Daming 1805

Chapter 369 Carrier Aircraft and Engines

After Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jingyuan's grandfather and grandson boarded the aircraft carrier, the double formation of the aircraft carrier that had already rested and replenished left the port again.

Although these two large aircraft carriers have been officially delivered to the navy, in order to record and solve new problems that may arise in actual use, the Ministry of Industry still arranged a small-scale craftsman team to continue to follow the navy fleet.

The person in charge of this team is Zou Minghai, a northern man in his 40s, and a senior craftsman of the fifth grade.

At this time, I followed Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jingyuan, and introduced the aircraft carrier and aircraft to them:
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, our aircraft carrier and aircraft are actually still being tested.

"Therefore, there are many types of aircraft on board now, and there are currently seven types in total.

"First of all, it has been finalized and tested on the original Dinghai, the carrier-based model of the five fighter jets.

"The Type [-] carrier-based fighter is the most numerous fighter, and it is the main fighter used to verify and explore the carrier's combat theory.

"Then there are two new carrier-based fighters in testing, Type [-] and Type [-].

"The seven-type fighter is based on the five-type fighter, replacing the double-row cylinder engine under verification.

"Its cylinders have increased from one row of nine to two rows of eighteen, and the theoretical maximum power should be able to exceed [-] horsepower.

"The engine is not very stable at the moment, and the continuous output power is only [-] horsepower for the time being."

Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jingyuan, grandparents and grandchildren, stood in the middle of the aircraft carrier deck and ran up.

Looking at the two rows of fighter jets parked slantedly on the sides of the ship.

One row of Zhu Jingyuan had seen it on the ground, similar to the historical Sea Fury fighter jets.

They are the Type [-] carrier-based aircraft that have been finalized, using a single-row nine-cylinder radial engine with a standard power of [-] horsepower.

At present, the flight range has been optimized to [-] kilometers, and the combat radius has exceeded [-] kilometers.

Part of the other row was similar in shape to the Type [-] fighter jets, but the nose was slightly lengthened.

There have also been some not-so-subtle changes in the outline of the entire body, which seems to have been redesigned.

Those are the Type [-] fighters equipped with new engines with double-row eighteen-cylinders.

Listening to Zou Minghai's explanation, Zhu Zhongliang obviously expressed surprise and emotion, as well as undisguised surprise, and said:

"In just five years, the engine power has increased from hundreds of horsepower to [-] horsepower.

"It's too fast, it's really too fast, an aircraft with this power already has the ability to rule the sky!"

When he said this, Zhu Zhongliang subconsciously turned his face and looked at Zhu Jingyuan beside him.

I couldn't help but sigh in my heart, with the guidance of my precious grandson, and the power support of the Emperor of Ming Dynasty and the royal consortium, the development of Daming's aviation technology is really close to flying.

If he hadn't directly pointed out the way, the craftsmen of Daming would have slowly figured out these technologies by themselves.

But the time to realize it is endless.

Whether I can see a thousand-horsepower engine in my lifetime is still unknown.

Zhu Jingyuan was staring carefully at the front of a Type [-] fighter jet, thinking about engine-related matters in his mind.

The radial piston engine, from one row to two rows, is a very important technical node.

In theory, the power can be doubled directly, but there is not much room for increase.

There are two rows and just can continue to design three rows, even four rows of super radial piston engines.

After such technology matures, it is only a matter of time before the power of the piston engine is increased to [-] horsepower.

With this multi-cylinder stacking design, plus several key supporting technologies to increase engine power, such as turbocharging, water injection recovery, and turbo compounding, it is basically the ultimate form of an air-cooled engine.

Once the road has reached its limit, it's time to move on to the turbo engine.

Now the design craftsmen of Daming, under their own guidance, have basically completed the stacking of multiple cylinders.

I don't know if there is any spontaneous exploration of supporting technologies such as turbocharging.

If not, it's almost time for me to bring it up.

Zou Minghai noticed that the Supreme Emperor Zhu Zhongliang was looking at Zhu Jingyuan, and Zhu Jingyuan was carefully observing the planes next to him, so he immediately explained its general situation:

"After replacing the engine of the Type [-] carrier-based fighter, the performance has been significantly improved.

