High-tech made by MTU

MTU Aero Engines is Germany’s leading enginemanufacturer and a firmly established playerin the industry. The company, whose rootsreach back to the dawn of aviation, designs,develops, manufactures, markets and supportscommercial and military aircraft engines aswell as stationary industrial gas turbines. Itspredecessor companies provided the enginesfor the first powered airplanes as early as atthe beginning of the 20th century. Today, thecompany has carved out leading positions inessential engine technologies: High-pressurecompressors, low-pressure turbines, manu-facturing and repair technologies made byMTU are among the finest to be found in theglobal marketplace.

With its comprehensive and well-balancedproduct portfolio MTU has content in all thrustand power classes and in all essential compo-nents and sub-assemblies that make up anengine. As a renowned partner, MTU closelycooperates with all of the big engine manufac-turers and actively drives the development ofthe industry. It plays a role in all important na-tional and international technology programs.With its partners from industry, research and

The company— Germany’s number one

2

academe MTU has for years been developingnovel technologies to make engines quieter,fuel-thriftier and cleaner. The propulsion sys-tem of the future is the geared turbofan (GTF)engine which excels by its very high efficiencyand low noise levels. The engine is developedand built jointly by Pratt & Whitney and MTU.

One of the core competences of the companyis the maintenance of commercial engines. Itsmaintenance segment is the world’s leadingindependent provider of commercial enginemaintenance services. In the military arena,MTU is Germany’s industrial lead company forpractically all engines flown by the GermanArmed Forces. European military programs in which MTU has a leading role include theTP400-D6 for the A400M military transport,the EJ200 for the Eurofighter/Typhoon, andthe MTR390 for the French-German Tiger at-tack helicopter.

MTU Aero Engines’ headquarters are inMunich. It is from there that the German andnon-German affiliates and most of the compa-nies research and development activities arecontrolled. The Munich location is also hometo the company's military engine business.

3

Based on the geared turbofan technology,Germany’s leading engine manufacturer hasdeveloped its forward-looking Claire (CleanAir Engine) technology program. It aims atreducing fuel consumption and hence carbondioxide emissions in three stages by up to 30percent by the year 2035. Furthermore, theperceived noise level will be halved. A com-pelling advantage of Claire is that all of thekey technologies to be folded into the projectalready exist or that at least their feasibilityhas been demonstrated.

With its Claire project, MTU has identified anapproach to addressing the challenges facingthe aviation industry in the future: The aircraftmanufacturers will build thriftier, cleaner andquieter aircraft, and MTU will supply the en-gines to power them.

High-tech made by MTU Innovation is the moving force behind MTUAero Engines and forms one of the company’sfive strategic pillars. With over 100 patent applications a year, MTU secures its techno-logical leadership position in its core compe-tencies in the fields of low-pressure turbines,high-pressure compressors, engine control,monitoring and diagnosis units, as well ashigh-tech manufacturing and repair techniques.

Its technology portfolio includes some 100projects that are firmly focused on the com-pany’s objectives and pursued in accordancewith strict product development rules. Closemeshing with industrial partners, academeand research institutions is the sine qua nonof success in the development of new tech-nologies.

Tomorrow’s engines call for innovative ideas.The growing mobility needs of billions of peo-ple, limited raw materials and acerbating eco-logical problems leave little doubt that newengine solutions must go beyond existing con-cepts.

Current projections assume that air traffic willkeep growing at a rate of four to five percenta year, practically doubling within 15 years.The industry’s challenges are growing accord-ingly, because tomorrow's aircraft must befuel-thriftier, quieter and cleaner.

The European aerospace industry has set specific goals for itself. In 2002, ACARE, theAdvisory Council for Aeronautics Research inEurope, issued its Strategic Research Agenda:By the year 2020, aircraft are to burn 50 per-cent less fuel, emit 50 percent less carbondioxide (CO2) and 80 percent less oxides ofnitrogen (NOX). Moreover, the perceived noiselevel is to be halved. A substantial contributionwill have to come from the engines of thenext generation: 20 percent less CO2, up to80 percent less NOX and 50 percent less noise

4

(-10 ENPdB). But that’s not the end of it: Un-der the Flightpath 2050 initiative, the industryhas set itself even more ambitious goals: 75percent less CO2 emissions and 90 percentNOX emissions as compared with 2000 values.Noise is to be reduced by 65 percent.

