Rolls-Royce has completed construction and is preparing for the testing stage of its new UltraFan engine. The demonstration engine, the first of its kind, left the British conglomerate’s factory and was transported to the Derby test bed in the United Kingdom, where it will undergo its initial tests.
The first mechanical test is planned for early next year and should be carried out with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Chris Cholerton, President of Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, said, “Seeing the UltraFan ready is a fantastic way to end the year”.
The UltraFan combines a completely new design with a suite of cutting-edge technologies. The engine, once certified, will be the largest in the world, with a turbofan 140 inches in diameter (more than 3.5 meters). Among its design parameters is that it will offer a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the first-generation Trent.
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In the near term, there are also options to transfer technologies from the UltraFan development program to current Trent engines. In the longer term, on the other hand, the scalable technology of the new engine, with a design that will allow variants from 25,000 to 110,000 pounds of thrust, offers the potential to further improve the efficiency of all types of aircraft, from the smallest narrow-body to the largest twin-aisle.
The UltraFan will make extensive use of 3D printed parts, which the innovative design and manufacture of will allow substantial savings in material weight compared to other production processes currently in use.
The test bed where the demonstrator was installed is, according to Rolls-Royce, the largest and most intelligent in the world. It was specially designed and built to accommodate the size and technical complexity of the UltraFan.
