The UK’s aero-engine manufacturing major, Rolls-Royce, announced a significant breakthrough on Thursday with the successful completion of initial tests for its UltraFan technology demonstrator at its facility in Derby, UK.
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Key milestone
The tests utilised 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), marking a key milestone for the manufacturer. The achievement marks Rolls-Royce’s first test of a brand-new engine architecture in 54 years, showcasing the positive outcomes of close collaboration between the industry and the government.
The validation of the technology suite incorporated in the demonstrator marks a major stride towards enhancing the efficiency of present and future aero-engines.
The UltraFan delivers a 10% increase in efficiency compared to the manufacturer’s flagship Trent XWB engine, currently recognised as one of the world’s leading large aero engines in service.
The ability to transfer of UltraFan technologies to existing Trent engines will soon enable the manufacturer to offer customers greater availability, reliability, and efficiency.
Moreover, UltraFan’s scalable technology, which delivers approximately 25,000 to 110,000 pounds of thrust, holds solid potential for powering new narrowbody and widebody aircraft models scheduled for production in the 2030s.
Rolls-Royce plc’s CEO, Tufan Erginbilgic, has labelled the UltraFan demonstrator a “game changer,” noting that the technologies being tested through this programme have the potential to enhance both current and future engine performance, marking a pivotal moment in the industry’s quest for improved engine efficiency.
Erginbilgic further stressed the significance of the announcement, highlighting that when combined with SAFs, efficient gas turbine engines can play a historic role in achieving the aviation industry’s target of Net-Zero flight by 2050.
“Collaboration is key in driving the decarbonisation of air travel and the UltraFan programme is a great example of what can be achieved when Government and industry come together with a common purpose,” he added.
Technical features
The tests were conducted at Testbed 80, the world’s largest and most advanced indoor aero-engine testing facility. Air bp has provided 100% SAF derived primarily from sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oils for the trials.
The UltraFan demonstrator incorporates multiple advanced engineering features, including the Advance3 core architecture combined with the ALECSys lean burn combustion system for maximum fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
It also features carbon titanium fan blades, a composite casing, and a geared design that delivers efficient power for high-thrust high-bypass ratio engines of the future, with the power gearbox achieving an aerospace record of 64MW.
