Matteo Marchionni from Brunel University London (UK) presented a research pertaining to “A Novel Concept for a Zero-Emission Aircraft Turbo-fan Engine using CO2 in the Supercritical Phase as Primary Working Fluid”.

Increasingly stringent regulations are driving the aviation industry to reduce aircraft engine emissions. This project proposes a more feasible concept for a zero-emission turbo-fan aircraft engine. A closed-loop Brayton cycle using carbon dioxide in supercritical phase (sCO2) as working fluid is used to drive the Low-Pressure air Compressor (LCP) and the Fan (FAN) and replace the gas engine typical of conventional aircrafts (HPC plus HPT and LPT).

The thermal energy needed to heat up the CO2 and thus power the engine is provided by hydrogen oxidation, which also cuts emissions because only steam is produced by the combustion reaction. The steam is subsequently separated from the CO2 and injected into the air flow supplied by the LCP and the FAN to increase engine thrust. Further advantages are reduced engine weight and dimensions; higher propulsive efficiency; and the downsizing of the air compressor.

Roberto Merino-Martinez from Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) presented the research “Seeing with sound – Towards silent aviation”.
Noise pollution is now Europe’s second largest environmental health threat after air pollution, and aircraft noise is one of the main contributors. Although noise levels from single aircrafts are decreasing due to noise-reduction technologies, the increasing demand for flights considerably worsens the situation.
This project proposes a novel idea: the "Aircraft Environmental Impact Monitoring Station" (AEIMS). This consists of a microphone array capable of performing acoustic imaging (i.e., visualising sound) and an integrated processing unit that provides the noise levels, psycho-acoustic metrics, engine settings and acoustic source maps of aircraft flyovers.
These acoustic source maps show the location and the strength of the noise sources on board of an aircraft, and allows optimising noise reduction approaches. AEIMS also provides valuable input and databases for developing and updating aircraft noise prediction models. 

Panagiota Polydoropoulou from University of Patras (Greece) presented a research project on “Increased multifunctionality by filling Carbon Nanotubes with healing agent”.

During the servicing of aircraft structures, a variety of events may occur, causing extensive internal damage with or without visible evidence on the impacted area.

The incorporation of self-healing Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) in the aircraft structure can improve the electrical and mechanical performance, as well as increase the service life and the interval times of maintenance, leading to appreciably reduced operating costs.

A sufficient bonding of CNTs to the surrounding matrix leads to an efficient load transfer. During loading, possible debonding of the CNTs from the matrix requires energy absorption, which is one of the main toughening mechanisms of CNTs. However, the debonding of CNTs forms a void between the CNTs and the matrix that prevents further load transfer to the CNTs.

By filling the CNTs with a healing agent, when debonding occurs, the healing agent is released and, assisted by the surrounding catalyst, bonds the crack faces of the void; hence limiting the development of further damages.

Register here to attend the Remote Award Ceremony: https://vtt.videosync.fi/tra-visions-2020/register
See you there September 29th at 9.30 AM (CEST)