Aviation and Air Quality Archive

AIRSPACE: Tailoring the Adsorption Properties of Bamboo-Derived Activated Carbons (BAC) for VOCs Removal in Aviation Air Process Streams

(Funded by ETH Zürich Leading House Asia to promote Swiss and Thai research collaborations) Project Description and Objectives Air quality in airplane cabins is vital due to the presence of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can affect passengers’ and crew members’ health (known as Aerotoxic Syndrome). These VOCs, originating from sources like exhaust gases […]

31.10.2024 belj

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Aircraft engine deterioration and emission performance (Ageing Aircrafts – AGEAIR)

If you have ever owned a car, you are probably familiar with the mandatory (bi-) annual emissions test, which were introduced to ensure that wear and tear on the engines do not have a negative impact on the exhaust gas quality. And even if you have never owned a car, chances are that this connection […]

30.09.2024 J. Edebeli

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Soot Particles: Exploring the Sorption Science Behind Jet Emissions

Jet engines, the powerhouse behind the aviation industry, are significant contributors to global emissions, impacting both the environment and human health. By combusting fuel to produce thrust for flights, these engines release a mix of carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and soot particles into the atmosphere. Generally, soot […]

27.02.2024 lian

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Development and Optimisation of Aircraft Air Purification Systems: Noxious Organic Species Removal from Cabin Air

Overview Airborne pollutants can have negative physiological impacts on passengers and crew members in the short- and long-term, hence aircraft cabin air quality is very important to human wellbeing. Due to their detrimental effects on human health, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs and SVOCs, must be eliminated from the cabin air. […]

07.09.2023 belj

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

A unique air quality study? Part 2

In spring three years ago, in the middle of the first lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic in Switzerland, we packed up our measurement system (SMARTEMIS) and drove to Zurich Airport to record unique air quality data near the airport area. At this time, aircraft movements had dropped by more than 90% compared to the previous […]

29.08.2023 spiu

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Emissions testing prospects for 2023

As most of our active followers know, our research group is responsible for the operation, maintenance and optimization of the Swiss Mobile Aircraft Emission Measurement System (SMARTEMIS). Typically, the system is installed in test cell 1 at SR Technics, located at Zurich Airport. In 2022 however, the SR Technics management decided to reactivate their second […]

10.03.2023 T. Frischknecht

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Aircraft engines: Idle/taxi gaseous emissions

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires that engines of maximum rated thrust greater than 26.7kN be certified for their emission performance[1]. For certification, ICAO defined four power modes in an aircraft’s landing-take-off (LTO) cycle as emission test points. These modes include idle/taxi at 7% of the maximum rated thrust (Foo), approach at 30% Foo, […]

16.02.2023 J. Edebeli

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Studying the Interactions of Harmful Volatile Organic Compounds with Soot Particles using Dynamic Vapour Sorption

Written by: Jon G. Bell (belj@zhaw.ch) Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene and formaldehyde, are characterised by high vapour pressures and, therefore, can easily adsorb to the surface of airborne soot particles, accumulating at the vapour-solid soot interface, within pores, or between the carbon core turbostratic graphene layers. These VOC-loaded, nanometric particles are extremely […]

09.12.2022 J. Edebeli

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality

Adoption of the net-zero emissions goal by the 41st ICAO Assembly on 7 October 2022 (Photo credit: ICAO)

ICAO adopts net-zero carbon emissions goal for international aviation

Written by: Thomas Rötger On 7 October 2022, at the end of 2 weeks of negotiations during the 41st ICAO Assembly, the 193 ICAO Member States took the historic decision to adopt a collective long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) of net-zero carbon emissions of international aviation by 2050. This resolution was based upon a report on the […]

02.11.2022 J. Edebeli

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality, Meetings

PM in Zurich, measured as LDSA (example at Schimmelstrasse)

We introduced you to the concept of lung deposited surface area (LDSA) and our network of LDSA sensors in a previous post. The idea of monitoring very fine particulate matter (PM) comes from the knowledge that up to 90% of number concentration of ambient PM comprises of particles less than 500 nm of which ultrafine […]

07.09.2022 J. Edebeli

Kategorie: Aviation and Air Quality