Chinese Y-20 ferry range will increase to 8,800km with WS-20 high-bypass turbofan engines
WS20 is much diameter bigger than WS18, looks damn cool. What is the maximum ferry range of Y20 when WS20 installed?
In the photograph, you see one large-diameter Chinese WS-20 high-bypass energy-efficient turbofan engine being tested. The other three are smaller-diameter, low-bypass, and less energy-efficient engines.
The current Chinese Y-20 ferry range is estimated at 8,000 kilometers.[1] With a 10% upgrade from the Chinese WS-20 engines, the ferry range should increase to around 8,800 km.
The regular payload of a Y-20 is about 60 tons, which is similar to the latest Russian IL-76.[2] The upgraded payload of a Y-20 with WS-20 engines is about 66 tons.[3] Hence, the inferred 10% WS-20 engine performance increase.
The WS-20 has a larger diameter due to its high-bypass and more energy-efficient turbofan engine design.[4]
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Citations:
[1]
Y-20 Heavy Transport Aircraft | Military-Today.com
"Ferry range ~ 8 000 km"
[2]
Y-20 / Y-XX / C919 Military Variant
"Russian sources suggested the Y-20 underwent a redesign in 2010 to enable it to lift the PLA’s heaviest armored vehicle, the 58 ton Type 99A2 main battle tank.
This would place the Y-20’s payload capacity around that of the IL-76 MF (60 tons payload capacity) and perhaps between the IL-76 MF and C-17 Globemaster (77.5 tons maximum payload), depending on the power of the engines available."
[3]
Not As Sexy As Stealth, But Maybe More Important: China Shows Off New Cargo Planes | Popular Science
"The Y-20 is the largest aircraft ever built in China. Notably. If Boeing stops making the C-17 Globemaster III (another Zhuhai guest) as planned in 2015, the Y-20 will become the largest military airlifter in production. Currently, Xian Aircraft Corporation has flown at least two flying prototypes, "781" and "783" have been built ("782" is a factory static testbed).
The Y-20, despite being slightly shorter than the Russian Il-76, can carry a greater payload of 66 tons at a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 220 tons, once domestic WS-20 turbofan engines replace the current Russian D-30 turbofans. The Y-20 will give the Chinese military to quickly deploy infantry, tanks, anti-air and anti-ship missiles throughout Asia, as well as humanitarian aid. The Y-20 could also be modified into an airframe for other strategic missions such as an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C), an anti-satellite laser carrier, and aerial tanker."
[4]
China's Y-20 'enters second phase of testing' - IHS Jane's 360
"Early service Y-20s would most likely be powered by the
12-ton thrust Russian Perm/Soloviev D-30KP-2 turbofans that are powering its prototypes.
An indigenous high bypass turbofan has been flying on an Ilyushin Il-76 engine test bed aircraft for over a year. This engine is thought to be the 14-ton thrust WS-20, which would allow the Y-20 to achieve its maximum cargo capacity of 66 tons."
Calculation: [(14-ton thrust - 12-ton thrust) / 12-ton thrust] * 100 = 16.7% better Chinese WS-20 engine performance over Russian D-30KP-2
[Note: Thank you to J-20BlackDragon for the Y-20 photograph.]
WS-20
