Rolls-Royce, Purdue University and the State
of Indiana announced a new $24m jointly-funded program during the International
Paris Air Show that further strengthens the state’s leadership position in the
aerospace industry.
This new initiative will establish unique gas
turbine research capabilities at Purdue’s Zucrow Laboratories which will focus
on advanced turbine aerodynamic and heat transfer technologies. Rolls-Royce will
apply these technologies to jet engine airfoil components - blades and vanes -
in current and next-generation jet engines produced at the company’s Indiana
facilities.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)
is supporting this partnership with $6m over the next three years through the
Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, which promotes Indiana
economic growth and innovation-driven public-private partnerships. Purdue
University is supplying facilities and equipment infrastructure investments of
$8m, with Rolls-Royce committed to contribute up to $10m.
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Rolls-Royce, Purdue and the State of Indiana
Announce a new research agreement at the 2017 Paris Air Show. Pictured left to
right: Dan Hasler, President, Purdue Research Foundation; Chris
Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, President Defense Aerospace; Indiana Governor
Eric J. Holcomb; Phil Burkholder, President of Defense North America;
Marion Blakey, President and CEO, Rolls-Royce North America; and,
James Schellinger, Indiana Secretary of Commerce. |
A new turbine test rig will be installed and
research will be done at the Purdue Experimental Turbine Aerothermal Laboratory,
which is a recent expansion of the Zucrow Laboratories. Zucrow Laboratories is
one of the nation's largest university propulsion laboratory for research aimed
at reducing fuel consumption and emissions for next-generation jet engines.
Purdue has 40 faculty and graduate students working on current Rolls-Royce
research projects.
“Rolls-Royce continues to address our
customer’s needs for powerful thrust and fuel efficiency. This agreement will
allow us to work with Purdue’s innovative jet propulsion labs at Zucrow to
construct modern, efficient advanced turbine airfoils for current and future
engines,” said Phil Burkholder,
President of Defense Aerospace, Rolls-Royce North America.
“Working together with the State of Indiana
and Purdue University, we are strengthening the state’s aerospace industry. The
strong relationships we enjoy in the state enable us to make significant and
repeated investments like these in Indiana - from our recent $600m facility
modernization and technology initiative, to the opening of our facility earlier
this year at Purdue’s new Aerospace District in West Lafayette,” said
Marion Blakey,
President and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America. “Together, we are ensuring that
Indiana remains a leader in the aerospace industry for decades to come.”
“Here on the world stage of the Paris Air
Show, Indiana’s leadership in the global aerospace industry is clear,” said
Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb.
“Many of the innovations we’re seeing presented on the trade show floor were
fostered by key partnerships between our state’s universities and industry
leaders. With this latest team-up between the state, Purdue and Rolls-Royce, I
can’t wait to see new turbine technology take flight in Indiana.”
“Purdue and Rolls-Royce have a long history of
collaboration in research and development that leads ultimately to critical
advances in the aerospace industry,” said Purdue President
Mitch Daniels.
“With the additional support from the state of Indiana, we look forward to even
greater successes for our partners, our researchers and our students.”
Turbine airfoils are individual components
within a jet engine that extract energy from the high temperature, high pressure
air produced by the combustor. They operate in the hottest part of the jet
engine, in temperatures that are far greater than the melting point of metals.
Engineering excellence, advanced materials and modern manufacturing methods help
cool the turbine airfoils to provide optimum performance in this extreme
environment.
A Legacy of Innovation
Rolls-Royce and Purdue have been working
together on gas turbine research since Rolls-Royce purchased Allison Engine
Company in 1995, continuing a decades-long relationship between Allison and
Purdue. In 2003, Rolls-Royce recognized Purdue with a University Technology
Center (UTC) designation for High Mach, the first such center in the U.S. This
designation as a UTC inducted Purdue into a unique and exclusive Rolls-Royce
network of prestigious research universities around the world. As a UTC, Purdue
became a critical part of the company’s technology development strategy. In
2016, Rolls-Royce elevated Purdue University to a status of global University
Technology Partnership (UTP). Along with this recognition, Rolls-Royce committed
to conduct at least $18.3 M of research with Purdue over the six years of 2015
through 2020.
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