PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Aircraft engine maintenance usually involves a high quantity and variety of chemical products with different toxicity levels. According to the EU’s Best available techniques reference document (BREFs) on treating metals and plastics from 2006, maintenance products include chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHC), alkalis, silicates, phosphates, and hydrochloric or sulphuric acids.
These chemical products can be hazardous to the environment and for human health, with risks including central nervous system affects, severe skin burns and eye damage, and respiratory tract irritation, as well as being potentially carcinogenic.
However, because these products are so efficient, because aircraft engine parts are so sensitive, and because of the complex administrative processes involved, aeronautic companies continue to use these products. There is therefore a real need to find new environmentally-friendly alternatives. MACLEAN is the first commercial demonstration project on this subject.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of LIFE MACLEAN was to develop a novel helicopter engine maintenance technology that avoids the use of hazardous chemicals, and meets highest safety standards. It aimed to carry out a commercial demonstration using laser and ice blasting cleaning and to prove that the processes work at least as well as traditional chemicals cleaning procedures.
More precisely, the objectives were to:
- qualify a new sustainable maintenance process for helicopter engines to the ISO 14001 certification level,
- develop a novel laser and ice blasting technology for helicopter engines maintenance that would reduce the use of chemical mixtures, water and energy on one hand, and allow a higher cost efficiency on the other hand,
- replicate and transfer the process to the aeronautic sector and other industrial sectors.
The LIFE MACLEAN project was expected to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of several EU environmental policies and regulations, in particular the BREFs developed under the 2008 directive on integrated pollution prevention and control and the 2010 Industrial Emissions Directive, the environment action programme for 2020, the REACH regulation, SEVESO directive, 2008 Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, and the EU strategic framework on health and safety at work for 2014-2020.
RESULTS
The project’s results are described below.
Regarding the 7 targeted chemical products, an overall decrease of 70% of the consumption of hazardous chemicals reduction has been measured. The reduction is a little less than expected (-85%) because there has been a 21% increase in the number of engines parts to be cleaned only with the traditional process using chemicals since the beginning of the project. According to the project team, as the 2 prototypes will be gradually used on the full scope of engine parts, the initial objective will be fully reached in the coming years.
Regarding water consumption, the cleaning volume per engine has been reduced by 24% at the end of the project (0.38 m3/engine compared to 0.5 before). According to the project team, it will probably be reduced by 80% (0.1 m3/engine compared to 0.5 before) as more and more engines parts will be cleaned by the 2 prototypes in the coming years. Therefore, even if the expected water savings were not reached at the end of the project, it is expected to be reached in the coming years.
The Environmental Management System (EMS) of the beneficiary and the 2 new technologies have been recognised as equivalent to ISO 14001. A safety validation has also been made to ensure that the new pieces of equipment are conformed to internal security guidelines.
One point where the project did not achieve the expected result was in the reduction of energy consumption through the use of the 2 prototypes. The Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the 2 prototypes actually showed an increase in energy consumption compared to the traditional process using chemicals. Therefore, the expected result of 30% cut in energy used in the new process seems unreachable.
