Aerodynamic Loads Prediction in an Integrated Computer-Based Conceptual Design Environment

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. Goldstraw ◽  
C. Bil ◽  
C. Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Aerodynamic Load ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Step Over

An important aspect of successful aircraft design is the concept of ‘right first time’, as any design changes downstream can be costly and may cause project delays. This is most applicable to the conceptual design phase. However, in the early stages of aircraft design, data is limited and prone to inaccuracies. Consequently, a design will typically traverse through a number of iterations, improving and refining with each step. Over the past 15 years, computer-based tools have become commonplace in aircraft design [1]. In general, most computer-based tools have been developed for the more advanced stages of the design process. For these tools to be useful in conceptual design, they must be user-friendly, interactive, and provide quick return times. A classic example is the aerodynamic load data required for structural design. Both are dependent on geometric parameters, which may still be subject to change. To complete the analysis within practical time constraints, a highly integrated and automated system is required [2, 3]. This paper presents such a system, developed using industry accepted software components including AutoCAD, VSAERO and MSC Nastran. This system allows an automatic, structured topology mesh to be generated from a basic three-view aircraft drawing, which inputs directly into VSAERO for loads calculations. The loads are subsequently transferred to MSC Patran as a pre-processor for structural analysis using MSC Nastran. If the result is unsatisfactory, the geometry or placement of structural components can easily be changed and the process repeated. The design environment was developed using FORTRAN90. The results of an application of this system to a simple wing, as well as a regional transport aircraft, are also presented.

scholarly journals The GENUS aircraft conceptual design environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 233 (8) ◽  
pp. 2932-2947 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Smith ◽  
D Sziroczák ◽  
GE Abbe ◽  
P Okonkwo
Keyword(s):  
Practical Reasoning ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Modern Computer ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Design Software ◽  
Aircraft Conceptual Design

The design of aircraft has evolved over time from the classical design approach to the more modern computer-based design method utilizing multivariate design optimization. In recent years, aircraft concepts and configurations have become more diverse and complex thus pushing many synthesis packages beyond their capability. Furthermore, many examples of aircraft design software focus on the analysis of one particular concept thus requiring separate packages for each concept. This can lead to complications in comparing concepts and configurations as differences in performance may originate from different prediction toolsets being used. This paper presents the GENUS Aircraft Design Framework developed by Cranfield University’s Aircraft Design Group to address these issues. The paper reviews available aircraft design methodologies and describes the challenges faced in their development and application. Following this, the GENUS aircraft design environment is introduced, along with the theoretical background and practical reasoning behind the program architecture. Particular attention is given to the programming, choice of methodology, and optimization techniques involved. Subsequently, some applications of the developed methodology, implemented in the framework are presented to illustrate the diversity of the approach. Three special classes of aircraft design concept are presented briefly.

scholarly journals Wing Structural Model for Overall Aircraft Design of Distributed Electric Propulsion General Aviation and Regional Aircraft

Aerospace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Raquel Alonso Castilla ◽  
Florent Lutz ◽  
Joël Jézégou ◽  
Emmanuel Bénard
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
General Aviation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Analytical Methodology ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
Aerodynamic Properties ◽  
Structural Mass

In the context of reducing the environmental footprint of tomorrow’s aviation, Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) has become an increasingly interesting concept. With the strong coupling between disciplines that this technology brings forth, multiple benefits are expected for the overall aircraft design. These interests have been observed not only in the aerodynamic properties of the aircraft but also in the structural design. However, current statistical models used in conceptual design have shown limitations regarding the benefits and challenges coming from these new design trends. As for other methods, they are either not adapted for use in a conceptual design phase or do not cover CS-23 category aircraft. This paper details a semi-analytical methodology compliant with the performance-based certification criteria presented by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to predict the structural mass breakdown of a wing. This makes the method applicable to any aircraft regulated by EASA CS-23. Results have been validated with the conventional twin-engine aircraft Beechcraft 76, the innovative NASA X-57 Maxwell concept using DEP, and the commuter aircraft Beechcraft 1900.

