FRANCO de ARCANGELIS AND THE EMERGENCE OF TTT NAVY

Contaminated intake air can compromise naval propulsion, reducing efficiency and increasing maintenance. TTT Navy, led by Franco de Arcangelis, has introduced advanced air-intake filtration solutions that protect both gas turbines and diesel engines, enhancing reliability and operational readiness in demanding marine environments.

In complex engineering systems, performance and reliability are determined not only by primary machinery but also by the supporting technologies that enable those machines to operate effectively. Nowhere is this more evident than in propulsion, where the quality of intake air has a direct impact on efficiency, durability, and lifecycle cost.

Over the course of a distinguished engineering career, Franco de Arcangelis has focused on addressing precisely this challenge. His work has contributed to a shift in how air-intake filtration is understood—not as a secondary component, but as a critical element in protecting propulsion systems.

This year, Franco celebrated his 80th birthday, marking a career spanning several decades in turbomachinery and auxiliary systems. As founder of the Italian engineering company Transmission Technology in 1986, he has led the development of specialised solutions supporting gas turbines and rotating machinery. Today, this expertise is embodied in TTT Navy, the brand through which his company delivers advanced filtration systems for naval propulsion.

From Naval Engineering to Industrial Innovation

Franco’s professional life has long been connected to the maritime environment. Early in his career, he served as an Ufficiale del Genio Navale—a Naval Engineering Officer within the Italian Navy’s Engineering Corps—with responsibility for the operation, maintenance, and reliability of onboard propulsion and mechanical systems.

This role provided direct exposure to the demanding conditions in which naval machinery must operate. Ships are continuously exposed to salt-laden air, spray, humidity, and airborne particulates, all of which can affect the performance and durability of propulsion systems.

Crucially, Franco developed an early understanding that the primary risk is not moisture itself, but the contaminants carried with it—particularly salt aerosols and fine particulate matter that can enter intake systems and reach compressors or turbochargers.

These early insights would later underpin his work in filtration technology.

Founding Transmission Technology

In 1986, Franco founded Transmission Technology, establishing a specialist engineering company focused on auxiliary systems for turbomachinery and rotating equipment.

Across sectors such as power generation, oil and gas, and marine propulsion, the company worked on systems that support the operation of high-performance machinery. In these applications, the reliability of engines depends not only on their design but also on the quality of the air entering them.

Both gas turbines and large diesel engines require significant volumes of intake air. When contaminants such as dust, salt aerosols, or fine particles are carried into the airflow—often via moisture droplets—they can accumulate within compressors and turbochargers, leading to fouling, corrosion, and increased wear.

Recognising this, Transmission Technology progressively expanded its work in air-intake filtration, focusing on solutions that could protect machinery operating in challenging environments.

The Importance – and Limits – of Traditional Filtration

Air-intake filtration systems are designed to remove airborne contaminants before they reach sensitive internal components. However, traditional marine systems have typically relied on vane separators as the final stage of water removal.

These devices depend on inertial separation, forcing airflow to change direction so that droplets impact surfaces and are removed. While effective under steady conditions, this approach presents critical limitations in real naval operations.

Naval propulsion systems frequently operate under transient conditions, with rapid changes in load and airflow. In addition, intake ducting often includes bends and complex geometries that disrupt flow patterns.

Under these conditions, vane separators can lose effectiveness, allowing droplets carrying salt and particulate contaminants to pass through and reach propulsion machinery.

This limitation has long represented a weak point in traditional intake system design.

The Development of TTT Navy

Building on experience in industrial filtration, including the development of lightweight water-repellent filter elements for GE Oil & Gas approximately twelve years ago, Franco recognised the potential to address these limitations.

This led to the creation of TTT Navy, the specialised brand dedicated to naval air-intake filtration systems.

The approach developed under TTT Navy represents a shift in design philosophy. Rather than relying primarily on inertial separation, TTT Navy systems utilise high-performance filtration elements with water-repellent properties, capable of capturing contaminants and preventing the passage of droplets carrying salt and particles—even under transient operating conditions.

The first naval implementation of this technology took place around nine years ago, demonstrating clear advantages in protecting propulsion systems in real operating environments.

Supporting Propulsion Reliability

TTT Navy filtration systems are designed to protect both gas turbines and diesel engines, addressing the needs of modern naval propulsion architectures.

By improving intake air quality, these systems contribute to:

• Reduced contaminant ingestion, limiting fouling and corrosion
• Control of contaminant-bearing moisture, preventing salt-laden droplets from reaching machinery
• Improved equipment longevity, reducing wear on critical components
• Lower maintenance requirements, extending service intervals
• Enhanced operational readiness, supporting reliable propulsion performance

These benefits are particularly important in naval operations, where vessels must remain functional over extended deployments with limited maintenance opportunities.

A Technology Adopted Across Navies

Since its initial implementation, TTT Navy technology has been adopted by multiple naval organisations, reflecting the growing recognition of air-intake filtration as a critical factor in propulsion system protection.

Through these applications, TTT Navy has established itself as a specialist provider of high-integrity filtration solutions, supporting both new vessel designs and retrofit programmes.

The success of the brand reflects a broader shift in engineering thinking—one that recognises that improving supporting systems can deliver significant gains in overall machinery performance and reliability.

A Career Recognised

At the age of 80, Franco de Arcangelis’ career reflects a rare combination of naval experience, engineering expertise, and practical innovation.

From his early service as a Naval Engineering Officer to the founding of Transmission Technology in 1986, and through to the global development of TTT Navy, his work has consistently focused on improving the reliability and efficiency of propulsion systems.

Perhaps most fitting is the way his professional journey has come full circle. The naval environment that shaped his early career is today the environment where TTT Navy solutions help protect propulsion systems on vessels operating worldwide.

This Success Award therefore recognises not only an individual career, but a lasting contribution to engineering practice – one that continues to influence how naval propulsion systems are protected and maintained.