Overview
The main objective of the work proposed here was to provide a detailed specification and design for a new level of aircraft noise prediction modelling, capable of being used in real-time applications. This model can thus be used for the minimisation of the noise impact “on-the-fly” as part of a wider optimisation for minimum environmental impact of aircraft operations, as envisaged in SGO/MTM.
In recent years increased effort has been dedicated to better understand the interdependencies between noise and emissions. In Europe, initiatives like TEAM-PLAY had been setup in order to create a toolsuite with which these interdependencies can be assessed. However, these efforts are mainly directed towards long term assessments, usually for policy support, informing the rulemaking process, e.g. for the assessment of stringency options or elaboration of action plans. These methods do not intend to be accurate at single event level. ARMONEA, however, provided a tool with which each individual aircraft operation can be optimised for minimum noise impact in dependence of current air traffic/meteo situations, thus significantly contributing to minimising the environmental impact of air traffic.
ARMONEA was based on the SOPRANO platform, a complex aircraft noise source prediction program, developed in EU projects and at present the main common tool for aircraft noise predictions in Europe. Its flexibility allows for its adaptation to a variety of applications, and it is envisaged that the power of SOPRANO will greatly contribute to the success of ARMONEA.
Funding
Results
Executive Summary:
The System for Green Operations research consortium of Clean Sky aims to demonstrate substantial reductions of environmental impacts in civil commercial mainline, regional aircraft and business jet domains. The Management of Trajectory and Mission (MTM) branch of the Systems for Green Operations research consortium aims at developing technologies to reduce chemical emissions (CO2 and NOx) and Noise. One of the main fields of research considered by MTM to reach these objectives is to optimise in-flight 4D trajectories, including the overall missions’ profiles, through mathematical optimisation. Once an optimum trajectory will be found, it will be evaluated against current state of the art route. Simulations will be performed with emissions and noise models to assess the improvement of environmental performance achieved by the trajectory of the aircraft. Since the technologies and systems developed for trajectory and mission optimisation need to be inserted in the overall economic models of the airlines, which influence these operators’ choices, the operational “cost” of trajectory will also be assessed.
Implementation of these optimisations is foreseen either on-board, in an avionics computer, or on ground, using computing tools in a laboratory or in an airline operations centre. The activities of MTM will bring implementation prototypes of these technologies to avionics systems demonstration platforms.
Some of the technologies studied in the MTM branch of Clean Sky intend to implement and experiment aircraft trajectory optimisers aboard the aircraft, in an avionics computer. ARMONEA looked after an 'environmental cost' noise model to be used with these trajectory optimisers.
The main objective of the ARMONEA project was to provide a detailed specification and design for a new level of aircraft noise prediction modelling, capable of being used in real-time applications. This model can thus be used for the minimisation of the noise impact “on-the-fly” as part of a wider optimisation for minimum environmental impact of aircraft operations, as envisaged in SGO/MTM.
Starting from the complex SOPRANO aircraft noise prediction suite a series of simplifications was assessed and the most promising options were used in the design. The resulting ARMONEA model was implemented in a software package and assessed against a reference model. It was demonstrated that the model designed in ARMONEA was in full compliance with the requirements.