In addition to environmental objectives, ACAREalso defined precise goals in terms of quality,cost, safety and system efficiency.

MTU has already developed solutions toachieve the ambitious targets for the future:Under its Claire technology initiative, the com-pany combines key technologies that alreadyexist or whose feasibility has been demon-strated to build a highly advanced engine thatwill burn 30 percent less fuel, emit less carbondioxides and produce half the perceived noise.Plans are to achieve these targets by 2035.The new concept revolves around the gearedturbofan which will be further optimized.

15 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent less carbondioxide are the staged goals the company hasset for itself. This roadmap was developed byMTU experts in partnership with the futurolo-gists of Bauhaus Luftfahrt. The geared turbo-fan engine alone already provides a reductionin carbon dioxide emissions by up to 15 per-cent. In the next stage, further improvementsare aimed at generating thrust more efficiently,by enhancing individual components or by theuse of a shrouded counter-rotating propfan. Inthe third and last stage, the focus will be onimproving the efficiency of the core engine,for example, with the aid of a heat exchanger.

With Claire, MTU once again lives up to its re-putation as a technology leader: MTU’s Claireinitiative is not about lofty visions but baseson existing and well-tried key technologies.

MTU technologies are on board also on Boeing’s next-generation wide-body aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner.

The PurePower® PW1000G engine is setting new standards worldwide in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 emissionsand noise.

5

Pilot concepts describe the engines of futuregenerations. Individual pilot concepts outlinepotential engine architectures for a certainapplication category believed to satisfy futuremarket requirements. Pilot concepts specifythe general direction technology developmentis supposed to take. MTU develops pilot con-cepts for all applications forming part of itsstrategic product portfolio. In the commercialdomain, these are engine concepts for busi-ness and regional jets, short-, medium andlong-haul aircraft.

Advanced turbofan engineToday, the turbofan engine has found a homeon practically all jet-propelled aircraft. How-ever, the ambitious emission goals of theACARE Vision 2020 cannot be fully met withthe turbofan concept. Any significant reductionin fuel consumption and noise can be achievedmost effectively using a high bypass ratio. Fur-ther developments of turbofan engines areaimed at increasing the bypass ratio to a littleabove ten and optimizing individual compo-nents for better aerodynamic efficiency andlower weight.

Geared turbofan engineThe geared turbofan (GTF) is the engine con-cept of the future. MTU is partnering withPratt & Whitney on demonstrator and develop-ment programs for this new engine generation.Unlike conventional turbofans, where fan andlow-pressure turbine rotate on a common shaftand at the same speed, the two componentsare decoupled by a gearbox arranged betweenthem. Accordingly, the large fan operates at a slower and the low-pressure turbine at afaster speed, which improves their respectiveefficiencies, lowers the noise level and abouthalves the number of stages in the turbine.Bypass ratios of 12 and beyond become apossibility and fuel burn can be considerablyreduced.

Orders from Mitsubishi, Bombardier and Irkut,who are going to use the geared turbofan en-gine on their emerging regional jets and short-and medium-haul aircraft, have paved the wayfor the successful placement of the producton the market. In late 2010, Airbus selectedthe GTF as one of the two engine options forits upgraded A320neo.

Future commercial engines

6

7

Future developmentsThe propulsive efficiency can be further boost-ed only with a higher bypass ratio. A majorstep forward is the further development of theGTF into the second-generation GTF. At thesame time, alternative solutions are being in-vestigated, such as the counter rotating inte-grated shrouded propfan, or Crisp for short.In this derivative of the geared turbofan, twocounter-rotating fan rotors are arranged onebehind the other. The shroud is intended toreduce noise emissions.

The technical foundations of this concept hadbeen laid already back in the mid-1980s, whenalso its general feasibility had been demon-strated. The low fuel prices at the time, how-ever, prevented the concept from going intoproduction.

