Under the project, which spans over 1.5 years, GKN Aerospace and KTH (the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology) will together develop fan technology for smaller regional aircraft. The project will study aerodynamic design, performance, noise, and manufacturing technology for a nested fan powered by electricity, either from batteries, hydrogen fuel cells or even more conventional hybrid propulsion solutions.
The proposed propulsion solution with a nested fan instead of a conventional propeller offers significant advantages in three main areas: safety, noise level, and engine installation. By rapidly demonstrating fan technology for electric aviation, the EleFanT project will accelerate the pace of electric aviation development and position the participants for international aero-engine and aircraft development projects.
Europe’s aviation industry has set clear targets and adopted an ambitious roadmap to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Parallel development of different types of propulsion solutions for aircraft engines is one of the important steps to take. GKN Aerospace in Trollhättan, Sweden with its leading innovative aero-engine solutions and KTH with its wealth of experience in technology development can make a vital contribution to this technology step.
