Rolls-Royce has finished building its UltraFan demonstration engine, which could improve aircraft fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent.
The engine features a 12-foot (140-inch) fan system, the largest in the world, and is designed to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel.
It has now been transported from the workshop to Testbed 80, a £90m ($109.5m) facility in Derby, purpose-built for the UltraFan.
The British company now hopes to run its first test early next year, which could lead to the technology being applied to its existing Trent engine family.
Rolls-Royce has finished building its UltraFan demonstration engine, which could improve aircraft fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent.
The engine features a 12-foot (140-inch) fan system, the largest in the world, and is designed to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel.
Chris Cholerton, President of Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, said: “Seeing the UltraFan demonstrator come together and prepare for testing on Testbed 80 is a great way to end the year.
We have all been waiting for this moment, which is such an important milestone for the program and for the team that has worked on it.
“The next stage will be to see UltraFan run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel for the first time in 2023, demonstrating that the technology is ready to support more sustainable flight in the future.”
The UltraFan features carbon composite fan blades with a titanium shroud to help protect them from object damage and bird strikes.
These materials help reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency.
It also has a new power gearbox, lean-burn combustion chamber and Advance3 core architecture, helping to deliver very high propulsion efficiency.
The UltraFan has delivered 64 MW of power in tests, which is an aerospace industry record and equivalent to the requirements for a city the size of Bath.
Once expanded, it will be capable of a thrust range from 25,000 lbs (11,000 kg) to over 100,000 lbs (45,000 kg).
Rolls-Royce intends to start building narrow- and wide-body aircraft equipped with UltraFan engines in the 2030s.
The new engine offers a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to the first generation of Trent turbofans.
Rolls-Royce intends to start building narrow- and wide-body aircraft equipped with UltraFan engines in the 2030s.
Before then, the manufacturer plans to start equipping its current Trent aircraft engines with UltraFan technologies to reduce emissions.
The new engine offers a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to the first generation of turbofans.
It also produces 40 percent less nitrogen oxides, 35 percent less noise, and nearly zero non-volatile particles at cruise.
The sustainable aviation fuel that the UltraFan will run on uses 80% less carbon over its life cycle than traditional jet fuel.
Rolls-Royce is currently testing its other engines with a 10 per cent blend of this fuel, to help phase it into operations.
The UltraFan features carbon composite fan blades with a titanium shroud to help protect them from object damage and bird strikes.
The UltraFan has delivered 64 MW of power in tests, which is an aerospace industry record and equivalent to the requirements for a city the size of Bath.
The UltraFan also produces 40% less nitrogen oxides and 35% less noise than Trent engines, as well as nearly zero non-volatile particles in the cruise.
When scaled up, the UltraFan will be capable of a thrust range from 25,000 lbs (11,000 kg) to over 100,000 lbs (45,000 kg)
This isn’t Rolls-Royce’s first foray into improving the sustainability of its aircraft.
Last month, the company successfully tested a hydrogen-powered jet engine.
The engine used was a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A, and it was started and operated on hydrogen extracted from water using renewable energy.
Hydrogen itself is considered a ‘green’ fuel, because when it burns in air it only produces water, as opposed to greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.
While there are still some issues to be worked out before planes take off on green fuel, the test is a world first and is hailed as a “new milestone in aviation.”
The engine used was a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A, and it was started and ran on hydrogen that was extracted from water using renewable energy.
Planes normally run on kerosene, a fossil fuel, and a Boeing 737-400 currently produces about 200 pounds (90 kg) of carbon dioxide per passenger per hour.
Air travel is responsible for 3.5 percent of the human impact on global warming, and many companies are looking for green solutions.
Rolls-Royce has also been investigating battery technology for its all-electric plane, which could fly for 30 minutes on a single charge.
These projects are likely to have been motivated by the ‘Race to Zero’ campaign to which the company has subscribed.
It means you have committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 by meeting a set of strict criteriaincluding taking immediate action.
Reaching net zero by 2050 ‘at the latest’ is in line with the scientific consensus on limiting warming to 2.7°F (1.5°C), set out in the Paris Agreement in 2015.
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