Noise From Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines

The primary human activities that release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere are the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil) to generate electricity, the provision of energy for transportation, and as a consequence of some industrial processes. Although aviation CO2 emissions only make up approximately 2.0 to 2.5 percent of total global annual CO2 emissions, research to reduce CO2 emissions is urgent because (1) such reductions may be legislated even as commercial air travel grows, (2) because it takes new technology a long time to propagate into and through the aviation fleet, and (3) because of the ongoing impact of global CO2 emissions. Commercial Aircraft Propulsion and Energy Systems Research develops a national research agenda for reducing CO2 emissions from commercial aviation. This report focuses on propulsion and energy technologies for reducing carbon emissions from large, commercial aircraftâ€" single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft that carry 100 or more passengersâ€"because such aircraft account for more than 90 percent of global emissions from commercial aircraft. Moreover, while smaller aircraft also emit CO2, they make only a minor contribution to global emissions, and many technologies that reduce CO2 emissions for large aircraft also apply to smaller aircraft. As commercial aviation continues to grow in terms of revenue-passenger miles and cargo ton miles, CO2 emissions are expected to increase. To reduce the contribution of aviation to climate change, it is essential to improve the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to reduce emissions and initiate research into new approaches.

This article describes the results of measurements of the noise level of a gas-turbine generator (GTU) with an output power of 20 kW and of the attempts to construct an exhaust noise muffler for it.

Recommendations presented in this document are intended primarily for the acquisition of far-field noise data. The test engine is to be appropriately configured and operated so that the sound pressure levels obtained are consistent with the specific objectives of the test. The principal output of the data reduction system is one-third octave band sound pressure levels. However, when appropriate, data may be recorded for purposes of broader or narrower bandwidth analysis. This document has been updated to reflect current industry test practices and to harmonize technical specifications and requirements with regulatory documentation from the International Civil Aviation Organization.