Munich, July 31, 2014 - Early July marked the official launch of the European Clean Sky 2 Joint Technology Initiative. The new program is substantially broader in scope and more ambitious than Clean Sky, its predecessor. MTU Aero Engines, too, is stepping up its activities under the initiative: Germany’s leading engine manufacturer is one of the 16 lead partners from the aeronautical industry in Europe, working on the further optimization of low-pressure turbines and high-pressure compressors.
“With Clean Sky 2, the European Commission sends out a strong political signal recognizing the need to support the European aviation industry and secure its international competitiveness,” comments Dr. Rainer Martens, MTU Chief Operating Officer. MTU concentrates its efforts on the low-pressure turbine and high-pressure compressor, two technology areas in which the company excels. The primary focus of its activities is on the development of new, lighter-weight, more temperature-resistant materials and improved aerodynamics for second-generation geared turbofan engines.
“What’s new about the approach is that we don’t just look at the individual components or modules, but focus on integrated systems,” adds Martens. Take the low-pressure turbine, for example, where the challenge will be to further optimize low-pressure turbine technology while also taking inlet and exit case designs into consideration. Similarly, optimizing the high-pressure compressor will involve making improvements to the low-pressure compressor and inter-turbine case too. To validate the new technologies, MTU uses demonstrators, which will be tested between 2017 and 2019.
Another central task of Clean Sky 2, alongside the development of breakthrough technologies, is the integration of core partners for strategic tasks - small and medium-sized enterprises, universities and research establishments. MTU is now issuing calls for proposals to identify partners to help cover its technology demands.
The Clean Sky 2 technology program is part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 Framework Program for Research and Innovation and is slated to run through 2024. Its primary aim is to make aviation even more environmentally friendly and efficient. From 2025 on, the matured technologies will be incorporated in next-generation aircraft. Clean Sky 2 will have a budget of a little less than four billion euros.
About MTU Aero Engines
MTU Aero Engines is Germany's leading engine manufacturer and has been a key player in the global engine industry for 80 years. It engages in the development, manufacture, marketing and support of commercial and military aircraft engine modules and industrial gas turbines. The company is a technological leader in low-pressure turbines, high-pressure compressors, manufacturing processes and repair techniques. Figuring significantly among MTU's core competencies are the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of commercial engines and the service support it provides for industrial gas turbines. These activities are combined under the roof of MTU Maintenance, which is one of the world’s largest providers of commercial engine MRO services. MTU operates affiliates around the globe; Munich is home to its corporate headquarters. In fiscal 2013, the company had a workforce of some 8,700 employees and posted consolidated sales of some 3.7 billion euros.
