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