Safran Aircraft Engines and the national aerospace research agency of France, ONERA, have initiated initial wind tunnel tests using the ECOENGInE, a 1:5 scale prototype of the future Open Fan. These trials are taking place at ONERA’s wind tunnel facility in Modane, France. This innovative architecture, a critical component of the CFM RISE technology demonstration program, currently shows the most promise in terms of reducing the environmental impact of aviation. The goal of the Open Fan is to decrease fuel burn and CO2 emissions by 20%, with a potential increase to 80% when combined with SAFs or sustainable aviation fuels, for the next generation of single-aisle commercial jets by 2035.
In support of refining the aerodynamics and acoustics of the Open Fan, Safran Aircraft Engines and ONERA recently formalized a framework agreement for an ambitious testing plan spanning from 2024 to 2028. This plan builds upon previous experiments with the ECOENGInE.
Tests on the ECOENGInE, endorsed by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) as part of the CORAC plan, aim to showcase the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of the fan module by simulating real-world airspeeds in a wind tunnel and validating the design of the fan blades. These blades are crucial to the overall efficiency of the engine. The campaign involves over 200 hours of testing, followed by simulation tests with the engine mounted on a demonstrator plane wing section. For these assessments, Safran Aircraft Engines leverages the expertise of ONERA teams and utilizes the world’s largest sonic wind tunnel, the S1MA tunnel, with its unique dimensions of 8 meters across (over 26 ft) and high airflow speed. This facility plays a pivotal role in developing new propulsion systems for the next generation of aircraft.
Marie-José Martinez, Wind Tunnels Director for ONERA, emphasized ONERA’s role as scientific experts in aerospace and their commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of aviation. She expressed pride in the partnership with Safran, making ONERA’s outstanding facilities and renowned engineers available.
Pierre Cottenceau, VP Engineering and R&T for Safran Aircraft Engines, highlighted the significance of the wind tunnel tests in their Research & Technology roadmap. This roadmap aims to develop the technological foundations for the next generation of commercial jet engines, with the RISE program showcasing the benefits of an unshrouded engine architecture on the ground and in flight by the mid-decade.
Safran is actively coordinating the demonstration of the Clean Aviation OFELIA project (Open Fan for Environmental Low Impact of Aviation), engaging 26 European partners, including ONERA. Additionally, Safran is involved in various technological building blocks, including hybrid propulsion, aligned with the Open Fan architecture.
A comprehensive testing program is underway across Safran sites to advance the maturity of these technologies, essential for helping air transport achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. For instance, the Villaroche center in France has already completed ingestion tests on Open Fan blades and is currently constructing a new test stand facility. Operational in 2025, this facility with an 8-meter-wide (26 ft) chamber will conduct development and certification tests for the RISE program.
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Source: SAFRAN