CFM RISE Open Fan Architecture Jet Engine Could Reduce Fuel Consumption By 20 Percent
GE Aviation and Safran announced a new technology development program that aims to reduce fuel consumption for jet aircraft by 20 percent while reducing CO2 emissions at the same time. The program is called CFM RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) and will demonstrate a mature range of new, disruptive technologies for future commercial aircraft engines that have the potential to enter service by the mid-2030.
Both GE Aviation and Safran also agreed as part of the announcement to extend the CFM International 50/50 partnership through the year 2050. The company has a goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2050. The two companies say that their relationship is the strongest it has ever been. They will work together with the RISE technology demonstration program to reinvent flight for the future.
The companies want to take next-generation single-aisle aircraft to a new level of fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. Executives working on the project say that the current LEAP engine has already reduced emissions by 15 percent compared to past generation of engines. The new RISE technology will reduce that number even further.
New engine technologies also ensure 100 percent compatibility with alternative energy sources, including Sustainable Aviation Fuels and hydrogen. Both companies say the RISE Program is the foundation for the next-generation CFM engine expected to be available by the middle of the 2030s. One of the key features of the new engine is an open fan architecture, which is the key to improved fuel efficiency while delivering the same travel speed and cabin experience offered by current generation aircraft.
The program will leverage hybrid electric capability to optimize the efficiency of the engines while enabling electrification for many aircraft systems. So far, the RISE program has more than 300 separate components, modules, and full engine builds. A demonstrator engine is scheduled to begin testing around the middle of the decade, with a flight test soon after.