GE Aviation has entered into a partnership with the University of Cincinnati Research Institute (UCRI) to create the GE Aviation Research Center in the US to carry out multi-year research projects on aviation technology.
Located at GE Aviation’s global headquarters in Evendale, Ohio, the new research centre allows GE and UCRI to collaborate and pursue studies that will have direct application on the former’s future aviation products.
GE Aviation engineering vice-president Gary Mercer said the company’s business is growing significantly.
"We want UC’s best minds to be a part of our journey as we influence the future course of aviation," Mercer said.
"It is also an important effort to further enhance Ohio’s aerospace capabilities."
One of the projects planned for the new centre is evaluation of the high compression rates required to achieve lower emissions in future engines at a test laboratory of the GE Evendale campus.
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By GlobalDataGE and UCRI will analyse new methods for efficient and sustainable fuel consumption.
The companies will also test and evaluate advanced materials properties of Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in a realistic environment, and will study the thermal management challenges that the demand for more electricity creates.
GE and UCRI will link with the former’s Electrical Power Integrated Systems Research and Development Center (EPISCENTER) being constructed at the University of Dayton (UD), enabling the EPISCENTER to collaborate GE with UD researchers in the areas of computer modeling, simulation, and analysis of dynamic electric power systems and controls.
The GE Aviation Research Center will also strengthen Ohio’s ‘I-75 Aerospace Corridor’ with its aerospace companies and universities.
As the Research Center’s sponsor, GE Aviation is investing about $100m in capital improvements at the Evendale campus for research efforts defined by GE and UCRI.
In addition, the company has earmarked $6m in the next three years to fund the six UCRI researchers and 19 UC undergraduate and postgraduate students who will work at the Evendale campus.
Along with the funding from GE, the project is also receiving $1m from UCRI over the next three years, which will be spent on purchasing equipment to support the technology projects.
Image: A rendering of the engine combustion laboratory to be constructed. Photo: courtesy of GE Aviation.
