The Kuznetsov NK-89 was an experimental

alternative fuel Alternative fuel, known as non-conventional and advanced fuels, are any materials or substances that can be used as fuels, other than conventional fuels like; ''fossil fuels'' (petroleum (oil), coal, and natural gas), as well as nuclear materi ...

turbofan The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which achieves mechanic ...

engine, designed by the

Kuznetsov Design Bureau The Kuznetsov Design Bureau (russian: СНТК им. Н. Д. Кузнецова, also known as OKB-276) was a Russian design bureau for aircraft engines, administrated in Soviet times by Nikolai Dmitriyevich Kuznetsov. It was also known as (G)N ...

Development

The NK-89 was a modified version of the hydrogen-powered NK-88 and was designed to run on both

liquified natural gas Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volu ...

(LNG) and

kerosene Kerosene, paraffin, or lamp oil is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in aviation as well as households. Its name derives from el, κηρός (''keros'') meaning "wax", and was regi ...

. It was intended for use on the proposed Tupolev Tu-156, a modified version of the

Tupolev Tu-154B The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russ ...

. This aircraft was to have cryogenic tanks in the rear of the cabin and forward baggage hold to store the LNG. Kerosene would be carried in the wing tanks. In January 1989, a test flight of a prototype of this engine was carried out onboard of the

Tupolev Tu-155 The Tupolev Tu-155 is a modified Tupolev Tu-154 (СССР-85035) which was used as an alternative fuel testbed, and was the world's first experimental aircraft operating on hydrogen and later liquid natural gas. The similar Tu-156 was never built ...

flying laboratory where LNG was used as fuel. By default, the engine would run on LNG, but kerosene could be used when flying out of airports where LNG is unavailable or in case of emergency. The switch from LNG to kerosene could be made in-flight in 5 seconds.

Applications

(testbed) * Tupolev Tu-156M (proposed) * Tupolev Tu-156S (proposed)

Specifications (NK-89)

References

{{Aeroengine-specs Low-bypass turbofan engines 1980s turbofan engines Kuznetsov aircraft engines

Development

Applications

Specifications (NK-89)

See also

References