Rolls-Royce joins with ITP for UltraFan research programme

The CTi fan system on the Advanced Low Pressure System engine demonstrator (© Rolls-Royce)
The CTi fan system on the Advanced Low Pressure System engine demonstrator (© Rolls-Royce)

Rolls-Royce is to work with ITP to support a €43 million research programme to test Intermediate Pressure (IP) turbine technologies that will go into its future engine design, UltraFan™.

UltraFan™, which will be available for service from 2025, will offer at least 25 per cent improvement in fuel burn and emissions compared with first generation Rolls-Royce Trent engines.

ITP will develop and validate intermediate pressure turbine and rear structure capabilities for the UltraFan engine demonstrator including design, development, testing and manufacture.

The IP turbine programme, which is receiving €23.5 million of its total funding from the EU, is part of the wider EU Clean Sky 2 initiative. The remainder of the funding will come from ITP.

Clean Sky 2 runs until end 2023. It is a public/private Joint Technology Initiative that brings together Europe’s industrial aeronautics leaders, public research organisations and SMEs to develop and demonstrate breakthrough technologies for the civil aerospace market, reducing emissions and noise and securing the continued competitiveness of the European aviation industry.

Rolls-Royce Adbanced and Ultrafan CTi Fan Blades
Rolls-Royce Adbanced and Ultrafan CTi Fan Blades (© Rolls-Royce)

Mike Whitehead, Rolls-Royce, Chief Engineer and Head of Programme – UltraFan Technologies, said: “We are pleased that ITP have been selected as a core partner in our technology demonstrator programme for UltraFan™. We are committed to developing engines that meet future customer requirements of even better fuel efficiency, environmental performance and reliability. This is another key milestone on that journey.”

Alfredo López, ITP Advanced Engineering Director, said: “The participation in this programme represents the single largest investment in technology ever committed by ITP. This agreement continues to place our company at the forefront of technology research and we look forward to working with Rolls-Royce to make UltraFan™ the engine choice of the future.”

ITP is a joint venture between Rolls-Royce (46.9%) and a subsidiary of Sener (53.1%). Rolls-Royce and Sener have established a strong working relationship over many years and created the ITP joint venture in 1989.

Rolls-Royce