Pratt & Whitney, an internationally renowned aero engine manufacturer, announced that it will invest US$650 million to produce world-class turbine blades in a new factory of 1 million square feet by 2027. The new plant will house an advanced foundry and complete the machining, coating and finishing operations of airfoils. The source pointed out that the facility will also produce turbine blades made of ceramic matrix composite (CMC).
Pratt & Whitney has always regarded CMC as an enabling technology. Compared with the current most advanced single crystal castings, the higher working temperature of CMC can reduce or eliminate component cooling gas, and can also increase the combustion temperature to improve thermal efficiency. Although CMC has broad application prospects, its cost is a huge challenge. Pratt & Whitney will use its extensive expertise in the CMC field to optimize the cost and performance of the material system. This represents a major change in the application of materials and processes for Pratt & Whitney, and it is also the company's efforts to position engines for the next generation of aircraft.