March_2022_AMP_Digital

1 5 A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | M A R C H 2 0 2 2 References 1. Decarbonizing Aviation: Cleared for Take-off, report available at www. shell.com . 2. Press Release No. 66, Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, IATA, www. iata.org/en/pressroom/2021-releas- es/2021-10-04-03. 3. F. Haselbach, A. Newby, and R. Parker, Concepts and Technologies for the Next Generation of Large Civil Aircraft Engines, ICAS, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2014. 4. G. Gardiner, Rolls-RoyceStartsMan- ufacture of World’s Largest Fan Blades, Made with Composites, for UltraFan Demonstrator, Composites World, Feb. 2020, www.compositesworld.com/news/ rol ls-royce-starts-manufacture-of- worlds-largest-fan-blades-made-with- composites-for-ultrafan-demonstrator. • Hybrid ceramic seals with higher durability and lowered oil consumption. • Next-generation powder Ni disk alloy with improved damage toler- ance and strength, as well as greater resistance to oxidation/corrosion, at temperatures up to 780 to 800°C. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), constitute the second pillar for sus- tainable propulsion. Their sustainabili- ty comes from how it is sourced and/or produced; any feedstocks must be non- food competing, and any biomass or forestry residues must not include de- forestation specifically for the manufac- ture of jet fuel andmust be from a waste stream. In principle, the carbon diox- ide avoided and/or absorbed during the manufacturing process is approx- imately the equivalent to the amount released during combustion, therefore reducing the lifecycle carbon emis- sions of the fuel compared to fossil der- ived material. The use of specific approved SAF product pathways is currently certified up to 50% by volume when blended with conventional jet fuel. Once blend- ed, the fuel is recertified to an indus- try standard Jet A/Jet A-1 specification and considered a fully compliant “drop in” solution with no changes to engines, airframes, or refuelling equipment nec- essary. The use of 100% SAF is current- ly not certified for aviation, however there is significant activity both within Rolls-Royce and the aviation communi- ty to drive this forward and to develop a specification. Rolls-Royce has made a commit- ment to demonstrate that all civil en- gines currently in production will be fully 100% SAF compatible by the end of 2023, with several engine and flight tests already successfully completed. The first run of the UltraFan engine in 2022 will be undertaken using 100% SAF in Testbed 80 (Fig. 4). The facili- ty and infrastructure have been de- signed with specific consideration for SAF such that tests on different path- ways and blends can be conducted ef- fectively. For example, the facility is equipped with a 140,000 L fuel tank that can accommodate different fuel types where the potential for cross-contami- nation is designed out using intelligent fuel system architecture. A pressing challenge to the broad- er implementation of SAFs is the near- term shortage based in part on the high cost of manufacture. Therefore, contin- ued focus on engine efficiency gains will be essential to drive net-zero goals until SAFs are more widely available. Finally, the testbed is designed to have the capability to test hybrid or all-electric flight systems of the future, constituting a third pillar of sustainable aviation. Reducing fuel burn and overall car- bon footprint is of vital strategic impor- tance to all companies in the aerospace industry, driven by legislative require- ments, customer demands, and com- petitive pressure. The investment made by Rolls-Royce in Testbed 80 demon- strates the company’s commitment to meet these challenges and move to- ward a net zero future for carbon emis- sions. ~AM&P For more information: Ann Bolcavage, engineering associate fellow - coatings, Rolls-Royce Corp., 420 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46225-1103, ann. bolcavage@rolls-royce.com . Fig. 4 — Testbed 80 will confirm engine operability using 100% sustainable aviation fuel on the UltraFan demonstrator in 2022.