A Blog of the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“Achieving sustainability in commercial aviation is difficult, but not impossible. Naturally, engineers try not to create new problems, yet it is important for them to be aware about all factors and influences and not just to focus on solving one issue.” – By D. Romang and C. Waltenspül. As part of their project in AV.PM4, […]
Written by: Thomas Rötger Every three years in February, the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) holds the plenary meeting of its Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP). Normally, this meeting gathers about 200 aviation experts representing the States and international organisations at the ICAO Headquarters for two weeks in snowy Montréal. Not surprisingly, the […]
