The SILENCE(R) Project

Brüel & Kjær takes part in the EU's SILENCE(R) project

On April 1st 2001, the largest ever European aircraft noise research program, called SILENCE(R), has been launched. A consortium of 51 companies will collaborate during 4 years to validate noise reduction technologies that will allow as of 2008 quieter aircraft operations by up to 6 decibels. The program is part of the 5th framework program of the European Commission enabling a 50% funding of the total budget of more than 110 million Euro.

SILENCE(R) will address the issue of aircraft noise, a major cause of concern around European airports, through three major objectives:

1. Large scale validation of noise reduction technologies whose development was initiated by the European Commission and National projects in 1998.
2. Assessment of the applicability of these technologies to current and future European products with minimum cost, weight or performance penalty.
3. Determination of the associated achievable noise reduction.

Novel concepts to be validated include low-noise fans, LP turbines, scarfed intakes, novel intake, bypass and hot-stream liners, nozzle jet noise suppressors, active control techniques and airframe noise reduction technologies.

The SILENCE(R) program is linked to X-Noise, a European Thematic Network on External Aircraft Noise. Participating companies consist of aircraft, aero-engine and nacelle manufacturers, supported by research establishments and high tech engineering companies and SMEs.

Participating Industries

SNECMA MOTEURS(F)(Co-ordinator), ROLLS ROYCE(UK), EADS- Airbus SA(F), AerMacchi(I), MTU(D), NLR(NL), DLR(D), DORNIER(D), Messier-Dowty(F), SHORT BROTHERS(UK), Airbus UK Ltd(UK), EADS CRC-G (D), SENER(E), ONERA(F), EADS-Airbus GmbH(D), Hispano-Suiza(F), ITP(E), SPASA(E), Turbomeca(F), INBIS(UK), Plansee(A), A4 Ingenieros Consultores(E), COMOTI(RO), AIRCELLE(F), INASMET(E), Rolls Royce Deutschland(D), ISVR(UK), ATECA(F), INASCO(EL), EPFL-LEMA(CH), METRAVIB(F), SAAB(S), EPFL-LC(CH), DERA(UK), CTTM(F), Alenia(I), DASSAULT AVIATION(F), CTA(E), LMA(F), VTT(FIN), VIBRATEC(F), WALCHER(D), Trinity College Dublin(IRL), Ecole Centrale de Lyon(F), LAUM-CNRS(F), IST(P), SONACA(B), Brüel & Kjær(DK), Fokker Aerostructures(NL), SIEGEL(E), INSA-Lyon(F).

For information: Contact the X-Noise/SILENCE(R) communication manager Dominique Collin.