A new Rolls-Royce plane engine has successfully entered the final phase of testing. The ALECSys (Advanced Low Emissions Combustion System) demonstrator engine recently took to the skies attached to the Rolls-Royce Boeing 747 Flying Test Bed in Tucson, Arizona. The test program has included flights up to 40,000 feet, and several engine relights at different conditions, all of which have been successful.
The innovative lean-burn combustion system improves the pre-mixing of fuel and air before ignition, enabling cleaner combustion of the fuel, which results in lower NOX and particulate emissions.
The ALECSys engine demonstrator has previously completed a comprehensive set of ground tests, including icing, water ingestion, ground operability, emissions, and running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Simon Burr, director of product development and technology of the civil aerospace division of Rolls-Royce, said: “We are very pleased to see the ALECSys engine now flying. This flight testing is a key part of our drive to improve engine efficiency and all aspects of environmental performance. It’s part of the wider Rolls-Royce sustainability strategy. It also includes support for the increased use of SAF and intensive research into alternative propulsion architectures and technologies.”
The ability to test ALECSys low-emissions technology in flight will allow the verification of altitude operability performance and provides the experience of operating a lean-burn system to maximize maturity ahead of a future entry into service.
ALECSys is part of the UltraFan engine demonstrator program, which offers 25% fuel saving over the first generation of Trent engines. The ALECSys program is supported by the European Union’s Clean Sky program and in the United Kingdom by the Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK. (Story and photo courtesy of Rolls-Royce)