BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Jul 2017, 11:42

I'm not sure how much of Williams International's new feature "Quiet Power Mode" is real secret sauce and how much is a snazzy marketing term for "reduced power setting" but it sure sounds good! (pardon the pun) :lol:

I'm a turboprop guy at heart, a King Air aficionado, but I named the company Jet Acquisitions for a reason... jet engines are the future. :duck:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Jul 2017, 14:13

Isn't Quiet Power Mode intended as an APU-alternative rather than an in-flight feature?

See here:
http://www.williams-int.com/news/willia ... production

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Jul 2017, 18:20

Yes, sorry I should have been more clear, jets in flight are quiet, nothing that needs to be done there. Eliminating the APU, that would be a huge savings in expense, weight, and maintenance.

Using the right engine for power is a pretty common practice in jets without an APU... what I don't understand and they didn't seem to explain is what's different with the new engine? Is it simply the ability to reduce the power below normal idle?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Jul 2017, 18:26

I have often wondered if a tiny diesel genset would be a viable apu solution.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Jul 2017, 19:45

I've wondered along those lines, with electric vehicles. Why do hybrid, just mount a small generator to recharge the batteries in an emergency. Same logic, if all you need is electrical power, why run a turbine to get it?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 22 Jul 2017, 00:09

Username Protected wrote:

I've wondered along those lines, with electric vehicles. Why do hybrid, just mount a small generator to recharge the batteries in an emergency. Same logic, if all you need is electrical power, why run a turbine to get it?

Attachment:

IMG_0434.JPG

As a fan of Top Gear UK, this immediately popped into my head. An electric car with a deisel generator to recharge the batteries...

Jeff

Username Protected · **Posted:** 22 Jul 2017, 02:04

Chip,

It looks like Williams has been developing methods to spin the inner spool/core with a slower/stopped fan spool. This would reduce fuel consumption and likely also noise.

Here's one of their patents that talks about it:
https://www.google.com/patents/WO1997026454A1

This seems like the turbofan analog of the "hotel mode" found on ATR series turboprops. In that case I believe the power turbine is held stationary using a brake while the core spins. The Williams approach seems more sophisticated in that they talk about bypassing elements of the fan spool which also likely reduces fuel consumption/noise.

David

Username Protected · **Posted:** 22 Jul 2017, 07:49

Username Protected wrote:

I've wondered along those lines, with electric vehicles. Why do hybrid, just mount a small generator to recharge the batteries in an emergency. Same logic, if all you need is electrical power, why run a turbine to get it?

That's how the Chevy Volt works.

Chip-

Quiet Power Mode the future?