SILOET 2: Project 1 Holistic Optimising Systems

A jet engine’s control system will be redesigned to act as a single, self-optimising unit rather than a collection of separate components. Current engine control systems manage fuel flow, air intake, and other functions independently, often missing opportunities to improve overall efficiency. This project, led by Rolls-Royce with partners including the University of Sheffield, aims to develop control technologies that treat the entire engine as one integrated system. The system would continuously adjust its own performance to reduce fuel consumption, cut emissions, and improve reliability during flight. If successful, the technology could make future aircraft engines cleaner and cheaper to operate. Passengers would not notice the change, but airlines would burn less fuel per flight, and the aviation industry would move closer to its emissions targets. The work involves sub-system design, computer modelling, and testing in physical demonstrators. It is applied engineering, not fundamental science—the goal is a practical upgrade to existing engine architectures, not a new discovery about how engines work.