Cornerstone: Mechanical Engineering Science to Enable Aero Propulsion Futures

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Transport)
Not Energy Related

Basic and strategic applied research

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor S Garvey
Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering
University of Nottingham

Standard

EPSRC

01 November 2017

30 April 2023

66 months

£6,143,615

Mechanical engineering

East Midlands

Business Partnerships Fund

Professor S Garvey, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham

Dr C J Bennett, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr D Eakins, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Dr CN Eastwick, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham
Professor D Hills, Engineering Science, University of Oxford
Professor N Hoffmann, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
Dr C Hyde, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr R J Jefferson-Loveday, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr H Morvan, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
Professor A Murphy, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University Belfast
Professor D Nowell, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
Dr N Petrinic, Engineering Science, University of Oxford
Dr L Renson, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
Dr TT Robinson, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University Belfast
Dr C Schwingshackl, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
Professor PH Shipway, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr K Simmons, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
Professor CR Siviour, Engineering Science, University of Oxford
Dr W Sun, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr M Vahdati, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London

Project Contact, Rolls-Royce PLC

This partnership between the University of Nottingham, Rolls-Royce, Imperial College London and the University of Oxford will undertake research in order to advance six key areas of mechanical engineering science which will enable Rolls-Royce in particular (and the UK more generally) to remain at the forefront of aircraft propulsion throughout the transition to all-electric flight.Across all modes of transport, the twin challenges of climate change and decreasing fossil fuel reserves has resulted in a concerted effort to find alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine technology. In transport sectors such as rail and automotive these challenges are increasingly being addressed through the introduction of new electric vehicle technologies which is revolutionising the market through new technologies, new market entries and new business models. Several estimates indicate that within 15 years the majority of new cars will be either all-electric or electric-hybrids with range extenders. The aerospace sector faces much greater challenges in moving towards low carbon propulsion, due in large part to the greater distances that must be covered between refuelling opportunities and the fact that battery technology has not yet developed significantly enough to address the challenges of long range travel. There is however a clear recognition across the aerospace industry that a transition to all-electric flight is both desirable and essential to the future of human mobility.Rolls-Royce recently announced their commitment to a long-term future business model underpinned by hybrid-electric and all-electric flight and this partnership will undertake some of the critical, underpinning research which will enable this step-change. In order to meet the roadmaps set out by the Aerospace Growth Partnership and the Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe dramatic progress must be made in a number of technology areas in order to achieve a transition to all-electric flight.CornerStone will advance six areas of mechanical engineering science:1. High power-density contacts2. Impact and Intelligent Failure Management3. Advanced Static & Dynamic Load Management4. Exploiting Aero-structural Interactions5. Innovations in Thermal Management6. Electro-Mechanical InteractionsThe underpinning scientific developments and their integration into aerospace engine applications will equip Rolls-Royce to lead the global aerospace industry in the journey up to and including all-electric flight. Cornerstone will enable Rolls-Royce and subsequently other UK machine manufacturers to achieve a step-change increase in the value of their products and to shift the proportion of added-value away from pure manufacturing towards intelligent design.

05/01/18