S.Korea’s Doosan Enerbility to develop aircraft engines

South Korea’s major power plant builder Doosan Enerbility Co. plans to develop aircraft engines based on its turbine technology as its new growth driver for business expansion.

Doosan Enerbility said it added the production, maintenance, sales and service of aircraft engines and propulsion auxiliary devices into the company’s business purposes at its annual shareholders’ meeting in a financial regulatory filing on Tuesday.

The company aims to accelerate the development of engines for aircraft including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAMs) with its know-how in power plant gas turbines, the structures and operating principles of which are similar to those of aero engines.

“Doosan is competitive as we have experience in developing, manufacturing and supplying gas turbines for power generation, along with both physical and human infrastructure,” said Sohn Seung-Woo, head of Doosan Enerbility’s power service BG. “We aim to not only contribute to the development of homegrown aircraft engines but also prepare to make inroads into overseas markets.”

ALREADY BEGUN

Doosan Enerbility has secured some core aircraft engine technology, including cooling and coating technology to withstand ultra-high temperatures such as the 1,500 degrees Celsius generated when an engine fires.

The company plans to actively utilize its competitiveness in key materials, intellectual properties, databases and infrastructure for the design, production and testing of the new business.

It has already started the aircraft engine business, participating in the South Korean Agency for Defense Development’s project for a UAM engine generating 10,000 (lbf) thrust.

Doosan Enerbility is responsible for two tasks in the project including the most difficult, engine layout design, and is scheduled to complete the engine’s basic design by 2027. The company is separately carrying out the conceptual design of an advanced aircraft engine ordered by the government.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com
 
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.