The main objective of the LEMCOTEC project will be the improvement of core-engine thermal efficiency by increasing the overall pressure ratio ("OPR") to up to 70 leading to a further reduction of CO2. Since NOx increases with OPR, combustion technologies have to be further developed, at the same time, to at least compensate for this effect. The project will attain and exceed the ACARE targets for 2020 and will be going beyond the CO2 reductions to be achieved by on-going FP6 and FP7 programmes including Clean Sky:

• CO2: minus 50% per passenger kilometre by 2020, with an engine contribution of 15 to 20%;
• NOx: minus 80% by 2020 and;
• Reduce other emissions: soot, CO, UHC, SOx, particulates;

The major technical subjects to be addressed by the project are:

• Innovative compressor for the ultra-high pressure ratio cycle (OPR 70) and associated thermal management technologies;
• Combustor-turbine interaction for higher turbine efficiency & ultra-high OPR cycles;
• Low NOx combustion systems for ultra-high OPR cycles;
• Advanced structures to enable high OPR engines & integration with heat exchangers;
• Reduced cooling requirements and stiffer structures for turbo-machinery efficiency;
• HP/IP compressor stability control.

The first four subjects will enable the engine industry to extend their design space beyond the overall pressure ratio of 50, which is the practical limit in the latest engines.