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Aviation
With European Union regulations placing
increasing pressure on the aviation industry to cut noise and toxic
emissions pollution, both aircraft and engine manufacturers are looking
for technologies to reduce the noise from engine jets and fans, and
landing gear.
Camcon's Binary Actuation Technology (BAT)
can support the development of a new generation of quieter planes.
ANDANTE Programme
The development work undertaken by Camcon
relating to the Aviation Industry has been dominated by its
participation in the Aircraft Noise Disturbance Alleviation by Novel
Technology (ANDANTE) consortium. ANDANTE is a 36-month programme whose
principal aim is the development of novel noise reduction concepts with
application to low noise engine and airframe component design.
Camcon’s contribution to the programme was to work with
consortium members to investigate active jet noise reduction using
micro-jet technology and culminated in a comprehensive programme of jet
noise tests, making use of a configuration of 16 Camcon, mid frequency
valves.
In January 2008, the tests were conducted on
a 1/10th scale model of a large engine exhaust nozzle in the presence
of a flight simulation flow and static running. Jet noise reductions of
approximately 1.5dB were measured using non-pulsating micro-jets. As
non-pulsating micro-jets may require excessive amounts of air, which
could compromise engine take-off performance, the micro-jets were also
pulsed over a range of frequencies. The results revealed that for a
number of micro-jet configurations at certain pulsing frequencies noise
was reduced by around 1dB.
As the tests were carried out using non-opti
mised Ca mcon valves, where the flow rates and driving pressures were
li mited, a specific custo mised valve design may support further i
mprove ment on the noise reduction figure.
The Camcon valve controlled micro-jets used
in the ANDANTE programme support a number of specific benefits:
- Fitted outside of the jet engine, they
do not affect engine performance
- The system is activated only when needed
and is switched off during cruising conditions
- They are fitted to an edge of engine
nacelle therfore it may be considered as a retrofitable system
- The Camcon valve controlled micro-jets,
when used in a pulsating mode with opti mised duty cycles, can create
the desired vorticity with reduced co mpressed air consumption
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