Disruptive Active Flow Control for aircraft engine applications

Topic description

Specific Challenge:

Reducing aviation emissions calls for disruptive technologies to go beyond the most efficient projected improvements in current technologies. Achieving this goal requires a ground breaking improvement of flow control devices to push engine efficiencies beyond their current limits and improve their operability. Despite the vast range of existing flow control solutions, most of the active flow control systems described in the literature are still far from being implemented on engines. Thus there is a need to explore the design of compact actuators compliant with aeronautics requirements in terms of weight, volume, reliability, and integration (thermal management). Moreover, several flow control technologies, such as plasma based technologies, seem very promising but require a non-negligible amount of energy to function. Therefore, the development of disruptive actuators is closely linked to the proposal of an innovative energy supply. Hence, the aim of this topic is to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of active flow control technologies for engine applications. Proposals are expected to provide the design and manufacturing of an actuator system fitting control specifications and compliant with aeronautics requirements, before demonstrating its ability to achieve reliable control performance and fuel burn reduction, justifying a TRL 4 achievement of the control technology. Please refer to the full topic descriptions document published in this call.