Brussels Airport and Safran Aero Boosters will begin a second test phase of a large mobile air filter on June 22, installing the device in an area adjacent to the tarmac to remove fine and ultrafine particles from the air. Brussels Airport is the first airport in the world to test this type of filter in a fully operational environment.
The mobile prototype is housed in a container approximately twelve metres long. It draws in ambient air through a powerful fan, passes it through an advanced industrial filtration system to capture fine and ultrafine particles, and releases purified air from the rear. The device operates for several hours daily between 08:00 and 20:00. The second test phase will run until the end of September 2026.
A first test phase was conducted from December 2025 to March 2026, with air quality measurements carried out by the Scientific Institute of Public Service (ISSeP) and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). Initial results were described as positive.
“According to the initial results, it is a promising technology that can make a difference for our staff and local residents,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.
The device was developed by Safran Aero Boosters, drawing on expertise from its engine test bench operations, with support from the Walloon Region. Research partners including KMA Filter, the University of Liège, the von Karman Institute, and GD Tech were involved in the first phase.
The project forms part of Brussels Airport’s European Stargate programme, a Green Deal initiative for more sustainable aviation, funded in part by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.
