. Inter Turbine Burner (ITB) technology is the most promising method of improving mission integrated fuel consumption because it allows engine performance optimization at cruise while supporting efficiently increased engine power density during takeoff and evasive maneuvering operations. In Phase I the feasibility of a compact, lightweight, durable, rapid mixing vortex entrainment based turbine burner was demonstrated through a combination of engine testing and numerical simulation. During Phase II ITB development will include: 1) further ITB numerical simulation; 2) engine system trade study validation and optimization 3) comprehensive rig and engine durability assessment and 4) delivery to the Air Force of an ITB equipped turbine engine. Follow-on independent Air Force demonstration will validate TRL6-7 ITB status and instigate immediate consideration of turbine engine integrated ITB technology activity at each major VAATE contractor (P&W, GE, Rolls Royce, Honeywell, Williams, etc.) and Phase II engine demonstration will also compel Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, etc. to consider Spytek ITB equipped engine technology within their advanced UAV concepts.