Engines
Rolls-Royce Begins Building Giant Fans
Part of the drive to increase engine efficiency and reduce emissions, the Rolls-Royce UltraFan employs advanced composite fan blades.
The UltraFan’s 140-inch diameter fan set will be the largest yet built. (Photo: Rolls-Royce)
The UltraFan’s 140-inch diameter fan set will be the largest yet built. (Photo: Rolls-Royce)

UK aero-engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce (Chalet AC05, Booth N23) has said that it has started building the fan blades for its UltraFan demonstrator engine at its Bristol technology hub. At 140 inches (3.56 meters) diameter, the fan set will be the largest ever made.

The blades are created through the build-up of hundreds of layers of carbon-fiber materials pre-filled with resin, which are then heat- and pressure-treated. A thin titanium leading edge is fitted for protection against foreign object damage, erosion, and bird strikes. This technology has already been tested on the Advanced Low-Pressure System development engine—a partnership with Clean Sky, Innovate UK, BEIS, ATI, ITP Aero, and GKN—and inflight on Rolls-Royce's Boeing 747 flying testbed.

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