Intercooled recuperated engine In the quest for higher efficiencies advancedthermodynamic cycles are also being investi-gated. Among others, the recuperated propfanappears to be a promising concept which helpsfurther enhance the thermal efficiency of en-gines. It is designed to take the last hurdle onthe route to 30 percent carbon dioxide reduc-tion. This concept, too, bases on the gearedturbofan with a high-speed low-pressure tur-bine.

The reduction gearbox used in the geared turbofan en-gine decouples the fan from the low-pressure turbine.

The counter-rotating shrouded propfan has been extensively tested back in the 1980s.

The efficiency of an engine can be optimized by theuse of downstream recuperators.

In addition, it features an intercooler betweenthe compressors and a recuperator in theexhaust gas stream. Intercooling and recuper-ating energy from the exhaust gas streammarkedly increase the engine’s thermal effi-ciency.

Considering that intercooler and recuperatorinvolve weight and cost penalties, the integra-tion of these components poses new techno-logical challenges for the overall system.

8

fore uses so-called active systems to individu-ally adapt the engine to suit changing operat-ing modes. What needs to be developed forsuch engines are variable modules (bypassduct, fan or exhaust nozzle) or variable compo-nents (stator vanes). The technical challengehere is to reliably integrate these systems intothe engine mechanically and electronically.

Helicopter enginesFor helicopter engines, the rules are basicallythe same as for turbofan engines, the chal-lenge being to boost performance while reduc-ing weight and fuel consumption. Much likethe geared turbofan, the turboshaft enginehas a high-speed low-pressure turbine. Thetransfer of technologies from existing largecommercial and military engines is subject toparticular constraints. Helicopter enginesneed to be rather compact, which necessi-tates very high speeds and involves enormousmechanical stresses.

Heavy-duty turboprop enginesHeavy-duty turboprop engines are typicallyfound on large airlifters like the Airbus A400M.They burn less fuel than a turbofan and behavebetter during extreme flight maneuvers whichare frequently encountered during militarymissions. The engine architecture is basicallycomparable to that of a helicopter engine,except that much more power is needed. Thepropeller is normally driven by a separatepower turbine, the power being provided by agas generator.

Future military engines

9

In MTU’s military product portfolio, the spec-trum of pilot concepts is delineated by variousapplications. On the one hand, they includethe conventional low-bypass turbofan engineto power combat aircraft, which is currentlybeing tailored to suit the peculiarities of un-manned applications, and pilot concepts foradvanced turboshaft engines to power turbo-prop airplanes and helicopters on the other.

UAV engines In the EU, engines for unmanned aerial vehi-cles (UAV) are presently taking center stagein military technology development. For long-range cruise applications, they need to befuel-thrifty, but for low-level operations alsoshould generate substantial thrust.

To achieve compactness, innovative solutionsare needed, because the engine will have tobe entirely integrated into the airframe to sup-press its radar and infrared signature. Sincethe intention is to fly the aircraft unmanned,engine control and operational reliability re-quirements are immense. Here, MTU bringsits comprehensive experience in the militarybusiness to the table and is a reliable partnerin national and international research projects,such as the European Technology AcquisitionProgramme (ETAP).

Variable cycle enginesA combat aircraft system is designed for max-imum performance in extreme situations. Forcruising, a smaller engine would be fully suffi-cient. The variable cycle engine concept there-

The GE38 powering the CH53-K heavy-lift helicopter would be a suitable candidate also for a European helicopter.

Technology fields The name MTU Aero Engines stands for lead-ing-edge military and commercial engine tech-nologies and superior quality. The company hasestablished itself as a worldwide technologyleader in the industry and intends to remain atthe forefront of innovation, the aim being tomaintain and strengthen its leadership posi-tion.

High-pressure compressors and low-pressureturbines made by MTU rank among the mostadvanced in their class. Apart from these,MTU’s product spectrum also encompassescombined engine control and monitoring units.The company is building on long experience inthe military field here. These three productdevelopment domains are complemented bymanufacturing and repair technology fields.The objective is to maintain the company’stechnical, operational and logistics competi-tiveness in the manufacturing and mainte-nance areas. MTU’s technology portfolio pres-ently includes about 100 projects.

