US aerospace and defence firm United Technologies Corp´s (NYSE: UTX) Pratt & Whitney jet engine unit said it has reached a milestone in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration´s Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project by demonstrating its Geared TurboFan ultra-high bypass system in 275 hours of fan rig testing in the US space agency´s low speed wind tunnel.
According to the engine maker, the ultra-high bypass technology will be used to create the next generation of Pratt & Whitney´s PurePower Geared Turbofan engines.
The ERA Project, developed by NASA to explore technologies that reduce the environmental impact of aviation, is meant to pave the way for the demonstration and maturation of the advanced ultra-high bypass technology. This technology enabled by the Geared TurboFan architecture simultaneously reduces fuel burn, noise and emissions.
A key element in the technology maturation is the development and application of advanced computational fluid dynamics tools, which provided the capability to execute highly coupled design and analysis of the ultra-high bypass system for optimization of acoustic, aerodynamic and aero-mechanical performance.
Pratt & Whitney will further mature the technology by completing ground and flight testing in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration´s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program, an FAA NextGen initiative to accelerate the development of environmentally friendly aircraft technologies.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a United States government agency, is responsible for the development of the national civilian space program and aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA focuses on aeronautics, human exploration and operations, science and space technology.
NASA´s Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project is an agency initiative to advance the development of technology that will improve fuel efficiencies, lower noise levels and reduce harmful emissions.
Find out more at www.pw.utc.com.
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