Rolls-Royce tests the world's largest eco-fuel jet engine
Rolls-Royce has tested the world's largest jet engine, the UltraFan, at full power. The unit runs on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), reports New Atlas.
The engine is equipped with a cooler with a diameter of 365 centimeters and produces a maximum power of 64 MV. In laboratory conditions, the unit generated a maximum thrust of more than 85 thousand pounds (approximately 38,5 tons). The company said this could be increased to 110 pounds, or 49,9 tons, for narrow-body or wide-body aircraft planned for production in the next decade.
UltraFan is equipped with a geared turbofan and a variable pitch cooler system. This allows the engine to operate at optimal speed and the carbon composite blades to vary their pitch for each flight.
The use of composites allowed the unit to become lighter than its analogues made of titanium alloy. It is 10% more efficient than the previous record holder - the Trent XWB engine. The tests also showed that all civil engines currently produced by the company are also compatible with SAF fuel.