SmartAnswer · Project

Next-Generation Noise Reduction Technologies for Aircraft, Vehicles, and Wind Turbines

transportPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

h2020-smartanswer.eu

Imagine you live near an airport or a highway and the constant noise drives you crazy. Now imagine someone figured out how to make airplane wings, car bodies, and wind turbine blades much quieter — using tricks like tiny built-in sensors, special surface textures inspired by owl feathers, and new smart materials that absorb sound instead of bouncing it around. That's what 23 research groups across Europe worked on together: testing a whole toolbox of noise-killing techniques for transport, energy, and industrial equipment. They trained 15 young researchers to bridge the gap between lab discoveries and real-world products.

By the numbers

consortium partners across multiple sectors

countries represented in the research network

industry partners involved in the research

39%

industry participation ratio in the consortium

total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Industrial noise from aircraft, vehicles, wind turbines, and workplace ventilation systems is a growing regulatory and competitive problem. Companies face tighter noise limits, community opposition to new installations, and customer demand for quieter products — but existing noise reduction methods add weight, cost, or reduce performance. New materials and manufacturing processes could change this equation, but the knowledge is scattered across research labs with no clear path to products.

The solution

What was built

The project produced 16 deliverables investigating noise control technologies including surface serrations, porous treatments, meta-materials, micro-electro-mechanical devices, micro-jets, and plasma actuation. A portable didactic demonstrator was built for outreach. The core output is trained researchers and documented knowledge on which emerging noise reduction approaches work under real industrial constraints.

Audience

Who needs this

Aircraft component manufacturers facing ICAO noise certification requirementsWind turbine makers dealing with community noise complaints and planning restrictionsAutomotive OEMs targeting premium cabin quietnessIndustrial HVAC and cooling system manufacturers under workplace noise regulationsAcoustic consulting firms advising on noise mitigation strategies

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Aerospace & Aviation

enterprise

Target: Aircraft component manufacturers and airframe OEMs

If you are an aircraft manufacturer dealing with increasingly strict noise regulations at airports — this project developed and tested emerging noise control technologies including trailing-edge serrations, porous surface treatments, and micro-electro-mechanical devices for airframe surfaces. With 9 industry partners across 11 countries validating these approaches, the research maps directly onto quieter wing and engine nacelle designs.

Wind Energy

mid-size

Target: Wind turbine manufacturers and wind farm operators

If you are a wind turbine manufacturer facing community opposition and planning restrictions due to turbine noise — this project investigated blade surface treatments, leading-edge serrations, and advanced acoustic control methods specifically for wind energy applications. The consortium included partners from the wind energy sector testing these approaches under realistic conditions.

Automotive & HVAC

any

Target: Automotive OEMs and industrial ventilation system manufacturers

If you are an automotive or cooling system manufacturer struggling to meet cabin noise or workplace noise limits — this project explored plasma actuation, meta-materials, and micro-jet technologies that can reduce flow-induced noise in ventilation ducts, vehicle exteriors, and industrial cooling systems. The 39% industry ratio in the consortium ensures these solutions were developed with real manufacturing constraints in mind.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these noise reduction technologies?

The project did not publish specific per-unit cost figures. Since these are emerging technologies (micro-electro-mechanical devices, meta-materials, surface serrations), costs would depend heavily on the specific application and scale. Contact the research teams for cost estimates tailored to your use case.

Can these solutions work at industrial scale on production lines?

Based on available project data, the technologies were investigated at research level with industry input from 9 industrial partners. The project identified that tight constraints like safety, robustness, weight, and maintainability must be addressed before full-scale industrial application. Scaling remains a next step beyond this project.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The project was funded as an MSCA training network, meaning IP is typically shared among consortium partners according to their grant agreement. Businesses interested in licensing specific technologies should contact the Von Karman Institute or relevant industrial partners directly.

Which noise reduction methods showed the most promise?

The project explored trailing-edge and leading-edge serrations, porous airframe surface treatments, micro-electro-mechanical devices, meta-materials, micro-jets, and plasma actuation. Based on available project data, specific performance comparisons are not detailed in the summary, but 16 deliverables document findings across these technologies.

How does this help with noise regulations compliance?

The project was explicitly motivated by environmental noise targets across aviation, surface transport, workplaces, and wind energy. While it did not certify specific products, the research provides the scientific basis and design guidelines needed to develop compliant noise reduction solutions.

What is the timeline to get these technologies into products?

The project ran from 2017 to 2020 and is now closed. The technologies investigated are at varying maturity levels. Some approaches like trailing-edge serrations are closer to application, while others like meta-materials and plasma actuation require further development before commercial deployment.

Consortium

Who built it

The SmartAnswer consortium brings together 23 partners from 11 countries, with a healthy 39% industry ratio (9 industrial partners alongside 8 universities and 5 research organizations). Coordinated by the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Belgium — one of Europe's premier aerodynamics research centers — the project spans the full innovation chain from fundamental research to industrial application. The geographic spread across BE, CA, CH, DE, DK, EL, FR, NL, PL, SE, and UK covers major European aerospace and wind energy markets. However, with zero SMEs in the consortium, the project leans toward large-scale industrial applications rather than nimble technology transfer to smaller companies.

VON KARMAN INSTITUTE FOR FLUID DYNAMICSCoordinator · BE
UNIVERSITE DE SHERBROOKEpartner · CA
KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLANparticipant · SE
NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNOpartner · NL
ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNIONparticipant · EL
SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY ASparticipant · DK
AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE GMBHpartner · DE
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEparticipant · CH
VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES SASpartner · FR
DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EVpartner · DE
SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE NVparticipant · BE
AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBHpartner · DE
INSTYTUT MASZYN PRZEPLYWOWYCH IM ROBERTA SZEWALSKIEGO POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK - IMP PANparticipant · PL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTONparticipant · UK
STELLANTIS AUTO SASpartner · FR
ECOLE CENTRALE DE LYONparticipant · FR
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENparticipant · BE
VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTpartner · DE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Belgium) — a leading European research center in fluid dynamics and aeroacoustics

Order a report on this consortium See VON KARMAN INSTITUTE FOR FLUID DYNAMICS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to know which specific noise reduction technology fits your product? SciTransfer can connect you with the right research team from this 23-partner consortium.

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