NASA Takes Eco-Friendly Flight to New Heights with Sustainable Jet Engine Design
Cutting-edge project aims to revolutionize aviation by reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
NASA, in partnership with industry experts, is embarking on a new project to design a more eco-friendly jet engine core for the next generation of super-efficient airplanes. This marks an important step forward in the project. The idea is to create a smaller core for a hybrid-electric turbofan jet engine. This smaller core could potentially cut fuel consumption by 10% compared to today’s engines, which would also mean reducing carbon emissions. Now, you might wonder what exactly a jet engine core does. Well, it’s where compressed air mixes with fuel and gets ignited to create power. By making this core smaller, we can make planes more fuel-efficient and produce fewer carbon emissions.
The project, called Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC), aims to show off this compact core and have it ready for use in the engines of futuristic aircraft by the 2030s. HyTEC is a big part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight National Partnership. Here’s how the project is structured:
Phase 1, which is almost done, focused on picking out the best technologies to use in the core demonstrator. Phase 2, starting now, will see researchers designing, building, and testing a compact core in collaboration with GE Aerospace. Anthony Nerone, who heads up HyTEC at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, says, “Phase 1 is wrapping up, and we’re gearing up for Phase 2. This phase will end with a test to show off the technology so that it can be used in the real world.” But before researchers could get to work on designing and building the core, they had to find new materials for the engine. After three years of hard work, they found some solutions. “We’ve been really focused on our goals from the beginning, and so far, we haven’t had to change our plans,” Nerone said. To make the core smaller without losing power, the engine has to handle more heat and pressure. This means using tougher materials that can withstand higher temperatures.
Aside from looking into materials, the project also explored advanced aerodynamics and other important technical stuff. Phase 2 will take what we’ve learned in Phase 1 and put it to the test by building a compact core for ground testing to prove that HyTEC works. “Phase 2 is pretty complicated. We’re not just testing a core; we’re creating something entirely new,” Nerone explained. The technologies tested in HyTEC will help achieve a higher bypass ratio, hybridization, and compatibility with eco-friendly aviation fuels. The bypass ratio is all about how much air flows through the engine core compared to how much goes around it. By making the core smaller and the turbofan bigger, we can use less fuel and emit less carbon while keeping the same power output. “HyTEC is a big part of our RISE program,” said Kathleen Mondino, who helps lead RISE program technologies at GE Aerospace. “We’ve worked closely with NASA for years to advance aviation technology, and HyTEC is the next step in that partnership to make flight more sustainable.”
Another cool thing about HyTEC is that it’s a hybrid-electric engine, meaning it’ll use both traditional fuel and electricity to power the plane. This could make it the first hybrid-electric engine for commercial airliners. “This engine will be the first of its kind, and hopefully, it’ll be the start of a new era in sustainable air travel,” Nerone said.