Free Web NovelChapter 954: Chapter 483: You Can Test Now!_1
Aviation Research Base.
In the westmost part of the Kunlun Engine Division, there was a large operation room used for placing prototype components and tuning their performance.
Recently, the operation room had been bustling non-stop, with various parts being transported here. It was as if it had become a large-scale mechanical processing factory, with people coming and going, creating an active scene.
Zhang Gangchuan’s team was extremely busy, several times busier than the same period last year, because they had taken on a new task—
Tuning the WZ-A2 prototype!
The task of the Kunlun Engine Division was to tune the Kunlun engines, since the subsequent improvements did not require too many people, some were assigned to the Wangwu Engine Division, or went back to their original units for research and development, and so on.
At the company meeting concerning the WZ series engines, the Kunlun Engine Division was given the task of tuning the WZ-A2 prototype. Zhang Gangchuan and his entire team were very excited and looking forward to it, but at the same time, they faced an awkward problem. Their team was clearly short-staffed. The work on perfecting the Kunlun engines had entered the later stages, and many technical staff had left halfway through.
Recruiting new members for the engine division was difficult, and it was not possible to report to the group for help from upper management because the WZ-A1 prototype tuning was also underway, and the Warhawk group had barely any staff to speak of.
In this situation, Zhang Gangchuan simply decided to call back the scattered Kunlun engine prototype team.
Related work on the Kunlun engine was put on hold, getting everyone involved in the assembly and tuning of the WZ-A1 prototype. First, to finish the preliminary work together and, once the new engines stabilized in performance and did not require so many hands, they would return to their own positions and continue the original Kunlun engine project.
This was not a decision made by Zhang Gangchuan alone, but the result of discussions with several core members of the team.
The Kunlun Engine Division also reported this to the aviation company.
The Aviation Group’s senior management had no objections whatsoever. They even admired the Kunlun Engine Division’s "decisiveness." After reviewing the report on the WZ series engines, the higher-ups had already lost interest in the Kunlun engines. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Kunlun engines?
An engine that always had various problems and could not keep up performance-wise, what was the point of continuing to tune it?
The WZ series engines were just a low-spec version of the WZ-A2, higher in design and performance, and could definitely catch up to the international advanced levels. Even if it took more manpower, resources, and even time, as long as the engines were produced, it would all be worth it.
With the support of the Aviation Group’s high-level management, the Kunlun Engine Division was able to focus on the assembly and tuning work of the WZ-A2.
Their progress was faster than that of the WZ-A1 because the WZ-A2 was a low-spec version, some parts were made of more common materials, and they encountered basically no major problems during manufacturing. Coupled with the direct targeting of the J-20 fighter jet and earlier manufacturing of components, they had completed the assembly of the WZ-A2 prototype.
After the assembly of the first WZ-A2 prototype, the Kunlun Engine Division immediately conducted operational testing.
The result was a failure!
The engine did not start running at all!
The Kunlun Engine Division was now correcting the problems from the first run, and they easily identified several major issues.
For example, the fuel pipeline was somewhat narrow.
For example, there was a minor issue with the control system that failed to timely feedback the amount of fuel supplied.
For example, a turbocharger blade was not running.
And so on.
These were conclusions drawn from repeated testing over more than two weeks.
Now, they were busily correcting the issues and retesting the problematic components.
Zhang Gangchuan, for a change, had a moment of leisure. Standing in the corridor on the second floor overlooking the entire operation room, he wore a smile on his face and exclaimed, "Now it’s much faster than Kunlun. In two weeks, we’ve solved several major issues."
Beside him was Zhou Kai, the head of the power department.
"Yes!"
Zhou Kai rested his hand on the railing, reminiscing, "Back then, we had no experience. I remember it took a long time, probably more than two or three months, but now it’s just over half a month. It won’t take a month to solve everything."
The first test run failing was completely expected. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
The engine had just been assembled, and the first tuning was bound to fail. Even just during the installation process, problems could arise from improper operation, not to mention issues with components.
For instance, a turbocharger blade not running could be due to an installation problem or an inherent weight issue.
Both were possible.
It wasn’t something they could completely control.
Zhang Gangchuan was also very satisfied with the progress of the work. All of a sudden, he said, "I’ve heard that Academician Zhao’s team has also started. It’s really quite fast; I didn’t expect it!" he said, shaking his head wistfully.
That was true astonishment!
Upon being allotted the WZ-A2 tuning task, Zhang Gangchuan felt that the Aviation Group was looking after his team, considering they were an "old team" with much experience.
The design originally from Zhao Yi’s team, the WZ-A1, could be considered the high-spec version, targeting the top-tier J-31. However, the design drawings of the J-31 were not yet complete. The manufacturing and tuning of the engine prototype had essentially been delayed.
Zhang Gangchuan believed it was the high-level management’s consideration.
The design of the WZ series engines was very advanced, but being too advanced wasn’t necessarily a good thing. For instance, there would be more problems in manufacturing and tuning. If the low-spec WZ-A2 could be successfully tuned, then going on to manufacture and tune the WZ-A1 prototype would be a more reasonable work arrangement, likely to progress even faster.