"The most important thing is the maximum level flight speed, which has already exceeded [-] kilometers per hour.

"The normal cruising speed is also over [-] kilometers per hour.

"The flight range has reached 1000 to [-] kilometers, and the combat radius is approaching [-] kilometers.

"We installed two [-]mm cannons, and the belly can carry bombs of [-] kilometers."

Zhu Jingyuan nodded slightly after hearing this, the aircraft is fully usable in terms of parameters.

Zhu Jingyuan didn't remember very clearly, and felt that most of the fighter jets in the early days of World War II should not have reached this level.

Then Zhu Jingyuan shifted his gaze to the dozen or so twin-engined fighter jets next to him.

And behind them, those twin-engine attack planes.

These things directly exceed the scale of fighter jets and attack aircraft in service in World War II.

The twin-engine propeller carrier-based aircraft in history, the British Sea Mosquito and Sea Wasp, and the American F7F Tigercat, were actually completed and put into service after the war.

It's not that the naval power at the time couldn't build twin-engine carrier-based aircraft before and even during World War II.

Instead, large aircraft must use large aircraft carriers, otherwise the combat capability will be directly reduced like a cliff.

At that time, no country in the world had such a large aircraft carrier.

The Tigercat was matched with the [-]-ton Midway Island, and the Sea Mosquito and Sea Wasp were also advanced along with the design and construction of the [-]-ton Bold-class aircraft carrier.

But by the time the Midway and Audacious class carriers entered service, the jet age had arrived.

The twin-engine propeller carrier-based aircraft directly missed the era.

In this world, the jet age has not yet disappeared, and an aircraft carrier with a deck larger than Midway has already been built.

The twin-engine carrier-based aircraft can naturally try to board the ship.

The twin-engine fighter in front of me was not even proposed by Zhu Jingyuan, but was made by the craftsmen of Daming themselves, but Zhu Jingyuan was also consulted for his opinion at the time.

Zhu Jingyuan's opinion is that it can be done, and he also drew the general outline of the sea mosquito pose and the tiger cat for their reference.

And then they came out with it, and it was kind of like a mix of the two.

Zou Minghai noticed that Zhu Jingyuan's gaze had shifted, and immediately came over to continue explaining the situation of the plane here:
"The eight-type fighter is our newly designed heavy fighter with two engines.

"While the size of the aircraft body has increased, various basic performances have been greatly improved.

"The maximum flight speed has been measured at 680 kilometers, and it may continue to climb in the future.

"The maximum voyage has reached [-] kilometers, and the bomb load is more than one ton.

"Because the engines are on the sides, the nose section in the middle is completely free.

"We installed four twenty-millimeter cannons here.

"The two engines work at the same time, which also makes the fighter jet safer.

"Even if one engine fails, there is a high probability that the other engine will be able to land safely.

"The disadvantages of twin-engine fighters are also obvious.

"It's not as flexible as a single-engine fighter, and it takes up more deck space.

"Currently, the Navy and the Ministry of Industry agree that twin-engine aircraft are more suitable for attack aircraft."

Zhu Jingyuan nodded slowly after hearing this.

In modern jet fighters, twin engines are basically completely crushed against single engines.

Because jet engines can be placed side by side in the middle, it basically does not affect the flexibility of the airframe.

However, for a twin-engine propeller aircraft, the engines can only be placed on the wings on both sides like a passenger aircraft.

This will inevitably affect the hovering and rolling capabilities of the aircraft, and the air-to-air combat capability will be significantly reduced accordingly.

But this fighter is not useless.

Zhu Jingyuan turned around with a smile and said:
"It can also be used as an interceptor, which needs to have higher speed and range, and is used to intercept the enemy's large bomber fighter."

Zhu Zhongliang and Zou Minghai nodded subconsciously after hearing this.

"Our current...potential opponents, the Thai and Western countries should already be designing large bombers."

"So this route can't be given up. We must continue to keep testing and upgrading R&D..."

