CBL - Campus del Baix Llobregat

Projecte llegit

Títol: Flight non-CO2 emissions: effects of flight level and aircraft model

Estudiants que han llegit aquest projecte:

Director/a: VILLARDI DE MONTLAUR, ADELINE DE

Departament: FIS

Títol: Flight non-CO2 emissions: effects of flight level and aircraft model

Data inici oferta: 24-10-2024     Data finalització oferta: 24-05-2025


Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    GR ENG SIST AEROESP
Tipus: Individual
 
Lloc de realització: EETAC
 
Paraules clau:
Non-CO2 emissions, contrails, cruise altitude
 
Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
This project will study the influence of the flight level on the non-CO2 flight emissions, for different aircraft and engine models, using the software IMPACT from EUROCONTROL.
Different routes will be considered (from short to long haul), and emissions will be studied for the different flight phases.
 
Overview (resum en anglès):
In recent decades, the aviation sector has experienced sustained growth, resulting in a significant increase in associated emissions. Until recently, most research and regulatory policies have been focused on quantifying carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and assessing their effects, often overlooking the impact of other gases and particles emitted by aircraft engines, commonly referred as non-CO2 emissions. Among the effects of these pollutants, the increase in tropospheric ozone and the formation of condensation trails (contrails) stand out, as they are responsible for more than half of the radiative forcing attributed to aviation. While the need to implement mitigation measures is fundamental, quantifying these emissions continues to pose a challenge, particularly during the cruise phase of the flight.
The objective of this study is to analyse and quantify non-CO2 emissions on ten different routes. Using simulation results obtained with the IMPACT application, developed by EUROCONTROL, the analysis focuses on examining the effects of flight distance, cruising altitude and aircraft type on emissions, under the same atmospheric conditions. By evaluating emissions per seat-kilometre and considering the uncertainty associated with aircraft seating configurations and engine type, the study aims to identify the cruising altitude that entails the minimum environmental impact, as well as the aircraft category with the lowest emissions per available seat-kilometre. In addition, the project explores the trade-off between contrail formation and fuel consumption associated with flying at different cruising altitudes, with the goal of determining whether a reduction in contrail formation justifies an increase in fuel use.
The results of the study confirm that non-CO2 gaseous emissions tend to decrease with higher cruising altitudes. However, their environmental impact is greater at higher altitudes due to atmospheric conditions that favour the formation of contrails and the increase in radiative forcing. On the other hand, the study shows that the formation of persistent contrails can be significantly reduced through a small percentage increase in fuel consumption. This increase may be acceptable if applied selectively to flights with the greatest potential impact and during specific times of the year when contrail formation conditions are most favourable.

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