UK-based major propulsion and power systems group Rolls-Royce has announced that the first tests of its new-generation aircraft turbofan engine technology demonstrator, the UltraFan, have been successful. The UltraFan is the first totally new aeroengine architecture developed by the company in 54 years and is 10% more efficient than the most efficient large aeroengine currently in service (which is another Rolls-Royce product, the Trent XWB).

The tests were run using only 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), provided by Air bp. The SAF was derived mainly from waste-based feedstocks, including cooking oils. The tests were run in Rolls-Royce’s Testbed 80, which the company described as the largest and “smartest” such indoor facility in the world.

“The UltraFan demonstrator is a game changer – the technologies we are testing as part of this programme have the capability to improve the engines of today as well as the engines of tomorrow,” highlighted company CEO Tufan Erginbilgic. “That is why this announcement is so important – we are witnessing history in the making; a step-change in engine efficiency improvement. When combined with [SAF], more efficient gas turbine engines will be key to hitting the industry’s target of Net Zero [carbon emissions] flight by 2050. Today we are closer to achieving this ambition.”

The UltraFan involves a number of significant engineering innovations and developments. These include a composite engine casing, carbon titanium fan blades, Advance3 core architecture (developed by the company over the past few years, so that it is both new and proven), and the ALECSys lean-burn combustion system (also an in-house development), to ensure maximum fuel consumption efficiency and low greenhouse gas emissions.

Another key engineering feature of the UltraFan is that it is a geared turbofan, to ensure the efficient delivery of power for future high-thrust, high-bypass ratio engines. While geared turbofan engines have been developed by other companies and are in operational service, the UltraFan is much bigger than any of them. Its power gearbox has been run at 64 MW, which is a record for the aerospace sector.

“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 stressed. The concept of the UltraFan was unveiled in 2014, and, in its development, Rolls-Royce has been supported by the UK government through Innovate UK, and the Aerospace Technology Institute (a public-private partnership). The programme has also been supported by the German Government through LuFo (the Federal Aviation Research Programme), by the government of the federal German State of Brandenburg, and by the European Union’s Clean Sky programme.

The technologies developed under the UltraFan programme are scalable, capable of covering a thrust range from 25 000 lbs thrust (111 206 N) to 110 000 lbs thrust (489 304 N). 

Some of these technologies can, in the near term, be transferred to Rolls-Royce’s current production large turbofan engines, the Trent family. In the longer term, they can be used to develop a new family of engines, capable of powering both future single-aisle and widebody airliners.