High-tech made by MTU

High-tech made by MTU Innovation is the moving force behind MTU Aero Engines and forms one of the company’s five 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 as high-tech manufacturing and repair techniques. Its technology portfolio includes some 100 projects that are firmly focused on the com- pany’s objectives and pursued in accordance with strict product development rules. Close meshing with industrial partners, academe and research institutions is the sine qua non of 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 new engine solutions must go beyond existing con- cepts. Current projections assume that air traffic will keep growing at a rate of four to five percent a year, practically doubling within 15 years. The industry’s challenges are growing accord- ingly, because tomorrow's aircraft must be fuel-thriftier, quieter and cleaner. The European aerospace industry has set specific goals for itself. In 2002, ACARE, the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe, issued its Strategic Research Agenda: By the year 2020, aircraft are to burn 50 per- cent less fuel, emit 50 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) and 80 percent less oxides of nitrogen (NOX). Moreover, the perceived noise level is to be halved. A substantial contribution will have to come from the engines of the next generation: 20 percent less CO2, up to 80 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 industry has set itself even more ambitious goals: 75 percent less CO2 emissions and 90 percent NOX emissions as compared with 2000 values. Noise is to be reduced by 65 percent. In addition to environmental objectives, ACARE also defined precise goals in terms of quality, cost, safety and system efficiency. MTU has already developed solutions to achieve the ambitious targets for the future: Under its Claire technology initiative, the com- pany combines key technologies that already exist or whose feasibility has been demon- strated to build a highly advanced engine that will burn 30 percent less fuel, emit less carbon dioxides and produce half the perceived noise. Plans are to achieve these targets by 2035. The new concept revolves around the geared turbofan which will be further optimized. 15 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent less carbon dioxide are the staged goals the company has set for itself. This roadmap was developed by MTU experts in partnership with the futurolo- gists of Bauhaus Luftfahrt. The geared turbo- fan engine alone already provides a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by up to 15 per- cent. In the next stage, further improvements are aimed at generating thrust more efficiently, by enhancing individual components or by the use of a shrouded counter-rotating propfan. In the third and last stage, the focus will be on improving 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 Claire initiative is not about lofty visions but bases on 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 emissions and noise.

High-tech made by MTU

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