Rolls-Royce joins with ITP for UltraFan research programme

Rolls-Royce is to work with ITP to support a €43m 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% 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 €23.5m 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.