Trisha Shetty (Editor)

JSC Kuznetsov

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Founded
  
1912

Parent organization
  
JSC Management Company United Engine Corporation

The JSC Kuznetsov is a Russian aviation and space propulsion manufacturing company succeeding JSC N.D. Kuznetsov SNTK, JSC Samara Design Bureau of Machine Building and JSC NPO Povolzhskiy AviTI, which originate from several Samara-based aerospace engine companies, including the Soviet Kuznetsov Design Bureau. JSC Kuznetsov is one of the leading Russian companies of production of aircraft engines, liquid-propellant rocket engines as well as aeroderivative gas turbines and modular stations.

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Kuznetsov aircraft engines

The Kuznetzov Bureau first became notable for producing the monstrous Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprop engine that powered the Tupolev Tu-95 bomber beginning in 1952 as a development of the Junkers 0022 engine. The new engine eventually generated about 15,000 horsepower (11.2 megawatts), far more than any Western turboprop engine of its time, and it was also used in the large Antonov An-22 Soviet Air Force transport.

Kuznetsov also produced the Kuznetsov NK-8 turbofan engine in the 20,000-pound-thrust (90 kilonewton-thrust) class that powered the Ilyushin Il-62 and Tupolev Tu-154 airliners. This engine was next upgraded to become the about 28,000-pound (125-kilonewton) Kuznetsov NK-86 engine that powered the Ilyushin Il-86 aircraft. This Bureau also produced the Kuznetsov NK-144 afterburning turbofan engine. This engine powered the early models of the Tupolev Tu-144 SST.

The Kuznetsov Design Bureau also produced the Kuznetsov NK-87 turbofan engine that was used on the Lun-class ekranoplan. (Only one such aircraft has ever been produced.)

Kuznetsov's most powerful aviation engine is the Kuznetsov NK-321 that propels the Tupolev Tu-160 bomber and was formerly used in the later models of the Tu-144 supersonic transport (an SST that is now obsolete and no longer flown). The NK-321 produced a maximum of about 55,000-pounds (245 kilonewtons) of thrust.

Kuznetsov aircraft engines include:

  • Kuznetsov NK-4 turboprop. Powered the early Antonov An-10 and Ilyushin Il-18.
  • Kuznetsov NK-6 afterburning turbofan. Powered the Tupolev Tu-95LL and was considered for the Tupolev Tu-22 and Tupolev Tu-123, but this never happened.
  • Kuznetsov NK-8 turbofan. Powers the original Ilyushin Il-62, A-90 Orlyonok ekranoplan and the Tupolev Tu-154A and B models.
  • Kuznetsov NK-12 contra rotating turboprop. Powers all the versions of the Tupolev Tu-95, Tupolev Tu-114, Tupolev Tu-126, Antonov An-22 and the A-90 Orlyonok ekranoplan.
  • Kuznetsov NK-14 nuclear-powered engine. Powered the inboard engine of the prototype Tupolev Tu-119 nuclear-powered aircraft; a modified version of the Tupolev Tu-95.
  • Kuznetsov NK-16 turboprop. Was to power the Tupolev Tu-96.
  • Kuznetsov NK-22 afterburning turbofan. Powered the Tupolev Tu-22M0, M1 and M2.
  • Kuznetsov NK-25 afterburning turbofan. Powers the Tupolev Tu-22M3.
  • Kuznetsov NK-26 turboprop.
  • Kuznetsov NK-32 afterburning turbofan. Powers the Tupolev Tu-160 and the later models of the Tupolev Tu-144.
  • Kuznetsov NK-34 turbojet.
  • Kuznetsov NK-56 turbofan. Was to power the Ilyushin Il-96, but was cancelled in favor of the Aviadvigatel PS-90.
  • Kuznetsov NK-86 turbofan. Upgraded version of the NK-8, powers the Ilyushin Il-86.
  • Kuznetsov NK-87 turbofan. Based on the NK-86, powers the Lun-class ekranoplan.
  • Kuznetsov NK-88 experimental turbofan. Powers the Tupolev Tu-155 hydrogen and LNG powered aircraft.
  • Kuznetsov NK-89 experimental turbofan. Was to power the unbuilt Tupolev Tu-156.
  • Kuznetsov NK-144 afterburning turbofan. Powered the early models of the Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic transport.

    • Kuznetsov rocket engines

    In 1959, Sergey Korolev ordered a new design of rocket engine from the Kuznetzov Bureau for the Global Rocket 1 (GR-1) Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which was developed but never deployed. The result was the NK-9, one of the first staged-combustion cycle rocket engines. The design was developed by Kuznetsov into the NK-15 and NK-33 engines in the 1960s, and claimed them to be the highest-performance rocket engines ever built, which were to propel the N1 lunar rocket—one that was never successfully launched. As of 2011, the aging NK-33 remains the most efficient (in terms of thrust-to-mass ratio) LOX/Kerosene rocket engine ever created.

    The Orbital Sciences Antares light-to-medium-lift launcher has two modified NK-33 in its first stage, a solid second stage and a hypergolic orbit stage. The NK-33s are first imported from Russia to the United States and then modified into Aerojet AJ26s, which involves removing some harnessing, adding U.S. electronics, qualifying it for U.S. propellants, and modifying the steering system.

    The Antares rocket was successfully launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on April 21, 2013. This marked the first successful launch of the NK-33 heritage engines built in early 1970s.

    Kuznetsov rocket engines include:

  • Kuznetsov oxygen-rich stage-combustion RP1/LOX rocket engine family. Including NK-9, NK-15, NK-19, NK-21, NK-33, NK-39, NK-43. The original version was designed to power an ICBM. In the 1970s some improved versions were built for the ill-fated Soviet Lunar mission. More than 150 NK-33 engines were produced and stored in a warehouse ever since, with 36 engines having been sold to Aerojet general in the 1990s. Two NK-33 derived engines (Aerojet AJ-26) are used in the first stage of the Antares rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation. The Antares rocket was successfully launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on April 21, 2013. This marked the first successful launch of the NK-33 heritage engines built in the early 1970s. TsSKB-Progress also uses the stockpile NK-33 as the first-stage engine of the lightweight version of the Soyuz rocket family, the Soyuz-2-1v.
  • RD-107A rocket engine. Powers the boosters of the R-7 family including the Soyuz-FG and Soyuz-2.
  • RD-108A rocket engine. Powers the core stage of the R-7 family including the Soyuz-FG and Soyuz-2.

    • Kuznetsov industrial gas turbines

    Kuznetsov industrial gas turbines include:

  • NK-12ST. Derivative of NK-12 turboprop. Serial production started in 1974. The engine is designed for gas pipelines.
  • NK-16ST. Derivative of NK-8 turbofan. Serial production started in 1982. Used in gas compressor stations.
  • NK-17ST/NK-18ST. Uprated versions of NK-16ST.
  • NK-36ST. Derivative of NK-32 turbofan. Development tests conducted in 1990.
  • NK-38ST. Derivative of NK-93 propfan (never flown). Development tests conducted in 1995. Serial production started in 1998.

    • References

    JSC Kuznetsov Wikipedia
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