NVIDIA, Rolls-Royce and Classiq announce quantum computing breakthrough for computational fluid dynamics in jet engines
NVIDIA, Rolls-Royce, and Classiq, a quantum software company, unveiled a new quantum computer advancement on May 21, 2023. According to NVIDIA, this development focuses on improving the efficiency of aircraft engines.
Ian Buck, Vice President of hyperscale and HPC at NVIDIA describes the significance of building a jet engine with quantum technology.
"Designing jet engines, which are one of the most complicated devices on earth, is expensive and computationally challenging," Buck said. "NVIDIA’s quantum computing platform gives Rolls-Royce a potential path to tackle these problems head-on while accelerating its research and future development of more efficient jet engines."
By leveraging NVIDIA's quantum computing platform, the companies achieved a significant milestone: the creation of the most extensive quantum computing circuit designed for computational fluid dynamics. This circuit boasts an impressive depth of 10 million layers and incorporates 39 qubits. Despite the current limitations of quantum computers, which can only handle circuits with a few layers, Rolls-Royce is proactively preparing for a quantum-powered future by utilizing GPUs.
Leigh Lapworth, computational science fellow at Rolls-Royce shared that the combination of classical and quantum computing methods in jet engine design allows for faster processes and advanced calculations.
"Applying both classical and quantum computing methods directly to the challenge of designing jet engines will help us accelerate our processes and perform more sophisticated calculations," Lapworth said.
Rolls-Royce plans to incorporate the groundbreaking circuit into its simulations for modeling jet engine performance, combining classical and quantum computing techniques. This step is essential for Rolls-Royce, a prominent player in the aviation industry, as it aims to achieve a quantum advantage in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). By leveraging these innovative advancements, Rolls-Royce aims to develop state-of-the-art jet engines that contribute to the energy transition and promote greener aviation practices.
