Rolls-Royce, the University of Nottingham and ANSYS, a specialist in engineering simulation software, have embarked on a five-year collaboration to develop breakthrough technology for advanced aircraft engines.

The research project — known as AERIS — will improve modelling and simulation in aero-engine bearing chambers and internal gearboxes by developing, validating and optimising new techniques to address air and oil flows in the engines.

The project is part of Clean Sky 2, where the university is a Core Partner and Member of the Systems, Airframes and Engines Integrated Technology Demonstrators (ITD).

In this role, researchers are working with aerospace primes and supply-chain organisations on a range of areas, including the design and manufacture of advanced wings for compound helicopters, the development of low-power ice protection systems, technology bricks for More Electric Aircraft, and two-phase flows for aero-engine bearing chambers, which is the subject of AERIS.

The university won a call for Core Partners issued by Clean Sky 2 to join the Engines ITD under the leadership of Rolls-Royce.

This initiative builds on 10 years of research conducted at Nottingham’s Gas Turbine and Transmissions Research Centre, headed by Herve Morvan, who is director of the Institute for Aerospace Technology (IAT).

AERIS harnesses the expertise of the IAT, which holds a portfolio of 15 projects worth €38 million that are directly tied to meeting the goals of Clean Sky 2.

The university’s leading role in aerospace and aviation research helps to bolster the UK’s position as one of the top 10 participants in Clean Sky 2.

Simulation is crucial to achieving the challenging goals set out in Clean Sky 2.

To this end, concepts are designed on Ansys’ engineering simulation software, which enables the researchers to consolidate their models and numerical methods for industrial applications.