Zhu Jingyuan chatted with his grandfather and great craftsman Zou Minghai on the deck of the aircraft carrier and continued to watch the plane.

Going back from the middle of the deck, you will arrive at the place where the attack aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft are parked.

Zou Minghai continued to explain the situation of the three reconnaissance planes.

It is very similar to the classification of fighter jets. It is also an original and mature Type [-] single-engine attack aircraft, then there is a Type [-] attack aircraft with a double-cylinder high-power engine, and finally a Type [-] attack aircraft using two engines.

Compared with fighter jets, attack aircraft are of course more pursuing stability and hanging capabilities.

Therefore, the bomb load of the Type [-] twin-engine attack aircraft has reached two tons.

In theory, two aviation torpedoes can be hung.

Both the Navy and the Ministry of Industry are very satisfied with the twin-engine attack aircraft.

The characteristics of twin-engine aircraft are almost all advantages for attack aircraft.

With a large enough size, it can also undertake two different types of tasks, torpedo attack and dive bombing.

As for the reconnaissance mission, of course it can also be undertaken.

Therefore, the current judgment of the Ministry of Industry and the Navy is that only two types of aircraft are needed on the aircraft carrier.

Single-engine fighters, twin-engine attack aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft that also serve as attack aircraft.

While Zhu Jingyuan and others were strolling and chatting on the deck, the aircraft carrier gradually left the port.

After arriving in the open sea, the aircraft carrier began to accelerate, began to debug the aircraft, and prepared to fly for test and display.

Zhu Jingyuan and his party were also led by the officers on the aircraft carrier, and entered the command room on the bridge facing the deck.

Zhu Jingyuan looked at the bustling deck outside through the glass of the window, and began to ask his guess:

"Mr. Zou, have the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry and the consortium considered continuing to increase the power of the engine without increasing the number of cylinders, that is, to increase fuel utilization, or work efficiency?"

Zou Minghai was a little surprised, then immediately recalled what he knew, and said uncertainly:
"I remember that there should be, and it should be said that many people have considered it.

"When an internal combustion engine is running, the resulting jet of waste can travel faster than the speed of sound.

"The energy is actually wasted, if it can be utilized, it should be able to increase work efficiency.

"It's just that, at present, everyone's main energy is basically on stacking cylinders.

"The current core task is to solve various problems in the design of double-row cylinders.

"Considering exhaust gas recycling at this time is likely to complicate these issues further.

"So the research on waste gas utilization has not yet become a formal subject.

"So now only some colleagues and individuals are conducting theoretical explorations.

"After the engine with double-row cylinders is basically stable, the research results of these colleagues should have a chance to be used."

When talking about this, Zou Minghai thought of Zhu Jingyuan's past whimsical ideas, and asked almost subconsciously:

"Your Highness, do you have any thoughts on this?"

Zhu Jingyuan nodded with a smile and said:
"I really do, but as you said, the main task at present is to solve the problem of stacking dual-exhaust cylinders.

"However, research related to exhaust gas utilization and efficiency improvement can also be started simultaneously.

"Research and testing can be done on a single-cylinder engine.

"After the research of the two directions is completed, the speed of direct merging and upgrading is much higher than the efficiency of researching one by one alone."

"I have a few ideas at the moment, starting with my turbo lab and experience with blank bomb starters.

"Just like the wind blowing a car, the airflow can turn the turbine, so can the exhaust from the engine.

"Several auxiliary turbines can be designed to receive the energy of the exhaust gas ejected by the engine and convert it into rotational kinetic energy.

"This energy is then incorporated into the main shaft of the engine through the gears.

"This design can be called a turbine energy recovery system."

Zou Minghai and Zhu Zhongliang both nodded subconsciously:
"The logic is very clear, and it can be expected that it will be effective."

"In this way, the final power of the engine can be directly increased without increasing fuel consumption in theory..."

Zhu Jingyuan smiled and said:
"The logic is simple, the difficulty lies in the design of the turbine and the efficiency of energy recovery.

