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The engines currently being developed run well below current thresholds for atmospheric emission. Research and development work is being carried out in this area to further reduce this and noise pollution and to limit the use of high-risk materials and techniques.

Choice of materials, products and processes

This entails identifying potentially harmful materials, products and processes used in manufacturing, maintenance and repair activities; researching and choosing substitutes; anticipating potential risks right from the product design stage; and carrying out risk analyses to rectify any possible shortfall.

Reduction of atmospheric emissions

Turbomeca is taking part in 5 European programs, particularly the "European Low NOx III" research program directed at the reduction of nitrogen oxides and fumes. Research is proceeding and substantial sums have been invested to find solutions that will reduce the emissions of volatile organic compounds and to devise alternative processes.

Reduction of noise pollution

Turbomeca is working in three main areas here:

• Design: to design quieter machines, we first need to understand and master the aero-acoustic phenomena in our turbo-machines. To achieve this, research is being undertaken in the frame of national (EGC) and European (TurboNoiseCFD) programmes,

• Installation and integration: this involves working alongside helicopter manufacturers as early as possible in the development of the engine in order to draw maximum benefit from noise pollution attenuation measures. The work we carry out in acoustic propagation in the air intake and exhaust ducts is extremely significant (European AROMA project),

• Noise attenuation: this entails using materials which reduce engine noise. Obviously, these materials have to be capable of being integrated in an engine, be light, resistant to temperature (for the exhaust) and cost-effective, a none too easy equation to solve! In this field, Turbomeca is an active participant in the SILENCER project, a flagship research project of SAFRAN Group.

Alternative fuels

The complex issue of biofuels focuses on one key advantage: the partial offset of CO2 emissions from combustion via the stabilization of CO2 achieved during the growth cycle of the source crop. Turbomeca is a leading actor in the European program DREAM, which aims to demonstrate the viability and endurance of gas turbine engines running on alternative fuels of second generation (from non food crops) from 2010. Turbomeca is also keeping close tabs on the CALIN program coordinated by Snecma.

By developing efficient gas turbines with new operating cycles and combustion chambers with very low pollution emissions, Turbomeca is determined to reduce its ecological footprint and holds its head high as a corporate citizen, setting protection of the environment as one of its key corporate values.