Air TransportWith the "Ultrafan 30", Rolls-Royce wants to power narrow-body jets again
Rolls-Royce is determined to return to the narrow-body jet engine market. To this end, the British company has revealed plans for a smaller variant of the UltraFan, its high-efficiency design developed several years ago.
According to the manufacturer, in addition to the UltraFan 80, designed for large widebodies, the series will include the UltraFan 30, a turbofan with a diameter of about 90 inches.
This is an engine larger than a Pratt & Whitney GTF and can generate a thrust of over 30,000 lbs. The secret lies in the high bypass ratio, 15:1 compared to up to 12:1 of today’s most advanced rivals.
To achieve this performance, Rolls-Royce is betting on lightweight materials, including ceramic blades and a variable pitch fan system, among other technologies.
A safer alternative than the “open-fan”
The company’s plan is to complete the first test units by 2028 and then prepare flight tests by the end of the decade, possibly on board its Boeing 747-200 testbed.
According to Rolls-Royce, the UltraFan 30 could prove to be very economical, although slightly below what the RISE project from CFM (GE and Safran) could achieve.
The two manufacturers are working on the open-fan concept, a type of jet engine with external blades capable of reducing consumption by around 20% compared to current turbofans.
But the configuration is a commercial risk, according to Rolls-Royce executives, because it will require changes in the aircraft design. Despite this, Airbus has considered using the open-fan engine to replace the A320neo.
Engine line and participation in the V2500
The commercial launch of the UltraFan, however, is hampered by the project’s costs. Rolls-Royce said it is seeking a partnership to share responsibilities and that it may or may not be another manufacturer.
For many decades, the company had an important line of engines for commercial aircraft, which ranged from the Spey to the Tay, which powered smaller jets in the 1960s and 1980s, the AE 3007, used by the Embraer ERJ, and the BR700, one of whose versions was chosen for the Boeing 717 (ex-MD-95).
In 1983, Rolls-Royce joined forces with Pratt & Whitney, JAEC and MTU to create International Aero Engine, a joint venture that produced the V2500 turbofan, one of the engines that powers the first-generation A320 family.
But the UK manufacturer sold its stake in 2012, ending its presence in the narrow-body jet market.
The possible return of the UltraFan is likely to be welcomed by the air travel market, which is struggling with aircraft production delays often caused by current engines.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
