Lyulka AL-21

AL-21
	Lyulka AL-21F3 engine, Airforce Museum of the Bundeswehr; Berlin-Gatow
Type	Turbojet
National origin	Soviet Union
Manufacturer	NPO AL, Salyut, Perm PMZ, OMKB, UMPO, MMP Chern
Major applications	Sukhoi Su-17 ; Sukhoi Su-24

The Lyulka AL-21 is an axial flow turbojet engine created by the Soviet Design Bureau named for its chief designer Arkhip Lyulka.

Design and development

The AL-21 is closely similar in technology to the General Electric J79 first flown in 1955, which was the first engine for supersonic flight, using a variable stator.^[1]

It is generally described as being in the "third generation" of Soviet gas turbine engines which are characterized by high thrust-to-weight ratios and the use of turbine air cooling.^[2]

The AL-21 entered service in the early 1960s. Later designed the AL-21F3, it was used in the Sukhoi Su-17, Sukhoi Su-24, Ground-attack variant Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, and Sukhoi T-10 (Sukhoi Su-27 prototype).

Specifications (AL-21F3)

General characteristics

Type: Afterburning turbojet
Length: 5,300 mm (209 in)
Diameter: 1,000 mm (39 in)
Dry weight: 1,700 kg (3,740 lb)

Components

Compressor: Two-spool 14-stage axial compressor with variable stator vanes. 10 guide vanes with rotating blades (1 inlet vane, 4 first stages, 5 last stages.
Turbine: Two-stage high pressure, single-stage low pressure

Performance

Maximum thrust:
76.4 kN (17,175 lbf) dry
109.8 kN (24,675 lbf) with afterburner
Overall pressure ratio: 14.75:1
Turbine inlet temperature: 1,100 °C (2,000 °F)
Specific fuel consumption:
- 77.5 kg/(h·kN) (0.76 lb/(h·lbf)) at idle
- 87.7 kg/(h·kN) (0.86 lb/(h·lbf)) at maximum military power
- 189.7 kg/(h·kN) (1.86 lb/(h·lbf)) with afterburner
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 4.6 maximum military power / 6.6 with afterburner
Life expectancy: 1,800 hours

References

^ Aircraft Propulsion and Gas Turbine Engines By Ahmed F. El-Sayed p. 16
^ Sosounov, V.A. (1990). The Development of Aircraft Power Plant Construction in the USSR and the 60th Anniversary of CIAM. AlAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 26th Joint Propulsion Conference, July 16–18, 1990. Orlando, Florida. AIAA-90-2761.

External links

Page of the engine at Russian Aircraft Encyclopedia

[1] Aircraft Propulsion and Gas Turbine Engines By Ahmed F. El-Sayed p. 16

[2] Sosounov, V.A. (1990). The Development of Aircraft Power Plant Construction in the USSR and the 60th Anniversary of CIAM. AlAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 26th Joint Propulsion Conference, July 16–18, 1990. Orlando, Florida. AIAA-90-2761.

[1]

[2]