Reference-engine demonstration

GE90-115B

The GE90-115B is the first engine being built from the outset under the formal TurboFanModel public-data, component-map scaling, parameter-traceability, and validation methodology.

Development basis

Public data to a real-time engine model

Publicly available GE, NASA, certification, and research information is being assembled into a master parameter set. Generic NASA/pyCycle Fan, LPC, HPC, HPT, and LPT map surfaces will then be scaled to the GE90-115B design targets while retaining explicit distinction between published values, calculations, engineering estimates, and later validation tuning.

The result is intended to use the same TurboModel physics core and TurboFanLab test process as the CFM56 baseline rather than creating a separate GE90-specific simulator.

Development sequence

GE90 modeling progress

  1. Establish published geometry, rating, spool-speed, pressure-ratio, flow, temperature, and fuel-flow anchors.
  2. Derive the quantities that can be calculated reliably from the published data.
  3. Identify remaining assumptions explicitly rather than hiding them in the source code.
  4. Scale Fan, LPC, HPC, HPT, and LPT pyCycle map surfaces to the GE90 design point.
  5. Close HP- and LP-spool work balance and establish nozzle areas at the design condition.
  6. Validate steady-state and transient behavior in TurboFanLab.
  7. Place the engine in the closed-loop aircraft simulation and evaluate performance throughout the flight environment.

Dynamic validation

Beyond a static test point

TurboFanModel can be dynamically coupled to a flight simulation that provides data of flight performance for calculating engine performance, placing the engine model into a continuously changing flight environment and creating a genuine closed-loop simulation.

Current working documents

GE90 development material

The online page tracks current progress; milestone documents remain available as downloadable snapshots.

Component maps

Map gallery

Fan, LPC, HPC, HPT, and LPT plots will be added here as each GE90-scaled map is completed and checked. The same presentation used on the CFM56 page will be retained so map development can be compared directly.

Fan — in progress
LPC — in progress
HPC — in progress
HPT — in progress
LPT — in progress