What Is the Difference Between a Single and Dual-Spool Engine?

In the realm of aircraft engine design, a “spool” is an engineering term that is used to refer to the combination of the compressor and high-pressure turbine of a turbine engine. The two elements of the spool are connected to each other through a drive shaft, and the high-pressure turbine drives the compressor during standard operations. While single-spool configurations are quite common, there are various instances in which a dual-spool design may be used, that of which is when the compressor and high-pressure turbine are split into two segments. In this blog, we will discuss the difference between single- and dual-spool engines, allowing you to determine which is best for your needs.

As stated before, in a single-spool engine configuration, the high-pressure turbine is attached to the entire compressor assembly, allowing the two to function well together as the turbine drives the engine compressor with the drive shaft. With a single-spool configuration, high reliability is achieved with a simple and efficient design that benefits from its low complexity. With the low complexity of the single-spool engine, such configurations also lead to lower maintenance costs as modular repairs are often cheaper to conduct. As a last major benefit, having minimal parts overall makes the single-spool engine a light option that can save weight for increased performance capabilities.

With the dual spool configuration, the engine core is split into two sections. This means that each compressor segment is driven by a turbine through two distinct drive shafts, one of which is placed in the other shaft. With added components and separated segments, the dual-spool engine is known for being more complex, decreasing its reliability. As a result, dual-spool engines are never to be installed in a DoD helicopter. Dual-spool configurations often consist of an increased amount of frame and bearing parts, all of which add to the overall weight of the assembly. Furthermore, due to their make-up, dual-spool engines exhibit lower modular design capabilities, limiting how they may be used or repaired.

With these listed differences, one may wonder why an engine would utilize such a design; yet, there is rationale behind this decision. With a dual-spool engine, low-pressure turbine stages are larger in their diameter, meaning that there is a higher tip speed at any given rotational speed. This is coupled with decreased temperature and speed of sound operation, furthering their benefits. Nevertheless, they come with their set of downsides such as their complexity and weight, so making a decision between the two will require ample consideration of operational factors and requirements.

Despite single- and dual-spool engine configurations being the most common choices, there are times in which an increased amount of spools are used. The addition of more spools generally leads to increased mechanical complexity, and it is a choice that is made when the required performance specifications of the engine cannot be met through the use of technology. By balancing out the needs of the aircraft with the amount of thrust and fuel efficiency that is required, one can determine the best solution for their needs.

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