GS3 – S&T
Context:
The “Fund Kaveri Engine” campaign has gained attention post-Operation Sindoor, spotlighting this indigenous turbojet project.
What is Kaveri Engine?
- An indigenous turbofan engine developed by DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bengaluru.
- Designed originally in the 1980s to power the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and reduce reliance on foreign engines.
- Currently being developed as a derivative engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and India’s long-range UCAVs (like Ghatak stealth drone).
- Delays due to complex tech, Western sanctions, lack of skilled manpower, and foreign dependencies.
- Flight testing currently ongoing in Russia.
Technical Features:
- Low bypass, twin spool turbofan engine delivering 80 kN thrust.
- Flat-rated design reduces thrust loss at high speed and temperature.
- Equipped with twin-lane Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) with manual override for reliability.
What is a Jet Engine?
- A reaction engine generating thrust by expelling high-speed gases backward, powering jets and UAVs.
- Works on Newton’s Third Law: action-reaction principle.
- Air is compressed, mixed with fuel, ignited, and expelled to produce thrust.
Types of Jet Engines:
- Turbojet: traditional high-speed fighter engine.
- Turbofan: common in commercial jets, more fuel-efficient with bypass fans.
- Turboprop: combines jet power with a propeller for smaller aircraft.
- Ramjet & Scramjet: no moving parts, used for hypersonic speeds.
Challenges in Jet Engine Manufacturing:
- Requires high-temperature-resistant materials (e.g., single-crystal turbine blades).
- Precision engineering for durability and optimal thrust-to-weight ratio.
- Complex aerodynamics and decades of R&D. Only a few countries have mastered the technology.