Efficiencies driving advancements in future propulsion technologies

Sam Lee, Senior Technologist – Propulsion, ATI, considers the maturity of next generation propulsion technologies showcased at this year’s AIAA AVIATION Forum.

At this year’s AIAA AVIATION Forum in July, future propulsion technologies were a key topic discussed across various panels and technical sessions. Globally, there is intense competition to demonstrate the improved performance and maturity of these ultra-efficient technologies to convince airframers of their merits.

During the Aviation in 2050 panel, Pratt & Whitney’s Michael Winter emphasised that the aviation sector has always been about efficiency and that this focus will continue to drive future advancements. When asked about the technology he was most excited about, Michael pointed to hybrid-electric propulsion opportunities across all platform sizes, a space where the UK is well-positioned to contribute, through Collins UK and a range of supporting organisations.

Boeing’s Michael Drake offered the airframer’s perspective during the Sustainable Aviation panel. He stressed that true technology maturity extends beyond the functional capabilities demonstrated by Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), and highlighted the importance of understanding the net value proposition of new technologies, encompassing the full range of product attributes and their impact over the entire aircraft life cycle.

On the same panel, Rolls-Royce’s Hervé Morvan provided an overview of the company’s UltraFan technology suite, which has received funding through the ATI Programme. Hervé stated that the technologies are scalable across narrow and widebody aircraft platforms and promise significant efficiency improvements over the existing Trent engine fleet. Herve also explained that introducing new technologies usually comes with a dip in production rate; therefore, to meet the growing demands of the sector, focus needs to be applied on how to deploy technologies effectively. During the Q&A, both Michael and Hervé acknowledged the supply chain challenges facing future narrowbody production and the investment and development required to overcome these challenges.

During the Forum’s technical sessions, CFM partners GE Aerospace and Safran shared updates from the RISE demonstrator programme. Notably, Safran presented noise performance results, including the impact of innovative fan and stator leading and trailing edge features to improve acoustic characteristics.

Emerging companies such as JetZero and Elysian showcased their disruptive technology ambitions. JetZero provided updates on its aircraft development timeline, and Romar Frazier detailed propulsion integration challenges and strategies to avoid boundary layer ingestion. Elysian’s Reynard de Vries presented updates from a redesign study of a 90-passenger battery electric aircraft concept, which targets a 750km fully electric range with a battery gravimetric energy density of 320 Wh/kg. Achieving this mission capability without relying on ultra-high-performance batteries could unlock exciting new opportunities in the regional sector.

Michael Berube of the U.S. Department of Energy also considered battery technology developments, emphasising that battery innovation remains active and has not yet plateaued, suggesting continued performance improvements are likely in the years ahead.

After a packed and thought-provoking week, it was clear that propulsion technology development is continuing at pace and is expected to focus increasingly on deployment challenges. Momentum remains strong for the next generation of propulsion technology, as the industry continues to focus on efficiency improvements.

Cover image © Rolls-Royce