Superalloys and the Secret to Modern Air Travel
Today’s fast-paced developments in technology can sometimes take our breath away. No sooner have we gotten acquainted with one form of high-tech convenience than another one comes along to make our lives move that much faster. The irony is that as we take in all the conveniences of our high-tech world, we also tend to take it for granted.
Superalloys Transform Air Travel
Speaking of modern marvels we take for granted, let’s add air travel to the list. Today’s travelers like to complain about the inconveniences involved with air travel, but the fact is air travel is now affordable for a wide segment of the population. People everywhere can now explore places their ancestors could only have dreamed of visiting.
Metal Alloys Are the Secret
Metal alloys, which are contained in the turbines of jet engines, are key components behind modern air travel. A modern jet will reach a temperature of 1500 C° in its engines as it flies, and this high temperature is hot enough to melt many metals. All of this created a problem as jets were first being developed in the 1940s. The issue is that the turbines in a jet rotate the compressors in a jet engine which then shoots out hot gas to propel the plane. The problem faced by engineers was how they would get a metal that could withstand the heat of the gases during flight without melting. All this presented a staggering problem, but it was solved eventually. An English engineer named Frank Whittle discovered that a unique alloy composed of chrome, nickel, aluminum, and titanium could indeed withstand the heat, and so modern air travel soon “took off.”
This nickel alloy was renamed a “superalloy,” as its incredible capacity to withstand heat made modern air travel possible. Since the first use of these alloys, the process has continued to be refined. As a result, today’s jets are far more fuel-efficient than the first planes were.
Who could have guessed that a metal alloy was one of the secrets to modern air travel and our ability to book those tickets for a dream trip to Hawaii? Hats off to Frank Whittle and his team for finding the amazing superalloys that have made all our dream vacations possible. To receive a free quote on our metals and metal alloys, don’t be afraid to contact us. Avion Alloys provides our customers with high-quality metals, alloys, and superalloys. Call us to begin a wonderful client/consumer relationship!