CLEVELAND … On April 30, Pratt & Whitney successfully completed the first flight of the Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G engine, which features hydrodynamic seal technology developed by diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation. Eaton’s hydrodynamic seals help reduce wear, friction and heat associated with conventional seals, allowing engines to run at higher pressures and speed combinations for longer durations — an important factor in the PW1200G engine’s revolutionary design and fuel-efficiency improvements.
“We are pleased that Eaton’s hydrodynamic seals provided a solution needed by engine designers to make significant advancements in fuel-efficient performance for the PW1200G engine,” said Andy Weeks, general manager of Eaton’s conveyance systems division. “We congratulate Pratt & Whitney for a successful first flight and for their vision and leadership in developing the industry’s next-generation engine technology.”
The PW1200G uses an advanced gear system that allows the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed from the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core delivers extensive improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions and noise reduction.
According to Pratt & Whitney, the PurePower® PW1000G engine can improve fuel burn by up to 20 percent and reduce carbon emissions by over 3,000 metric tons — equal to planting more than 700,000 trees — per aircraft per year. It is also the quietest engine in its class.
The PW1200G engine family’s flight-test program was launched by the PW1217G test engine, which will power the Mitsubishi Regional Jet aircraft currently under development. The test engine flies on a specially designed stub wing aboard Pratt & Whitney’s Boeing 747SP flying test bed.
Eaton’s hydrodynamic seal division has operations in Warwick, R.I., and Coignieres, France, to serve a worldwide customer base. Over the last decade, seal technology has made significant inroads into aerospace engines, thanks largely to continuing research, testing and product development being done by Eaton. Eaton offers high-performance, non-contacting hydrodynamic seals in face (axial) and radial (circumferential) forms. Both can significantly improve sealing capabilities for speed and pressure and reduce engine overhaul frequency.
In the aerospace industry, Eaton is a leading supplier of hydraulic, electro-hydraulic pump and generator products and integrated systems; engine and airframe fuel pumps; electric motors; aircraft door actuation, flight and flow controls; fluid, fuel and air delivery products and systems; nose wheel steering systems; integrated control systems; cockpit controls and displays; power and load management systems; pressure sensors, seals, and fluid health monitoring products and systems. Eaton serves commercial and military aviation, aerospace, military weapons, marine and off-road markets worldwide.
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of $16.0 billion, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components, systems and services for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 72,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.
