Blast Deflectors Inc, based in Reno, US, has finished constructing its first ground run-up enclosure (GRE) in the Middle East.
The facility is part of the newly completed Emirates Engineering Centre on the north side of Dubai International Airport. The GRE, which is an acoustic enclosure used for high-power engine tests, was built to reduce the acoustic impact of engine ground run-ups on the community around the airport.
High-power ground run-ups of aircraft engines are a standard maintenance procedure and generate a significant amount of noise. Depending on the power setting and duration, a ground run-up can create more noise than a takeoff. Emirates Airlines needed a GRE to minimise the acoustic impact of high-power engine runs on a large residential area near the airport.
The Emirates Engineering Centre is one of the largest civil aviation maintenance facilities in the world and consists of eight air-conditioned hangars designed to accommodate aircraft of any size, including the A380.
The GRE constructed for Emirates is the largest facility BDI has built. With a height of 15m and a width of 105.87m, the facility can accommodate any commercial aircraft, although it was designed for the A300, A330, A340, A380, B747 and B777.
During the acoustic acceptance tests on November 23, two aircraft were run inside the GRE, a B777-300ER and an A340-500. During each test noise measurements were taken at specified locations around the GRE. The acceptance test verified that the facility met the specified acoustic performances.
Don Bergin, director of technical sales for BDI, said: “Our organisation is proud to have contributed to this prestigious project. While we have been involved in A380 projects in the past, this is the first Stabile Flow™ facility we have built that was designed from the onset to accommodate the A380.”
The Stable Flow design incorporates aerodynamic features that deliver smooth, turbulence-free air to the aircraft engine.
Mr Bergin said: “This is particularly important when performing engine runs in side wind conditions, as any interruption to the supply of smooth air to the engines can result in a compressor stall or engine surge, which aircraft technicians avoid.
“Our Stabile Flow run-up enclosures, which are in use at airports across the globe, have proven to be reliable solutions for performing engine runs in challenging wind conditions.”
The BDI facility is equipped with Noise Blotters™ panels that line the interior of the three-walled structure. Mr Bergin said the panels were designed to absorb low-frequency sounds generated by modern aircraft engines.
Each panel measures 1,830mm by 812mm and more than 3,200 Noise Blotter panels were mounted to the walls of the Emirates GRE to meet the specified acoustic performance.
Blast Deflectors Inc was established in 1957 and specialises in jet blast deflectors and ground run-up enclosures.