10

CompressorsWith its top-notch technological capabilitiesMTU Aero Engines aims to be the preferredpartner for high-pressure compressors forcommercial applications. The company comesrecommended by its earlier performance inthe field of advanced low-pressure and inno-vative high-pressure compressors. Currentflagship products developed by MTU’s expertsare the compressors for the EJ200 poweringthe Eurofighter/Typhoon and the TP400-D6for the new A400M military airlifter.

The high-pressure compressor currently beingdeveloped in partnership with Pratt & Whitneyconstitutes the centerpiece of a new family of geared turbofan engines targeted at regionaland business jets and short- to medium-haulairliners. Development here focuses on im-provements in efficiency and weight reduc-tions. Both factors directly affect fuel con-sumption and hence also the emission of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Furthercost reductions, too, are on the wish list.

The latest generation of MTU’s high-pressure compressors boasts active control features.

11

TurbinesLow-pressure turbines are a core competencyof MTU. The technological band-width is enor-mous, extending from conventional low-pres-sure turbines for engines to power businessjets, power turbines for heavy-lift helicopters,large conventional low-pressure turbines withhigh-efficiencies all the way to high-speedlow-pressure turbines for the powerful gearedturbofan.

The company hopes to consolidate its tech-nology leadership long-term through techno-logical preparations for the successor genera-tions of current engines. The objective oftechnology development remains unchangedregardless of concept: it is to strike a reason-able balance between efficiency, weight, noiselevel, cost and life.

Overall systemOptimum engine control and monitoring unitsand flawless accessories are essential for thesafety of aircraft. MTU has a broad backgroundof experience in this field. Its line of productsencompasses the overall control and monitor-ing system as well as the integration of sub-systems and equipment including associatedsoftware. The company’s competencies extendfrom equipment, software and system devel-opment all the way to system validation, pro-duction support and maintenance.

Manufacturing and maintenanceEngines are high-tech products the manufac-ture of which involves innovative techniques.With their aid, just about any product can bemanufactured today, except that to be sale-able, it also needs to be affordable. Apart frommaking the necessary technical preparationsfor a new component or material MTU’s manu-facturing shops have to organize the entireprocess chain in a manner that secures theMunich site’s international competitiveness.In the area of manufacturing technology, thecompany is therefore pursuing activities ex-tending across the entire bandwidth of manu-facturing technology from the initial develop-ment of manufacturing processes, testing andmeasuring methods all the way to automationand factory planning.

MTU Aero Engines is the technology leader worldwidefor low-pressure turbines.

MTU’s test facilities can accommodate even heavy-weights, such as the GP7000 powering the AirbusA380 mega-transport.

MTU is the only company worldwide that holds approvalfor patching, a novel repair process for blisks.

Award-winning compressors High-pressure compressors made by MTUhave been among the best worldwide for dec-ades. For more than 30 years the Germancompany has been developing, manufacturing,repairing and overhauling this component, thecore of the engine. The technologies are beingcontinuously refined and adapted to suit theparticular requirements of each engine type.Over the next years, the compressor’s effi-ciency will be enhanced to further lower thespecific fuel consumption.

Because approximately one third of the totalflow losses are caused by leakage, the designof the transitional zones between rotor andstator stages must be given particular atten-tion. Brush seals here permit technical solu-tions that would not be possible with conven-tional labyrinth seals. Moreover, innovativetechnologies have been developed that influ-ence the action of the flow, for example theso-called casing treatment that involves struc-tural modifications to the rotor casing innersurfaces for increased aerodynamic loading ofthe compressor. Active systems, too, will playan increasingly important role. These involvecomponent assemblies that respond to varia-tions in operating conditions, for instance byminimizing clearances or injecting air to im-prove stability.

Integral constructions and novel materials arekey to significant weight reductions. The con-cept applying to the blisk, where disk andblades form an integral part, should equally beapplicable also to whole successive stages inline. Tandem configurations of the type openup opportunities to reduce overall length andhence compressor weight.

