Story ID: 
Engine Makers Team on Contamination Research
By: Jerry Siebenmark
Caption: Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce participate in Virginia Tech program studying the impact of environmental contaminants on aircraft engines.
Word Count: 212
Engine makers Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce are teaming with Virginia Tech in a four-year research program studying the impact of environmental contaminants on aircraft engine operation and testing. These contaminants can lead to accelerated aging and performance loss in turbine engines.
“At Virginia Tech, we are honored to be given the opportunity to build on the foundation of our existing academic alliances by partnering with Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce on this project,” said Changmin Son, the Rolls-Royce Commonwealth Professor at Virginia Tech. “The multidisciplinary group teamed with mechanical engineering, aerospace and ocean engineering, and geosciences will work together to tackle the impact of the airborne particulate on aircraft engines.”
Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce have previously collaborated on several government-based research projects, including one on volcanic ash damage to aircraft engines. This partnership with Virginia Tech will enable more complicated engine testing to further develop mitigation strategies, starting with testing on a Rolls-Royce M250 turbine engine.  
“This new joint research project will help further industry understanding of airborne particles—a key contributor to engine degradation—and their impact on operability,” said Lisa Teague, head of emerging technologies and innovation at Rolls-Royce LibertyWorks.