GE & NASA Unite to Test Energy Efficient Jet Engine
Oct 24, 2008 – GE Aviation [NYSE: GE] & NASA are teaming on a wind-tunnel test program to evaluate counterrotating fan-blade systems for “open rotor” jet engine designs that could sharply reduce fuel consumption.
The testing will begin in wind tunnel facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in early 2009. T his is not a full engine test, but a component rig test to evaluate subscale fan systems using GE’s and NASA’s advanced computational tools and data acquisition systems.
Rising fuel prices have led GE and NASA to re-visit open-rotor engine systems. In the 1980s, GE successfully ground-tested and flew an open-rotor jet engine that demonstrated fuel savings of more than 30% compared to similar-sized, jet engines with conventional, ducted front fan systems. Since then, GE has dramatically advanced its data acquisition systems and computational tools to better understand and improve open-rotor systems.
GE & NASA are jointly funding the program. Snecma (SAFRAN Group) of France, GE’s longtime 50/50 partner in CFM International, a highly successful joint company, will participate with fan blade designs.
The GE36, which flew on Boeing 727 & MD-80 jets, featured an aft-mounted, open-rotor fan system with 2 rows of counterrotating composite fan blades. The enormous efficiency from bypass air created by this fan system drove the GE36′s dramatic fuel savings. As fuel prices fell sharply in the late 1980s & early 1990s, the GE36 was never launched commercially, though it was recognized worldwide as a technology breakthrough.
GE Aviation is one of the world’s largest jet engine manufacturers.
Photo courtesy of & © GE
