Great article, Chris. I've done a little bit of reading on the metallurgy of modern aircraft engines. It's pretty astounding stuff. This essay is also an interesting contrast to some of your earlier work detailing the engineering and institutional advantages of Russia/China in the nuclear realm, which Western countries forfeited through decades of stagnation. It's heartening to see the opposite scenario with turbine technology.
Perfect mix of history, function, technical challenges, market players and conditions and even how AI is repurposing retired aircraft jet engines to meet the demand. Super.
p.s. Bad idea giving me big ideas about bamboo and gunpower. Otherwise, with the help of my pal the shotgun shell reloader, the neighbor behind me who won't control her bamboo coming across my property line is in for it this 4th of July.
Most people don’t realize it but there is a small company in another area that has accomplished something similar. Bloom Energy and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells SOFCs. The materials science challenge has parallels in high temperature degradation or rather working against that. Just like the turbine guys they have spent years with accumulated data and experience. It is similarly funny to notice that not a single one of their competitors has managed to commercially operate even a tiny fraction of what they do. Even GE Vernova is suiting up to compete against them and by their own admission will take 3-5 years. We shall see.
BTW gas turbines are not the only area of western dominance like this. Examples abound in semiconductor manufacturing, even single company ones like ASML.
Fascinating article. Also very interesting that many of the leading players in the gas turbine industry are also leading nuclear providers (either reactor vendors or produce major components)
Another great episode. Wish you would have spent more time on Boom Aerospace. Watching their tweets and YouTube videos makes it look like building a jet turbine for a supersonic aircraft and ground based power generation is extremely simple. Apparently they know something GE and Rolls Royce don't.
Maybe 10 to 15 years ago Rolls Royce had a YouTube video showing an air molecule going through a jet engine and how each phase affected it (suck, squeeze, bang, blow). Wasn't able to find today.
Great article, Chris. I've done a little bit of reading on the metallurgy of modern aircraft engines. It's pretty astounding stuff. This essay is also an interesting contrast to some of your earlier work detailing the engineering and institutional advantages of Russia/China in the nuclear realm, which Western countries forfeited through decades of stagnation. It's heartening to see the opposite scenario with turbine technology.
Wonderful post, Chris.
Perfect mix of history, function, technical challenges, market players and conditions and even how AI is repurposing retired aircraft jet engines to meet the demand. Super.
p.s. Bad idea giving me big ideas about bamboo and gunpower. Otherwise, with the help of my pal the shotgun shell reloader, the neighbor behind me who won't control her bamboo coming across my property line is in for it this 4th of July.
;)
Most people don’t realize it but there is a small company in another area that has accomplished something similar. Bloom Energy and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells SOFCs. The materials science challenge has parallels in high temperature degradation or rather working against that. Just like the turbine guys they have spent years with accumulated data and experience. It is similarly funny to notice that not a single one of their competitors has managed to commercially operate even a tiny fraction of what they do. Even GE Vernova is suiting up to compete against them and by their own admission will take 3-5 years. We shall see.
BTW gas turbines are not the only area of western dominance like this. Examples abound in semiconductor manufacturing, even single company ones like ASML.
Fascinating article. Also very interesting that many of the leading players in the gas turbine industry are also leading nuclear providers (either reactor vendors or produce major components)
Another great episode. Wish you would have spent more time on Boom Aerospace. Watching their tweets and YouTube videos makes it look like building a jet turbine for a supersonic aircraft and ground based power generation is extremely simple. Apparently they know something GE and Rolls Royce don't.
Maybe 10 to 15 years ago Rolls Royce had a YouTube video showing an air molecule going through a jet engine and how each phase affected it (suck, squeeze, bang, blow). Wasn't able to find today.
As a follow up question, what ia the relative availability of steam vs gas turbines, and the lead time / inflation impact?