Conceptual Design for the Performance Optimization of Compound Coaxial Helicopter

2016 ◽  
Vol 826 ◽  
pp. 40-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Cao ◽  
Ming Chen ◽  
Mei Li Wen Wu
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Performance Optimization ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Design Work ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Coaxial Helicopter

The purpose of this paper is to study the conceptual design and optimization of a compound coaxial helicopter. At the conceptual design phase, the compound coaxial helicopter design work was based on the conventional helicopter and fix-wing aircraft design method. The intersection of these aspects makes the design work more complex, thus, a program for the sizing and performance optimization was developed for the aircraft. The program included the total weight design, aerodynamic analysis, flight dynamics analysis, performance calculation and particle swarm optimization analysis. Under the restricted condition of the flight performance requirements, optimize the design parameters which make the weight efficiency factor decrease. Therefore, the study of optimum design process was warranted.

A cloud platform for space science mission concurrent design

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Deng ◽  
Zhen Yang ◽  
Pengyu Du ◽  
You Song
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Space Science ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
Concurrent Design ◽  
Design Tools ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Cloud Platform ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase

Using concurrent design methodology, the duration of space science mission in conceptual design phase can be shortened. This approach requires hardware and software resources to support, such as professional design tools and concurrent design environment. Except for the professional groups, the general researchers such as teachers and students have no chance to access these resources. Nowadays, more and more researchers distributed in different locations join into the space science research. The need for an open concurrent design platform offering design tools and data sharing environment has increased. This article presents a Cloud Platform of Concurrent Design for Space Science Mission. This Cloud Platform of Concurrent Design for Space Science Mission uses the idea of Software as a service, in which five design and analysis tools are offered as services to satisfy the basic requirements for space science mission concurrent design in conceptual design phase. This cloud platform provides the access to space science mission concurrent design for expert and non-expert users using a thin client of web browser. This article presents the platform architecture of the Cloud Platform of Concurrent Design for Space Science Mission and five software offered as services. The services include spacecraft conceptual orbit design, structure design, payload coverage analysis, data transmission analysis, and virtual community. And the basic cloud service (computing and storage) is also briefly introduced. It is described in detail how these services can be leveraged by users to do the concurrent design for one space science mission.

scholarly journals Conceptual design of sonic boom stealth supersonic transports

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yicheng Sun ◽  
Howard Smith
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
Design Model ◽  
Sonic Boom ◽  
Volume Distribution ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Supersonic Aircraft ◽  
Business Jet ◽  
Multidisciplinary Perspective ◽  
Aircraft Conceptual Design

AbstractThis paper introduces a supersonic transport aircraft design model developed in the GENUS aircraft conceptual design environment. A conceptual design model appropriate to supersonic transports with low-to-medium-fidelity methods are developed in GENUS. With this model, the authors reveal the relationship between the sonic boom signature and the lift and volume distributions and the possibility to optimise the lift distribution and volume distribution together so that they can cancel each other at some region. A new inspiring design concept—sonic boom stealth is proposed by the authors. The sonic boom stealth concept is expected to inspire the supersonic aircraft designers to design low-boom concepts through aircraft shaping and to achieve low ground impacts. A family of different classes of supersonic aircraft, including a single-seat supersonic demonstrator (0.47 psf), a 10-passenger supersonic business jet (0.90 psf) and a 50-seat supersonic airliner (1.02 psf), are designed to demonstrate the sonic boom stealth design principles. Although, there are challenges to balance the volume with packaging and control requirements, these concepts prove the feasibility of low-boom low-drag design for supersonic transports from a multidisciplinary perspective.

scholarly journals Application of Noise Certification Regulations within Conceptual Aircraft Design

Aerospace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 210
Author(s):  
Michel Nöding ◽  
Lothar Bertsch
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
Low Noise ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Simulation Process ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
Conceptual Aircraft Design

