LONDON, UK — Future of Aviation: Rolls-Royce's UltraFan Engine Set to Boost Efficiency by 10%
Rolls-Royce's chief technology officer, Grazia Vittadini, recently described the UltraFan engine architecture as a technological marvel, boasting cutting-edge features from front to back. The company trialed the UltraFan technology demonstrator at its Derby, UK site last month. It is now poised to subject the model to intensive testing in an effort to develop a range of scaled engines. The ambition for UltraFan technology involves a suite of two-shaft, three-shaft, direct-drive, and geared propulsion systems with thrust capacity ranging from 25,000 to 110,000 pounds.
Designed to power the new generation of narrowbody and widebody aircraft slated for service in the 2030s, Vittadini stated the preliminary testing program would span several months. In that time, the company aims to integrate various technologies to increase the efficiency of the Trent XWB by 10 percent.
The Rolls-Royce executive assured that the project will advance slowly yet steadily to gradually expand the engine's operational envelope—a process she conceded can sometimes be challenging. Despite the hurdles, she affirmed the team's commitment to swift progress.
The question remains: when will aircraft manufacturers be able to offer their airline clients a new aircraft that can leverage the potential of this advanced engine technology? While Rolls-Royce emphasizes that the UltraFan technology demonstrator is designed to enhance both the engines of today and tomorrow, the revolutionary propulsion technology still needs an equally advanced airframe to demonstrate its advantages. Vittadini, who has also served as Airbus’s chief technology officer and executive committee member, playfully challenged aircraft manufacturers to provide an aircraft that can harness the power of these engines.
Alan Newby, Rolls-Royce's director of aerospace technology and future programs, stressed the necessity of such groundbreaking technology in preparing for future aircraft models. He explained that the company is continually dialoguing with all aircraft manufacturers—including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and Gulfstream—to ensure they are ready when the technology is.
Despite the buzz around electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, Newby insists that gas turbine technology is still central to Rolls-Royce's development plans. He emphasized the ongoing need for gas turbine engines in future aircraft, hence the company's continuous innovation in this area. Engineers are also focusing on reducing aircraft’s CO2 footprint through a concept called micro-hybridization, in which electric power supplements the gas turbine in specific operations.
Newby also shared that Rolls-Royce is already conducting micro-hybridization experiments in Bristol with one of its smaller engines. This approach allows power to be extracted from the shaft and also returned to it. Paired with stored electrical power, this technique can optimize performance across the flight envelope. Newby expressed confidence that Rolls could surpass the projected 10 percent efficiency improvement by maximizing all these technologies.