Comparable saving potentials are offered bynovel disk and blisk materials in titanium andnickel-base alloys. They outperform priormaterials by their greater specific strengththat makes for “leaner” component designs.

To protect the high-value components, suchas compressor blisks, against erosion by sandand dirt particles, MTU has developed a novelmultilayer coating: Dubbed ERCoatnt, thiscoating combines the hardness of ceramiclayers with the high ductility of metallic layers.The layer is thin enough to be deposited oncomponents also subsequently and withoutinterfering with their aerodynamic or structur-al-mechanical properties.

12

Nowadays, high-pressure compressors increasinglycome in blisk construction.

Highly advanced aerodynamic computation methodsare used in the design of MTU’s compressors whichexcel by an extremely high stage pressure ratio.

One of the core areas of technology development at MTU are high-pressure compressors.

Efficient turbines The low-pressure turbine contributes signifi-cantly to engine cost. Depending on enginesize and concept, its cost share amounts to15 to 20 percent. In component development,MTU is exploring novel constructions to reducecomplexity and concurrently looking at morecost-effective materials for use at elevatedtemperatures. Under its “High Lift Blading”project, for instance, the company is develop-ing an innovative blading concept to reducethe blade count in the low-pressure turbinewithout appreciably reducing its efficiency. Awelcome by-product in that endeavor is thepotential reduction of module weight.

Novel light-weight materials hold promise ofsaving up to ten percent of the overall turbineweight. While they are just as strong, rotorblades in titanium aluminum weigh only half asmuch as blades in conventional nickel alloys.This provides a tremendous weight-savingpotential for low-pressure turbine blades foruse at operating temperatures of up to 800degrees centigrade. Before one material canbe exchanged for the other, however, numer-ous questions need to be answered. It is im-portant to know, for instance, how the materialholds up under operating conditions or whatmanufacturing process would be best to use.

Intentions over the next five years are to en-hance the turbine efficiencies by reducing flowlosses by as much as 15 percent, no meanfeat when considering the high degree of effi-ciency already attained. This is hoped to re-duce an aircraft’s fuel consumption by 1.1percent. For an A380 flying the route fromFrankfurt to New York about 600 times a yearthis would translate into a reduction of fuelconsumption of approximately 757,000 liters. The availability of more computing power andnew design programs will in the years aheadpermit the three-dimensional design of theblade ducts, including side walls and filletradii. In the process, numerical aerodynamic

13

Complex simulation methods—seen here are parts of ahigh-speed low-pressure turbine—markedly reducedevelopment times.

The high-speed low-pressure turbine of the PW1000G geared turbofan—shown here is one of the three stages—isunrivaled worldwide.

design optimization methods are used. Foroperation at the high altitudes commonly as-sociated with long-haul airliners and businessjets, improved airfoil designs and measures toselectively influence the boundary layer willbe explored.

In air traffic, flight noise is a limiting factor.Individual flight movements have indeed be-come less noisy over the past several years,but in all, their growing incidence is eatingaway at the improvement. The primary sourcesof flight noise are engines, undercarriage andthe air enveloping the aircraft. In accordancewith ACARE targets, next-generation enginesshould provide a ten ENPdB improvementover current engines. That is a notable figure,considering that a ten dB or so differencehalves the perceived noise.

To keep the noise low that the low-pressureturbine contributes to engine noise under cer-tain operating conditions, such as approach, anumber of noise abatement measures, suchas the 3D contouring of turbine blades, arebeing explored using an experimental turbinespecifically set up for the purpose.

Overall system More Electric EngineOn the next generation of aircraft, experts an-ticipate electric power requirements to quin-tuple, not least because the air conditioningsystem, for example, will no longer operate onengine air but on electricity. On the engineproper, too, mechanical and hydraulic compo-nents will advantageously be replaced withelectrical units because these are smaller andlighter in weight, more flexible to accommo-date and smarter. An electric fuel pump, forinstance, would reduce fuel consumption sinceit would permit fuel to be fed only in theamounts actually needed, obviating the pres-ent need for scavenging excess fuel back intothe tank.

