Engine developments over the next five, 10 or even 20 years should be absolutely fascinating, judging by a briefing given by Rolls-Royce ‘boffin' Dr Mike Howse at Farnborough on Tuesday.
While the quest for power…and then more power… was the ‘holy grail' of the second half of the past century, the coming decades will see all the world's engine makers striving to achieve better fuel burn, less environmental damage and greater overall efficiency.
In Rolls-Royce terms, that means Vision5, Vision10 and Vision20 timescales. Vision5 includes technologies that exist ‘off-the-shelf' and can be applied immediately to both new and existing products.
Vision10 describes a range of technologies currently at the validation stage and likely to be commercially available in around two years' time, while Vision20 comprises a broad range of emerging or unproven technologies aimed at future generation of products, probably still at the strategic research stage.
Targets
Dr Howse said: "Our Vision20 targets are very much in parallel with the broader Advisory Council for Aeronautical Research in Europe (ACARE) initiative launched last year, in which companies such as Rolls-Royce are playing a key role.
"Among its prime goals, ACARE is aiming to minimise the environmental impact of aviation on the community. It's looking to halve the current perceived average noise levels, reduce CO2 by 50% and NOx by 80% against current levels.
"These are challenging but achievable goals…and we have to remain competitive in our own right and we have to ensure that we retain our technology edge in what is a highly-competitive aero-engine field. This will, in turn, enable us to continue to increase our market share and secure our future position."
He continued by explaining some of the Vision10 technology demonstration programmes that Rolls-Royce is involved in, including advanced near-term low emissions (ANTLE) which is a European Union programme led by R-R and supported by the UK's department of trade and industry. ANTLE, which begins testing next year, will use the Trent 500 to validate a range of technologies for commercial use from 2008.
The quiet technology demonstrator (QTD) programme, run with Boeing, is one of the most comprehensive test programmes ever undertaken to reduce engine noise. This involved a B-777 being fitted with modified Trent 800 engines, incorporating serrated nozzles and advanced acoustic linings. It exceeded reduction targets during flight testing last year.
For the future, R-R is looking at ‘electric engine' concepts where weight and reliability improvements are achieved by the removal of traditional/modern engine/aircraft systems. These individually optimised current systems would be replaced by globally optimised electrical systems, requiring close collaboration between engine/airframe makers.
Optimum
With ‘active magnetic bearings' and a generator/ internal starter motor on the fan shaft, such an engine would have no conventional gearboxes and all engine accessories would be electrically driven.
Rolls-Royce is also working closely with Boeing to deliver the optimum power solution for the proposed Sonic Cruiser.
This will require a new generation of engine incorporating Vision10 technologies, building on the Trent programme as well as technology from the current JSF and UAV projects.
Source: Flight Daily News
