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Charlotte Bailey

ST Engineering is building upon its engine nacelle expertise with a new thrust reverser unit (TRU) demonstrator, the company's first application for business jets.&nbsp;Designed and validated to fulfil a perceived gap in ST Engineering’s engine offerings, the company hopes its unique design will offer enhanced aerodynamic efficiency and acoustic performance in future aircraft applications.
The ground demonstrator is the result of 18 months of development, taking the concept through design, construction, and testing. Noah Hughes, advanced design engineer at ST Engineering, told AIN that thrust reverser design idiosyncrasies provide “an opportunity to take shortcomings of existing thrust reverser systems and provide improvements.” 
Notable differences in the TRU demonstrator’s architecture include electric actuators along the unit’s side, rather than the traditional 12 and 6 o’clock positions. This negates the need for the associated bracketry, which is detrimental to aerodynamic performance, with the experimental system instead employing a unique hinge design, Hughes explained. A larger interior surface provides more area for acoustic treatment, helping mitigate noise, while a continuous seal facilitated by the novel setup also helps optimize efficiency.
Ground testing of the TRU confirmed the design works as intended, Hughes confirmed, although he acknowledged difficulties in quantifying direct performance comparisons with existing systems. The next step would be to pair learnings validated from this demonstrator with a specific engine, with ST Engineering actively engaged in conversations with engine and airframe OEMs.

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ST Engineering Unveils Business Aviation Thrust Reverser Demonstrator

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ST Engineering builds upon its engine nacelle expertise with a new thrust reverser unit demonstrator, the company's first application for business jets.

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