Rolls-Royce WR-21
Encyclopedia
The Rolls-Royce WR-21 is an advanced marine gas turbine
engine, designed to power the latest naval surface combatants of the partner nations, and currently fitted to the Type 45 destroyer
of the Royal Navy. Developed under a US Navy contract, with support from the UK
and France
the WR-21 was designed and manufactured by an international consortium which includes Rolls-Royce
, Northrop Grumman
and DCN
.
WR-21 development draws heavily on the technology of the successful Rolls-Royce RB211
and Trent
families of gas turbines.
The only current use of the WR-21 is in the Type 45 destroyer
.
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
engine, designed to power the latest naval surface combatants of the partner nations, and currently fitted to the Type 45 destroyer
Type 45 destroyer
The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
of the Royal Navy. Developed under a US Navy contract, with support from the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
the WR-21 was designed and manufactured by an international consortium which includes Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
, Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
and DCN
DCN
DCNS is a naval defence company based in France and is one of Europe's leading shipbuilders....
.
Characteristics
The WR-21 is the first aeroderivative gas turbine to incorporate compressor intercooling and exhaust heat recuperation (ICR) technologies that deliver low specific fuel consumption across the engine's operating range. It offers a reduction in fuel burn of 30% across the typical ship operating profile.- The intercoolerIntercoolerAn intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
cools air entering the high pressure compressor, reducing the amount of energy required to compress the air. - The recuperator preheats the combustion air by recovering waste energy from the exhaust, improving cycle efficiency and reducing fuel consumption.
WR-21 development draws heavily on the technology of the successful Rolls-Royce RB211
Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce plc and capable of generating 37,400 to 60,600 pounds-force thrust. Originally developed for the Lockheed L-1011 , it entered service in 1972 and was the only engine to power this aircraft type...
and Trent
Rolls-Royce Trent
Rolls-Royce Trent is the name given to a family of high bypass turbofan aircraft engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce plc. All are developments of the RB211 with thrust ratings of . Versions of the Trent are in service on the Airbus A330, A340, A380, Boeing 777, and 787, and variants are in...
families of gas turbines.
Applications
It is a candidate power plant for propulsion of cruise ships and other large commercial vessels, where fuel efficiency and its small size mean improved operational flexibility and significant lifetime cost reductions to operators.The only current use of the WR-21 is in the Type 45 destroyer
Type 45 destroyer
The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
.
Specifications
- Rated power 25.2 MW
- Specific fuel consumption ~190 g/kWh
- Main module wet weight 45 974 kg
- Triple-spool design
- Six-stage IP compressor
- Intercooler
- Six-stage HP compressor
- Exhaust heat recuperator
- Nine radial combustors
- Single-stage HP turbine (8100 rev/min)
- Single-stage IP turbine (6200 rev/min)
- Five-stage power turbine (3600 rev/min = 60 Hz)