FAA Picks Pratt & Whitney to Develop Advanced Core-Engine Technologies for CLEEN II Program

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that they have selected Pratt & Whitney as one of the companies that will develop and mature advanced core-engine technologies as a part of the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN II) initiative. The technology will be primarily for engine compressor and turbine modules with the goal of reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The purpose of the program to create environmentally friendly aircraft technologies as well as sustainable alternative fuel sources.

As part of the second phase of the CLEEN II program, Pratt & Whitney would be responsible for continuing the development of advanced technologies applicable to ultra-high bypass ratio Pure Power Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines that will increase the thermal efficiency of engine cores. This development is complementary and in continuance of the first phase of that CLEEN project, which was started in 2010.

Pratt & Whitney and UTC Aerospace Systems (Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company) will be working together on the second phase of the FAA’s program, with UTC Aerospace System’s Aero structures division responsible for the development of nacelle technologies specifically, aimed at reducing engine fuel burn as well as noise. Together, both Pratt & Whitney and UTC will also develop a ground test demonstration unit to evaluate the nacelle technologies. This will be performed on P&W’s PW1000G Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine as well.

All in all, the FAA has awarded over $100 million in contracts to eight different companies for the development of fuel consumption, emissions, and noise reduction technologies. Other companies involved in the program include Boeing, General Electric, Honeywell, Aurora Flight Sciences, Delta Tech Ops, and Rolls-Royce. The CLEEN II program will look to build on the tremendous success of the original CLEEN program, with new technologies scheduled to go into service by 2016. The new program is expected to last for a duration of 5 years, with companies matching or exceeding the FAA’s initial investment, bringing the total investment on the project to at least $200 million.

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