Acoustic performance at the heart of next-generation aircraft engine challenges

Aeroacoustics is at the core of Safran Aircraft Engines’ approach to developing the new generations of engines, not only to meet or even exceed current regulations, but also to demonstrate a strong commitment to people living and working near airports as well as to enhance the flying experience.

This year, Safran authored or co-authored nearly 12 conference papers, covering a wide variety of topics such as Open Fan aeroacoustic testing as part of the CFM RISE program, acoustic liners and landing gear noise, making it a major aerospace industry contributor to the conference.

The Open Fan architecture, developed within the CFM RISE technology demonstration program, aims to achieve a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. However, it also introduces new acoustic challenges.

To address these challenges, Safran Aircraft Engines is already working closely with a wide range of European industrial and academic partners. Recent tests of the ECOENGInE, a 1/5-scale demonstrator of the future Open Fan conducted at the ONERA S1MA wind tunnel in France and at the DNW Large Low-speed Facility in the Netherlands, in partnership with Airbus, have accumulated more than 400 hours of wind tunnel testing.  These tests have paved the way for validating breakthrough numerical simulations of installed Open Fan configurations.

These test campaigns are also supported by academic and research institutions such as Germany’s DLR, the Netherlands’ NLR, Belgium’s von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, and France’s École Centrale de Lyon.

This conference offered valuable opportunities to connect with experts from all around the world and exchange on this key topic.

* The AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) is the largest aerospace technical society in the world.

** The CEAS (Council of European Aerospace Societies) is a European organization that brings together 18 national aerospace societies.