The More Electric Engine of the future willcome with a plurality of sensors, electric mo-tors and control elements, posing new powermanagement, control engineering and enginemonitoring challenges.

Control unitBecoming increasingly apparent is the needto closely link the engine control system withthe flight control system and the supply sys-tems. Current control units are central devicesfeaturing a direct, analog connection to everycomponent in the engine. Each additional com-ponent requires a separate physical connec-tion including a line and connector. Unless theconcept is changed, a control box would inthe future be characterized by a plurality ofconnections, although its interior would requireonly a fraction of the space.

MTU is pushing the notion of a distributedcontrol system in which every electrical com-ponent has its own control logic and is drivenby a central unit via data bus.

Monitoring and diagnosisFor the Eurofighter’s EJ200 engine, MTU hasdeveloped a new generation of control unitsthat control the engine and concurrently mon-itor it. Their primary task is to immediatelyalert to defects, while its number two job is to prevent defects through earliest possibledetection of deviations. These technologicalcapabilities are gradually being transitionedalso to other engines.

An engine trend monitoring system, for in-stance, has been developed for use by MTU’smaintenance shops that captures essentialoperating data such as pressure, temperatureand vibrations through the onboard computerand radios or emails it to a ground-based net-work for continuous comparison with idealengine data. When deviations from nominalare noted, appropriate repairs can be made toprevent major consequential damage and cost-ly repairs.

Power managementThe airborne power generation station, that is,the engine, will need to produce quintuple thepresent amount of electric current for the air-craft. At the magnitudes involved, the conven-tional approach of using a generator to tapelectric power at the high-pressure shaft is nolonger practicable.

A highly promising solution seems to be toconnect an additional generator to the low-pressure shaft. The additional space requiredby a further accessory is a penalty that canbe offset by integrating the generator into thelow-pressure turbine. That concept promisesto afford a weight advantage of up to 30 per-cent, compared to a conventionally attachedgenerator.

14

The control unit for the EJ200 engine powering theEurofighter/Typhoon combines all control and monitor-ing functions in one single piece of equipment.

MTU’s test facilities incorporate highly advanced technologies. Shown here is MTU Maintenance Hannover’s test cell.

Manufacturing and mainte-nance

Manufacturing processesAn excellent example of MTU’s capabilities is the manufacture of compressors in bliskdesign, where disk and blades come as onepiece. One of the techniques used in the man-ufacture of these high-tech components is linear friction welding, a process that reducesthe consumption of raw material while at thesame time ensuring a high-strength weldedjoint between the precision-forged airfoils and the disk body. The patented linear frictionwelding technique has been developed byMTU in Munich. Other processes used in bliskmanufacturing are high-speed milling andelectro-chemical machining, which have alsobeen developed or matured for this particularapplication by MTU. The individual blisk stagesare joined by inertia friction welding. MTU’sMunich location boasts a highly advancedinertia welding machine. It is 20 meters longand produces upsetting forces of up to 1,000metric tons. It joins components together totolerances of ten hundredths of a millimeter.

Inspection engineering and metrologyProducts used in aviation must be flawless. To make sure they are, MTU is continuouslyimproving its inspection methods along theentire supply and manufacturing chain. It useshighly advanced computer tomography andultrasonic inspection to reveal flaws in castmaterials of sizes 30 percent smaller than de-tectable otherwise.

While it helps to detect flaws, it is even moredesirable to prevent them. This is where on-line in-process inspection takes center stage.On critical components, quality-relevant man-ufacturing process data is captured digitallyto immediately and reliably alert engineers toprocess deviations.

MaintenanceWhether airline or leasing company, cus-tomers are all pursuing the same objective of minimizing engine maintenance costs with-out violating specified safety standards. Thelargest single item in maintenance is materialcost. It amounts to as much as 70 percent ofthe layout for a shop visit.

MTU’s strategy is that “repair beats replace-ment”. In the development of new repair tech-niques, MTU can draw on its unique expertisederived in the development and production ofnumerous engine programs. Typical examplesare the patch repair technique for blisk airfoils,or blade tip repair by laser powder cladding.Thus, the company achieves levels of restora-tion that are unique worldwide.

