Inside Pearl 15, the small but mighty new Rolls-Royce engine for business jets

Spey, Tay and Trent are familiar names to aerospace engineers. Joining them is Pearl, the latest in the Rolls-Royce aircraft engine line-up, and the first to take its name from a non-British river.

The first engine in the family, Pearl 15, will be used on Bombardier’s Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft. The Pearl 15 has a completely new engine core, with a 10-stage high-pressure compressor, and a two-stage high-pressure turbine with enhanced aerodynamics and blade cooling. The core employs advanced nickel alloys and ceramic coatings, enabling higher operating pressures and temperatures.

The engines, which were developed at Rolls-Royce’s Centre of Excellence in Dahlewitz, Germany, are twin-spool, which means that the high-pressure compressor rotates independently of the low-pressure compressor and turbine blades.

15,125LB: The level of thrust the Pearl 15 is capable of delivering, 9% more than its predecessor

As a result, the engines offer improved fuel efficiency and range for the $50m aircraft. They are more powerful than existing models, but quieter and more environmentally friendly.

“The Pearl engine is a pioneering product, bringing together the most eco-friendly and efficient technologies available today,” said Chris Cholerton, president of Rolls- Royce’s civil aerospace division.