Rolls-Royce’s new gas turbine engine, UltraFan, has just completed its first ground test before electric engines enter all areas of transportation.
When launched, it will be the largest aircraft engine in the world, and its combustion efficiency is 10% higher than that of the best engine in service.
The UltraFan concept has been in the making for 10 years since its debut in 2014. Its design architecture is very different from the approximately 4,200 large civilian engines currently in service in Rolls-Royce. It is the first time that Rolls-Royce has tested a new engine design in 54 years.
UltraFan blades and casings are mostly made of carbon composite materials, lightweight, and thrust ranging from 25,000 to 110,000 pounds; the turbine behind the fan is quite small, which can produce a high bypass ratio to reduce noise by 35%.
Currently Trent XWB (Trent XWB) is the most efficient large aircraft engine in the world, but UltraFan’s combustion efficiency is 10% higher than the former, and will use 100% bio-based aviation fuel (waste cooking oil, etc.),
This will save airlines billions of dollars in fuel costs and move closer to their 2050 goal of net-zero flying.
