ZAL launches international research project for the quiet aircraft cabin of tomorrow

Sound pressure level in aircraft cabin are similar to busy roads. Due to the ever-improving efficiency of aircraft engines, tonal engine noise components will continue to increase. Reducing this noise for the comfort of passengers while avoiding the increase in weight is an important and challenging issue in aeronautics. One way to reduce cabin noise is to use efficient thermal acoustic insulation blankets between the interior trim panel and the exterior shell. However, conventional acoustic materials (ex.: glass wools, foams) have reached their limits in terms of soundproofing, and non-conventional ones, such as metamaterials need to be industrialized.

This German-Canadian research project aims on scientific and technological breakthroughs in the development and validation of a new thermo-acoustic insulation blankets applicable for aircraft cabins. One component of these blankets will be a novel acoustic metamaterial. Its integration in the thermo-acoustic insulation blankets will show sound insulation capacity that goes beyond conventional sound insulation materials. As for the commercial novelties, the project will validate the integrated acoustic metamaterial technology up to the fifth technological readiness level. This will ensure potential viability of industrialization and commercialization of the first acoustic metamaterial technology for aerospace applications.

The complementary research partnership includes Companies and Scientific Institutions from Hamburg and Montreal, such as 3M Canada, AIRBUS Operations GmbH, École de Technologie Supérieure, Hamburg University of Applied Science, Hutchinson Aerospace GmbH, National Research Council Canada and the Université de Sherbrooke. The project is jointly managed by Mecanum Inc. and the ZAL Center of Applied Aeronautical Research.