Contact: Maureen Gibson
Phone: (718)-430-4524
Fax: (718)-430-4510
E-Mail: mgibson@industrialacoustics.com

6 June 2004

IAC JET BLAST BARRIER FOR NEW TERMINAL AT MAJOR EUROPEAN AIRPORT

IAC's Spanish operation has designed, manufactured and installed a Jet Engine Blast Barrier for the aircraft service area of the new terminal being built at Madrid's Barajas Airport. The airport is located 24 miles from the centre of Madrid and handles more than 25 million passengers a year, a figure set to almost double by 2010.

The Blast Barrier, constructed of 3mm galvanised steel sheet, is in two sections totalling around 150 metres in length with an overall height of four metres. The blast deflector, inclined at 30º to the vertical, consists of a steel deflector mesh, 3mm thick, on 15mm thick base plates.

The rough, flat and unpaved ground near the service area influenced the approach taken by IAC's barrier designers who used jet geometry attributed to Tolmien and Goertler in the critical calculations.
The barrier will operate effectively in wind speeds of up to 80 miles per hour with special grilles diverting the jet blast and spreading it upward at an angle of between 60º and 80º. This upward deviation of the blast entrains additional slow moving air in the upper region of the blast flow, which both cools and decelerates the jet blast.

Every aspect of the barrier's performance was fully tested in the wind tunnel at the INTA aerodynamics laboratory in Torrejon, Madrid prior to installation. INTA test facilities are widely utilised in the development of aircraft engines worldwide.

The Jet Blast Barriers are painted in standard aeronautical colours of red and white, in line with requirements of the International Civil Aviation Agreement, and are also fitted with the required warning lights visible for 360º around and 270º upwards, and 160 red LEDs. The lights will be effective in temperatures ranging from -40ºC to +55ºC and have IP65 protection.

Julio Rubio, Managing Director of IAC Boet Stopson in Barcelona, said: "This project follows on from other successful ones in Barcelona and Murcia. Legislation is mounting Europe-wide, concerning noise and safety control in airport environments whether for service personnel working in aircraft maintenance, or local communities affected by increasing air traffic. This is a growing market and one in which IAC is now a key player internationally."

For further information on IAC Aviation's engine testing products and services contact Maurice Lagnado on mlagnado@industrialacoustics.com tel (718) 430 4523 fax (718) 863 1138

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