- 2 aerospace projects aimed to maximise engine
performance and efficiency set to receive more than £10
million of government funding
- Aerospace Minister confirmed the
investment on a visit to Rolls-Royce’s Derby facility
today
- the money is part of a £3.9 billion investment from
industry and the government as part of the modern
Industrial Strategy
Funding support for the latest technologies in aerospace
engine manufacturing and performance, was announced today
by Aerospace Minister .
The 2 projects, jointly funded by Rolls-Royce and the
Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), will bring
together the best talent in the industry from academia and
businesses to work on world-renowned research for
aero-engine maintenance and manufacturing. The funding will
support research to develop new engine cooling systems and
cutting-edge technology to stop the formation of ice
crystals on engines when cruising at high altitudes.
Aerospace Minister confirmed the
£10.7 million government funding towards the
Rolls-Royce-led R&D projects on
a visit to Rolls-Royce’s engineering and manufacturing
facilities in Derby. In June 2017, Rolls-Royce committed to
invest £150 million in its UK facilities to support plans
of doubling engine production.
Aerospace Minister said:
As the home of the first jet engine, the UK has an
aerospace heritage that’s revered around the world.
Through our modern Industrial Strategy, we will continue
this legacy and have already committed to work with
industry to invest £3.9 billion to further transform the
sector.
These 2 projects will see the best talent from the
industry come together to help the UK reach even greater
heights in aerospace excellence.
The latest projects, worth over £21 million in total, are
supported by ATI and
Rolls-Royce with academic industry partners. This will be
delivered through Innovate UK - the UK’s innovation agency.
Chief Technology Officer for Rolls-Royce Paul Stein said:
We welcome the support announced by the UK government
today. Rolls-Royce is focused on pioneering new
technologies and developing the next generation of highly
skilled engineers by working with academia and industry.
These research projects will play an important role in
developing the innovative technologies needed to enhance
performance, improve efficiency and reduce emissions of
future aircraft.
Projects
The projects set to receive funding are:
COAST (Critical
Oil and Air System Technologies)
£3.7 million, focuses on the development of engine systems
to support cabin cooling, and advanced sealing solutions
for oil systems and bearing chambers. The technologies
developed in COAST will
support reductions in fuel burn and improve the reliability
of oil systems and the integration of engine systems with
the airframe. This project is led by Rolls-Royce plc. in
collaboration with Bladon Jet Ltd an SME based
in Coventry and the Universities of Nottingham, Oxford and
Sheffield.
DE-ICER (Design
Excellence – Ice Crystal Engine Research)
£7 million, focuses on tackling the formation of ice
crystals that can damage an aircraft. The project aims to
target current gaps in ice crystal formation research and
develop anti-icing systems and technology to protect the
engine. This project is led by Rolls-Royce plc. in
collaboration with Satavia Ltd, an SME in
Cambridge, GKN Aerospace and the University of Oxford.
In 2015, the government and industry committed to spend
£3.9 billion to further transform aerospace research until
2026 to help this sector build on our unique strengths in
the UK through the Industrial Strategy.
The Industrial
Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost the
productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK.
It sets out how we are building a Britain fit for the
future – how we will help businesses create better,
higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK with investment
in skills, industries and infrastructure.
