This Forum is Closed

The centrifugal-flow turbofan is largely regarded as obsolete, but I say it's day has just arrived.  The main reason the centrifugal (centri-FYOOJ-al, cen-TRI-fuggal, which is the correct pronunciation?) flow turbofan is regarded as obsolete is that, in applications involving fighter planes, the axial-flow turbofan was the superior engine, as the means of increasing the power of an axial-flow turbofan is to add more fans,  making the engine longer and sleeker, whereas the means of increasing the power of a centrifugal-flow turbofan (which has only one fan) is to increase the diameter of the fan, which eventually makes the engine too wide to give a fighter plane an appropriately sleek aerodynamic form.

May I be so rude as to point out the fact that not every plane is a fighter?  May I also point out that centrifugal-flow turbofans last forever (as opposed to axial-flow turbofans, which "burn out" like light bulbs)?  (I heard once on a television program(me) that a WWII-vintage Gloster Meteor is still flying with her original engines!)

Anyways, applications from shipboard power plants to freighter planes can expect excellent service from the centrifugal-flow turbofan.