15

MTU boasts the world’s most precise inertia welding machine.

Turbine center frames are being produced in a dedicatedshop at MTU’s Munich location.

MTU is the only company worldwide that repairs bliskairfoils by patching.

Technology programs In engine development programs plagued bytime and cost pressures, there is little roomfor experiments. Innovations must be devel-oped, tested and matured for production inadvance. For the purpose, technology projectsare launched to build concept engines todemonstrate the feasibility and capability ofnew technologies. These are normally fundedunder cooperative or sponsored programs.MTU participates in all major European avia-tion research programs and has launched itsown long-term technology initiative, dubbedClaire (Clean Air Engine).

ClaireMTU experts, in partnership with futurologistsof Bauhaus Luftfahrt, have defined the long-term goals for aircraft engine technology de-velopment. 15 percent, 20 percent, 30 percentless carbon dioxide are the staged goals thecompany has set for itself to achieve by 2035.The Claire program revolves around a novelengine concept, the geared turbofan. Thatengine alone already provides a reduction incarbon dioxide emission by fully 15 percent.Concurrently, plans are to reduce oxides ofnitrogen and noise.

JTDPBetween Pratt & Whitney and MTU AeroEngines, a successful partnership has existedfor decades. Their cooperative developmenteffort bases on a Joint Technology Demonstra-tor Program (JTDP) stipulating the joint exploi-tation of demonstrators to test new technolo-gies. An outstanding result of their joint activ-

ities is the geared turbofan demonstrator thathas successfully completed several test flightson the wing of a Boeing 747 and an AirbusA340. Used as a demonstrator so far has beena PW6000 engine, to which MTU contributedthe high-pressure compressor and the high-speed low-pressure turbine the company devel-oped for the geared turbofan.

At present, the partners are focussing on thedevelopment of the high-pressure compressorfor a new engine generation.

Newac/Vital/LemcotecAfter several years of research, the Newac(New Aero Engine Core Concepts) and Vital(Environmentally friendly Aero Engine) tech-nology projects, which were sponsored by theEuropean Union under its 6th Research Frame-work Program, have now been successfullycompleted.

Under the Newac and Vital technology pro-grams, promising new technologies were iden-tified and validated in rig tests. Taken together,these technologies make a substantial contri-bution towards achieving the ambitious ACAREtargets of cutting CO2 emissions by 20 percentand NOX emissions by as much as 80 percent.The research work will be continued under thesuccessor project Lemcotec (Low EmissionsCore-Engine Technologies).

The MTU-led Newac project was aimed at im-proving the core engine. 41 partners—Rolls-Royce, Snecma and Avio being the largest

16

The PW1000G is put through its paces on Pratt & Whitney’s open-air test facility.

17

among them—worked together to developsmart compressors, optimize the combustionchamber and integrate heat exchangers fornovel, highly efficient core engine concepts.Under the project, MTU focused on exploringoptions to economize fuel by actively control-ling the high-pressure compressor.

The successor project of Newac is dubbedLemcotec. MTU also plays a major role in this,the most recent technology project of theEuropean Union, which is aimed at further re-ducing engine emissions. The work under theproject, which will run until 2015, focuses onexploring options to increase the overall pres-sure ratio (OPR) to further enhance the ther-mal efficiency of future engines. MTU is re-sponsible for two work packages involving thedesign, construction and testing of a new high-pressure compressor with an unprecedentedpressure ratio, which will feature lighter mate-rials capable of withstanding very high tem-peratures and an advanced secondary air sys-tem.

DreamDream (Validation of Radical Engine Architec-ture Systems) is a further technology programsponsored by the European Union. It waslaunched in spring 2008 to develop new en-gine concepts and implement the ACARE 2020goals. Under this initiative, Rolls-Royce andSnecma are exploring the open propfan. MTUis cooperating with a dozen other partners on innovative systems to further improve thegeared turbofan.

The most advanced high-pressure compressors can be validated on MTU’s compressor test rig.

