As part of the International Air and Space Fair of Paris, ITP Aero has announced the achievement of a key technological milestone in the development of Rolls-Royce's future UltraFan. An aeronautical engine design that will define a new era in jet engines, as it will significantly reduce weight, noise level and fuel consumption, and will be 25% more efficient than the first generation of Trent engines of Rolls-Royce.

The intermediate pressure turbine (IPT for its acronym in English) of the UltraFan has been submitted for the first time to an aerodynamic test in Vizcaya, Spain, to verify the functional characteristics and design methodologies defined by ITP Aero. The successful results obtained in the tests represent a key technological advance in the achievement of the IPT, designed to operate at very high speeds that allow optimizing the new engine architecture.

This milestone is part of the technology demonstration program for the UltraFan that began in 2015, when ITP Aero was selected as the main partner. A program supported by an investment of 43 million euros, of which the Clean Sky 2 initiative of the EU finances 23.5 million, and ITP Aero the remaining 19.5 million euros, the largest investment in technology ever made by ITP Aero.

Carlos Alzola, General Director of ITP Aero, comments that: " Our know-how and strong commitment to research and development provide us with our own world-leading technology." The UltraFan intermediate pressure turbine has more than four years of research and The development and successful results demonstrate the ability of ITP Aero to be part of the next generation of Rolls-Royce engines. "

Turbine of intermediate pressure of the UltraFan

Unlike the first generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines, in which ITP Aero participates as a risk and benefit partner (RRSP), the UltraFan does not have a Low Pressure Turbine (LPT). in English) and this is replaced by an IPT that propels both the fan and the intermediate pressure compressor. The main technological challenge of the IPT is that this turbine has to provide great power at significantly higher speeds and temperatures. For this, ITP Aero has used its experience in the development of high performance low pressure turbines for the Trent engines above.

The UltraFan represents the new generation of Rolls-Royce engines, designed to propel single or double aisle aircraft. Based on a new engine architecture, it is designed for maximum efficiency in fuel consumption and low emissions. UltraFan will enter service in the late 2020s.

BIRAN Project

The tests have been carried out by the CTA (Center for Aeronautical Technologies), in its high-speed wind tunnel located in Vizcaya (Spain) as part of the BIRAN Project (Grant Agreement ID: 785418), belonging to the EU Clean initiative Sky 2.

The BIRAN project aims to achieve the environmental and competitiveness objectives of the European aeronautical sector, through the realization of experimental tests for the development of aerodynamic and acoustic technologies for the IPT of the UltraFan. Thanks to the BIRAN Project, Aero ITP develops aerodynamic and acoustic technology for the complete IPT of the UltraFan, while the CTA performs detailed design, including drawings, hardware fabrication, assembly and instrumentation of the equipment, equipment testing and supply of all test data.

The development of UltraFan IPT technologies will help achieve the global objectives of Clean Sky 2, which aim to achieve the ambitious goals of ACARE Flight-Path 2050 to reduce CO2, NOx and Noise emissions.

The BIRAN project was chosen by Clean Sky 2 in the Call JTI-CS2-2017-CFP06-ENG-03-15, in which ITP Aero is a topic manager.