EAST HARTFORD, Conn.,
Oct. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt
& Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX),
recently completed more than 175 hours of ground testing of a
next-generation Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine propulsor technology
as part of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Continuous
Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program, an FAA NextGen
initiative to accelerate the development of
environmentally-friendly aircraft technologies. The full-scale
test, conducted in West Palm Beach,
Fla., marks 10 years since
Pratt & Whitney first successfully demonstrated the GTF, a
revolutionary new engine that delivers 16 percent better fuel
efficiency, 50 percent lower nitrogen oxide emissions to the
regulatory standard and a 75 percent smaller noise footprint.
This advancement builds on the completion of 275 hours of fan
rig testing of the technology in 2014 and 2015. The demonstrator
used an existing development engine from a certified Geared
TurboFan product to validate the performance capability of a
second-generation, ultra-high bypass fan design. The engine
successfully operated in a design space never before demonstrated
with significantly fewer lower-pressure ratio blades than the
current production engine, and a shorter duct inlet. The rig and
engine tests are expected to demonstrate a suite of technologies
that will help reduce fuel burn by an additional 2 percent.
A key element in the technology maturation is the development
and application of highly-integrated United Technologies
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools, which provide accurate
predictions and design guidance to enable rig-to-engine scalability
and optimized performance. A comprehensive aerodynamic,
aeromechanical and acoustic test program showed the technology
contributing significantly to meeting FAA CLEEN program goals,
demonstrating again UTC's leadership in technology and
manufacturing.
"The success of this ground test is an important step in taking
our Geared Turbofan engine technology to the next level," said
Alan Epstein, vice president of
Technology and Environment for Pratt & Whitney. "We are working
to make sure the next generation GTF engine – already a
game-changer – remains on the cutting edge of performance and
sustainability."
Pratt & Whitney continues to advance the compressor and
turbine technology in collaboration with the FAA as part of the
CLEEN II program, a follow-on program that develops and
demonstrates aircraft technology and alternative jet fuels.
The CLEEN program is an FAA initiative to accelerate the
development of environmentally friendly aircraft technologies. The
program is part of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation
System (NextGen) strategy and focuses on the reduction of aircraft
noise, emissions and fuel burn. For more information on the CLEEN
program, visit the FAA.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture
and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United
Technologies Corp., based in Farmington,
Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services
to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC,
visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter:
@UTC For more information about Pratt & Whitney, visit
http://www.pratt-whitney.com. For more about UTC and Pratt &
Whitney's green aviation efforts visit
http://naturalleader.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements
concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ
materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and
uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in levels of
demand in the aerospace industry, in levels of air travel, and in
the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design,
development, production, support, performance and realization of
the anticipated benefits of advanced technologies; as well as other
risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those
detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s
Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Pratt &
Whitney
+1 (860) 565-9600
media@pw.utc.com
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SOURCE Pratt & Whitney