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The Europrop International TP400-D6 is an 11,000 shp (8,200 kW) powerplant, developed and produced by Europrop International for the Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft. The TP400 is the most powerful single-rotation turboprop; only the contra-rotating Kuznetsov NK-12 is larger.
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Design and development
The three-shaft configuration, a 2-shaft gas generator followed by a free power turbine, was chosen to maximize overall pressure ratio.
In the gas generator a five-stage intermediate pressure (IP) compressor is driven by a single-stage IP turbine and a contra-rotating six-stage high pressure (HP) compressor is driven by a single-stage, air-cooled, HP turbine. The overall pressure ratio is about 25:1. The IP compressor has a pressure ratio of 3.5:1 and the HP compressor a pressure ratio of about 7.2:1.
A third coaxial shaft connects the low pressure power turbine to the 5.3 m diameter, eight-bladed, composite propeller, via an offset reduction gearbox. Maximum power output is 11,000 shp installed. (The gearbox output torque is up to 100 kNm).
(An earlier proposal, designated TP400-D1, based on the core size of the SNECMA M88-2 military turbofan was considered by Airbus to be too heavy and not sufficiently fuel efficient, so an all-new, smaller, core was chosen for the -D4).
The engine first ran on 28 October 2005 using a water brake as the load. During subsequent testing, the engine reached full power. On 28 February 2006 the engine was tested for the first time with the propeller installed.
Delays and problems
Certification was scheduled for October 2007, with the A400M first flight scheduled shortly afterwards. However continued technical problems delayed the certification test program and pushed the entire A400M aircraft program into further delays. Two engine milestones were reached in June 2008: its first ground run on a flight testbed, and completing integration with the first production aircraft.
The engine delays were primarily due to problems with completing the FADEC software to the satisfaction of the civil authorities. From June to December 2008 flight trials of a single TP400-D6 engine took place, mounted on the port wing of a C-130 flying test bed. On 11 December 2009, the maiden flight of the A400M took place.
Further problems arose in 2016 with the main gearbox that showed abnormal wear and heat requiring premature servicing. This problem led to the German Air Force temporarily ground two of its three A400M aircraft, and also resulted in a Royal Air Force aircraft suffering an in-flight engine shutdown. An interim fix for this engine issue was certified in July 2016.
Specifications (TP400-D6)
Data from Rolls-Royce