Clean SkyClean Sky is the EU technology program theEuropean aviation industry hopes will helpachieve the ambitious ACARE standards. Itforms part of the Joint Technology Initiative of the European Union’s Seventh ResearchFramework Program. Clean Sky encompassessix so-called Integrated Technology Demon-strators (ITDs) and one Technology Evaluator.

From the very beginning, the project drew alarge number of participants from the Euro-pean aviation industry and from science andresearch. Further partners for specific activi-ties under the Clean Sky program can beinvited to join in through calls for proposals.With an overall budget of 1.6 billion euros,half of which is funded by the EU, Clean Skyis the biggest research program ever under-taken by the European Union.

Within the SAGE (Sustainable and GreenEngine) ITD of Clean Sky five engine demon-strators in different thrust classes and for dif-ferent market segments will be built and test-ed by 2015. One of the sub-projects (SAGE-4)is led by MTU. It is pursued with the aim tofurther develop the geared turbofan technolo-gy, in particular the low-pressure section, incooperation with other European partners,and test and validate it in 2014. The new gen-eration of geared turbofan engines is targetedat future regional jets as well as short- andmedium-haul airliners. The project was offi-cially launched in 2008 and will run throughto 2017.

The “noise footprint” of an aircraft powered by gearedturbofan engines is 70 percent smaller than that oftoday’s aircraft.

75 80 85 90 95SEL Contour (dB)

©Wyle

©Wyle

Runway Abatement Flight Track

0 1 2 Miles

0 1 2 Miles

Technology network MTU Aero Engines has for many years beenclosely cooperating with research institutionsand universities. Pursued are long-term, cross-system engine development activities in aconcerted win-win effort, where the institutes’more or less fundamental research propensitytakes on a more practically oriented tilt andMTU, in turn, draws on the scientists’ excel-lent expertise.

MTU’s network strategy relies on the threepillars of trend analysis and development ofvisionary engine concepts at Bauhaus Luft-fahrt, concentration of basic research at justa few top-notch institutions and universities,and regular exchange of experience with ex-perts within and outside the aviation industry.

Bauhaus LuftfahrtAn internationally oriented think tank, Bau-haus Luftfahrt aims to develop innovative ap-proaches for future air transport systems.Within the framework of the research activitiespursued by Bauhaus, the complex system ofair transport is reviewed from various aspects:First and foremost, the Bauhaus researchersaim to develop visionary aircraft concepts,taking ecological aspects, such as alternativefuels, revolutionary technologies, and socio-political factors into account. Key in the Bau-haus roadmap to success is the interactionbetween its in-house disciplines and coopera-tion with industry and research in a globalnetwork.

Bauhaus Luftfahrt was founded in November2005 by four partners—EADS, Liebherr-Aero-space, MTU Aero Engines and the State ofBavaria.

Centers of competence (CoC) Cooperation with universities and researchinstitutions forms an essential part of MTU’sresearch and development work. Strategicalliances with world-class research partnersare hoped to secure MTU’s innovation capa-bilities long-term and foster the meshing be-tween academe and industry. Getting studentsin touch with industrial reality early in theiracademic careers, MTU hopes to produce acontinuous pool of young talent. Jointly withleading German universities, MTU has launchedsix different centers of competence (CoC) toperform specific research tasks. Selection criteria for its partners were outstanding tech-nical qualification and long experience.

Expert working groupsExpert working groups convene regularly. Spe-cialists in a particular technical discipline meettwo or three times a year to trade insightsgained into new trends and developments.Discussed are specific technical issues forwhich likely solutions are sought and hopefullyfound. These working groups benefit from thebroad, cross-industry networking of expertsfrom science and industry.

18

Leibniz UniversitätHannover

DLR Köln

Universität Stuttgart

RWTH Aachen

TU MünchenUniBw MünchenBauhaus Luftfahrt

GER

04/

12/M

UC

/020

00/D

E/EB

/E

MTU Aero Engines GmbHDachauer Straße 66580995 Munich • GermanyTel. +49 89 1489-0Fax +49 89 1489-5500info@mtu.dewww.mtu.de