ICAO Annex 16 regulations are used to certify the acoustic performance of subsonic transport aircraft. Each aircraft is classified according to the measured EPNL levels at specific certification locations along the approach and departure. By simulating this certification process, it becomes possible to identify all relevant parameters and assess promising measures to reduce the noise certification levels in compliance with the underlying ICAO regulations, i.e., allowable operating conditions of the aircraft. Furthermore, simulation is the only way to enable an assessment of novel technology and non-existing vehicle concepts, which is the main motivation behind the presented research activities. Consequently, the ICAO Annex 16 regulations are integrated into an existing noise simulation framework at DLR, and the virtual noise certification of novel aircraft concepts is realized at the conceptual design phase. The predicted certification levels can be directly selected as design objectives in order to realize an advantageous ICAO noise category for a new aircraft design, i.e., simultaneously accounting for the design and the resulting flight performance. A detailed assessment and identification of operational limits and allowable flight procedures for each conceptual aircraft design under consideration is enabled. Sensitivity studies can be performed for the relevant input parameters that influence the predicted noise certification levels. Specific noise sources with a dominating impact on the certification noise levels can be identified, and promising additional low-noise measures can be applied within the conceptual design phase. The overall simulation process is applied to existing vehicles in order to assess the validity of the simulation resultsfcompared to published data. Thereafter, the process is applied to some DLR low-noise aircraft concepts to evaluate their noise certification levels. These results can then be compared to other standard noise metrics that are typically applied in order to describe aircraft noise, e.g., SEL isocontour areas. It can be demonstrated that certain technologies can significantly reduce the noise impact along most of an approach or departure flight track but have only a limited influence on the noise certification levels and vice versa. Finally, an outlook of the ongoing developments is provided, in order to apply the new simulation process to supersonic aircraft. Newly proposed regulations for such concepts are implemented into the process in order to evaluate these new regulations and enable direct comparison with existing regulations.

Applying Function-Based Failure Propagation in Conceptual Design

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Krus ◽  
Katie Grantham Lough
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Functional Model ◽  
Thermal Control ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Historical Knowledge ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
Failure Propagation ◽  
Potential Risks

When designing a product, the earlier the potential risks can be identified, the more costs can be saved, as it is easier to modify a design in its early stages. Several methods exist to analyze the risk in a system, but all require a mature design. However, by applying the concept of “common interfaces” to a functional model and utilizing a historical knowledge base, it is possible to analyze chains of failures during the conceptual phase of product design. This paper presents a method based on these “common interfaces” to be used in conjunction with other methods such as Risk in Early Design in order to allow a more complete risk analysis during the conceptual design phase. Finally, application of this method is demonstrated in a design setting by applying it to a thermal control subsystem.

Fidelity enhancement of a rotorcraft simulation model through system identification

2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (1170) ◽  
pp. 453-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Lu ◽  
G. D. Padfield ◽  
M. White ◽  
P. Perfect
Keyword(s):  
System Identification ◽  
Simulation Model ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Aircraft Design ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Loads Analysis ◽  
Physics Based Simulation ◽  
Six Degree Of Freedom ◽  
The University ◽  
Frequency Domain Approach

AbstractHigh fidelity modelling and simulation are prerequisites for ensuring confidence in decision making during aircraft design and development, including performance and handling qualities, control law developments, aircraft dynamic loads analysis, and the creation of a realistic simulation environment. The techniques of system identification provide a systematic framework for ‘enhancing’ a physics–based simulation model derived from first principles and aircraft design data. In this paper we adopt a frequency domain approach for model enhancement and fidelity improvement of a baseline FLIGHTLAB Bell 412 helicopter model developed at the University of Liverpool. Predictability tests are based on responses to multi–step control inputs. The techniques have been used to generate one, three, and six degree-of-freedom linear models, and their derivatives and predictability are compared to evaluate and augment the fidelity of the FLIGHTLAB model. The enhancement process thus involves augmenting the simulation model based on the identified parameters. The results are reported within the context of the rotorcraft simulation fidelity project, Lifting Standards, involving collaboration with the Flight Research Laboratory (NRC, Ottawa), supported with flight testing on the ASRA research helicopter.

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