Engine output peaks at 1,500 hp (1,100 kW), with 2,750 lb⋅ft (3,730 N⋅m) of torque at that peak,[2] which occurs at 3,000 rpm.[3] The turbine can provide torque in excess of 667 lb⋅ft (904 N⋅m) at significantly lower RPMs. The engine weighs approximately 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) and occupies a volume of 40 cu ft (1.1 m3), measuring 63 in × 40 in × 28 in (1,600 mm × 1,020 mm × 710 mm).[4]
The engine is a three-shaft machine composed of five sub-modules:[4]
Recuperator – a fixed cylindrical regenerative heat exchanger that extracts waste heat from the exhaust gases and uses it to preheat the compressed air
Rotating Gas Producer – the five-stage, dual-spool compressor which achieves a 14.5:1 compression ratio at full power, driven by the compressor turbine, which operates with a maximum turbine inlet temperature of 2,180 °F (1,190 °C)
Accessory Gearbox – bevel gears that extract 35 to 100 hp (26 to 75 kW) from the high-pressure spool to operate the fuel control unit, starter, oil pump, and vehicle hydraulic pump
Power Turbines – the first stage of the two-stage power turbine is driven by a variable-geometry nozzle to improve efficiency
Reduction Gearbox – reduces power turboshaft speed
Development had started by 1964 with a contract given to Chrysler in 1976, originally as an engine for the later cancelled MBT-70.[5]
In the early 1970s, the AGT1500 was developed into the PLT27, a flight-weight turboshaft for use in helicopters. This engine lost to the General Electric GE12 (T700) in three separate competitions to power the UH-60, AH-64, and SH-60.[6] Serial production of the AGT1500 began in 1980; by 1992, more than 11,000 engines had been delivered. In 1986, with the Cold War about to wind down, Textron Lycoming began developing a commercial marine derivative, which they called the TF15.[4]
^ abcHoran, Richard (June 1–4, 1992). Textron Lycoming AGT1500 Engine: Transitioning for Future Applications. ASME International Gas Turbine and Aeroengine Congress and Exposition. Cologne, Germany: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. doi:10.1115/92-GT-436. ISBN978-0-7918-7894-1.
Leyes II, Richard A.; William A. Fleming (1999). "5". The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN1-56347-332-1.