"How much weight does the entire turbine energy recovery system take up? Is it cost-effective to put it on a weight-sensitive aero engine?
"According to my prediction, this process may be more difficult, but it is worth studying."

Zou Minghai and Zhu Zhongliang immediately fell into deep thought, and instinctively began to think about how difficult it was.

Zhu Jingyuan knew a long time ago that there are big pits here, and reliability is difficult to control.

But it's really powerful to achieve the ultimate effect.

First of all, it can increase the power density to the limit, and can basically equal the fuel efficiency of the air-cooled engine to the liquid-cooled engine.

The last eighteen-cylinder radial piston engine in history, the R-3350, has a total displacement of 54.862 liters. It is a late model that uses turbine energy recovery, with a maximum power of [-] horsepower.

The contemporary 28-cylinder radial piston engine R-4360, with a total displacement of 71.489, did not use the final model of turbine energy recovery, and its maximum power was also [-] horsepower.

The 4360 used the final model of exhaust gas boosting, and the maximum power reached [-] horsepower.

Even if calculated according to 4300 horsepower, the unit displacement power of 4360 is obviously less than 3350.

The structural complexity of the 28-cylinder is far more than that of the 3350.

Unit fuel consumption is also much higher than 3350.

But they don't just use turbo energy recovery, they also use turbocharging and water injection recovery technology.

So Zhu Jingyuan followed this line of thought and talked about these two directions:
"Then there is another idea, which still comes from the turbine principle.

"It still uses the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to blow the turbofan, but it does not directly incorporate energy into the main shaft.

"Instead, make a compressor that pushes air into the cylinder, increasing the pressure inside the cylinder.

"This can of course increase the specific power of the engine, but the disadvantages can also be imagined.

"The temperature of the air will increase after compression, which will make the temperature of the cylinder rise faster.

"At the same time, the compressed air and the fuel-air ratio after mixing with the injected fuel may be out of balance.

"The result of this is increased engine knock...

"However, this problem is not impossible to solve, at least it can be controlled within a reasonable range.

"Spray a mixture of water and alcohol or methanol into the cylinder to reduce the high temperature caused by turbocharging, and to increase or restore the lost power of the engine again.

"At the same time, the atomization of water and alcohol can increase the pressure, increase the power of cylinder work again, and reduce the knocking caused by turbocharging.

"The application of such a combination idea should be able to improve the efficiency of the engine with the same displacement by a large amount.

"And I think that the difficulty of design, manufacture and control of this combination should be lower than that of turbine energy recovery, and the priority can be placed before the design of turbine energy recovery."

Zou Minghai was a little confused, but as a senior craftsman, that is, a modern senior engineer, he has solid basic knowledge and experience.

Zou Minghai quickly straightened out the logic of what Zhu Jingyuan said about these things.

Although these two ideas are a bit outrageous, and the combination of the two ideas feels extraordinarily coincidental.

But I also feel that this idea is indeed feasible.

If it was proposed by ordinary people, Zou Minghai and the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry might not pay special attention to it.

Just arrange it in a routine experiment.

But Zhu Jingyuan's idea needs to be studied repeatedly.

It's not because of Zhu Jingyuan's noble status, but because the probability of Zhu Jingyuan's idea being realized is too high.

Although it cannot be said that there are no failures in the ideas that Zhu Jingyuan has come up with over the years, most of them are very useful.

Zou Minghai carefully wrote down what Zhu Jingyuan said, and said very seriously and solemnly:

"Thank you for your instructions, I will send this information back to the Armament Department as soon as possible, so that my colleagues in the capital can start testing as soon as possible.

"I will notify you as soon as the results are available. If you encounter any problems in the middle, please continue to let me know."

In the past, Zhu Jingyuan and the Ministry of Industry also cooperated in this way.

Proposing the idea is only the first step, and there are still many problems in the process of exploration and realization.

These technologies have been realized, and the piston engine has basically come to an end.

In the original history, in the decades after World War II, until the 21st century, there has never been a particularly epoch-making revolutionary improvement in the piston engine.

Even the constantly innovative automobiles and construction machinery basically continue the classic design of the past.

The future direction is turbines, including jet engines, gas turbines.

