Exploring Quantum Computing in Gas Turbine Design: A Collaboration between Quantinuum, Rolls-Royce, Riverlane, and EPCC
Quantinuum Inc., Rolls-Royce, Riverlane, and EPCC have joined forces to explore the potential of quantum computing in industrial workflows, specifically in gas turbine design. The collaboration aims to leverage Quantinuum's quantum systems and software environment, Rolls-Royce's industrial design expertise, Riverlane's quantum error correction and algorithmic knowledge, and EPCC's supercomputing expertise to address the computational challenges in simulating complex fluid dynamics for gas turbine design. By combining quantum and classical computing resources, the partners seek to develop hybrid quantum-classical algorithms for future industrial applications.
Gas turbine design relies heavily on complex fluid dynamics simulations, which demand significant computing resources as models become more intricate. The collaboration between Quantinuum, Rolls-Royce, Riverlane, and EPCC will focus on exploring how fault-tolerant quantum computers can complement supercomputers to enhance the accuracy of fluid dynamics modeling inside gas turbines. This multi-year initiative will test computational building blocks for quantum algorithms on Quantinuum's Helios quantum computer and evaluate their scalability on future systems like Sol and Apollo.
The partnership builds on previous collaborations between Rolls-Royce, Riverlane, and EPCC, which laid the groundwork for understanding algorithmic, error correction, and data requirements for addressing fluid dynamic simulations with commercial quantum computers. By combining their expertise and resources, the collaborators aim to accelerate the development of hybrid quantum-classical algorithms for industrial applications. EPCC's role in the project includes exploring the compilation, emulation, and execution of algorithm components across classical and quantum resources, as well as facilitating the integration of quantum and classical systems in hybrid compute workflows.
The UK's quantum computing mission seeks to advance the development of UK-based quantum computers capable of one trillion error-free operations, known as "teraQuOp" systems. The collaboration between Quantinuum, Rolls-Royce, Riverlane, and EPCC aligns with the UK Government's quantum computing mission and underscores the UK's strength and maturity in the quantum and advanced computing ecosystem. By working together on this initiative, the partners aim to drive progress from foundational research towards practical hybrid quantum applications in industry.