Zhu Jingyuan nodded directly with a smile and said:
"No problem, but Zougong and the big workers of the Ministry of Industry can also think and verify along this line of thought.

"The energy conversion method we are using, how the efficiency of the energy conversion method in these scenarios is improved.

"In fact, this is also the technology my laboratory is researching, and the Ministry of Industry can also do some simultaneous preliminary research at the same time."

Zou Minghai is worthy of being a real senior engineer, he reacted instantly when he heard this prompt:
"You mean, turbines? Some craftsmen have already seen the potential of turbines, and the Ministry of Industry does have related research.

"However, the research is still in the early stage of exploration, and there is no clear direction yet. Does Your Highness have any good ideas?"

Zhu Jingyuan directly gave a definite response:

"It can be said that there is.

"I have now discovered that my laboratory has also discovered that the design related to turbine power is really simple and crude.

"Simple and rough is the ultimate pursuit of industry.

"The simpler the design, the easier it is to manufacture and maintain, the lower the energy loss, the higher the efficiency, and the higher the energy density.

"The vast majority of engines, including aircraft engines, are kinetic energy that converts internal energy into circular motion.

"Whether it is a gasoline engine, a diesel engine or a steam engine, the final output is the kinetic energy of rotation.

"It's just that there is a conversion process in the middle. The internal combustion engine must have a crankshaft and connecting rods, which first convert internal energy into reciprocating motion and then into rotary motion.

"The steam turbine first converts the internal energy of the fuel into the kinetic energy of water vapor, and then the water vapor drives the steam turbine to rotate.

"But the energy density of boilers and steam is too low and the weight is too large to fit on an airplane.

"Turbines that aircraft can utilize are obviously things like exhaust turbines and gas turbines.

"Exhaust gas turbines are also gas turbines at the end of the day.

"So, we might as well think about it this way, the fuel is no longer burned to drive the piston, and it is directly burned to form gas, which directly drives the turbine to rotate.

"It's like a blank-bore starter, only it's not a one-off sale like a blank-bore starter.

"It is to continue to burn in a stable space, continue to spew the heated and expanded gas, the gas continues to drive the turbine to rotate, and the turbine continues to drive the propeller to rotate.

"Even let the gas be injected directly, without the propeller, to see if it can get enough power to make the plane fly.

"That's my thinking. The Ministry of Industry can consider conducting research in this area."

Zhu Zhongliang's eyes lit up when he heard it beside him, he obviously discovered something he knew, something he was looking forward to very much.

Zhu Zhongliang asked Zhu Jingyuan almost instinctively:

"How long will it take to make this engine?"

Zhu Jingyuan thought about it and said:
"I originally estimated that it might take more than ten years, but now I feel that it should be shortened by a few years..."

Zhu Zhongliang was obviously a little excited, subconsciously asked:

"Why? What happened? What happened?"

Zou Minghai next to him, after hearing Zhu Jingyuan's description, fell into deep thought. At this moment, he tentatively said:
"To allow the gas to burn continuously in a space, and to use the high-temperature gas to drive the turbine to rotate, there are high requirements for the combustion space and the strength and high-temperature resistance of the turbine blades.

"And now...we have electroslag remelting steel, which has been confirmed to far exceed the performance of traditional steel, and can be used to make various high-strength, high-precision, high-temperature-resistant alloy steels.

"These materials can be used for high-power large-scale motor rotors, high-strength and precision bearings, and cutting tools. Gas turbines that require high strength and high temperature resistance should also be used..."

Zhu Zhongliang suddenly realized, and at the same time his eyes lit up, he thought of something else.

The improvement of the basic material technology of steel can drive the basic upgrading of the entire industrial system.

So, is it possible to speed up the refining speed of enriched uranium, and even the speed of making atomic weapons?
This kind of thing is an absolute secret, except for the two generations of emperors and the insider Zhu Jingyuan, it is impossible for anyone to know.

So Zhu Zhongliang forcibly endured his curiosity, and decided to discuss it with Zhu Jingyuan alone when he was resting at night.

(End of this chapter)