scholarly journals Optimality considerations for propulsive fuselage power savings

Author(s):  
Arne Seitz ◽  
Anaïs Luisa Habermann ◽  
Martijn van Sluis

The paper discusses optimality constellations for the design of boundary layer ingesting propulsive fuselage concept aircraft under special consideration of different fuselage fan power train options. Therefore, a rigorous methodical approach for the evaluation of the power saving potentials of propulsive fuselage concept aircraft configurations is provided. Analytical formulation for the power-saving coefficient metric is introduced, and, the classic Breguet–Coffin range equation is extended for the analytical assessment of boundary layer ingesting aircraft fuel burn. The analytical formulation is applied to the identification of optimum propulsive fuselage concept power savings together with computational fluid dynamics numerical results of refined and optimised 2D aero-shapings of the bare propulsive fuselage concept configuration, i.e. fuselage body including the aft–fuselage boundary layer ingesting propulsive device, obtained during the European Union-funded DisPURSAL and CENTRELINE projects. A common heuristic for the boundary layer ingesting efficiency factor is derived from the best aero-shaping cases of both projects. Based thereon, propulsive fuselage concept aircraft design optimality is parametrically analysed against variations in fuselage fan power train efficiency, systems weight impact and fuselage-to-overall aircraft drag ratio in cruise. Optimum power split ratios between the fuselage fan and the underwing main fans are identified. The paper introduces and discusses all assumptions necessary in order to apply the presented evaluation approach. This includes an in-depth explanation of the adopted system efficiency definitions and drag/thrust bookkeeping standards.

2016 ◽  
Vol 120 (1226) ◽  
pp. 693-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.E. Green ◽  
J.A. Jupp

ABSTRACTThe International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Circular Cir 337 is the first step towards ICAO establishing an Aeroplane CO2Emissions Standard to form part of Annex 16, Volume III to the Chicago Convention. It describes itself as ‘a work in progress’. This paper reviews Cir 337 against the background of flight physics, the published literature on aircraft fuel burn and CO2emissions and the current practices of the aircraft and engine manufacturers and the airline operators. We have taken, as our starting point, the aim of ICAO to reduce the fuel used per revenue tonne-kilometre performed and argue that the Breguet range equation, which captures all the relevant flight physics, should be the basis of the metric system underpinning the standard. Our overall conclusion is that Cir 337 provides an excellent basis for the initial regulation of aviation's CO2emissions and, further in the future, for developing measures to increase the fuel efficiency of the operational side of civil aviation. Our main criticism of the circular in its current form is that it does not address the ICAO goal of reducingfuel used per revenue tonne-kilometre performedand makes no reference to payload. This defect could be eliminated simply by omission of the exponent 0.24 of the Reference Geometric Factor (RGF) in the formula for the metric given in Chapter 2 (paragraph 2.2) of the circular. Retaining theRGFto the power unity in the metric and multiplying it by an appropriate value of the effective floor loading would convert it to what the 37thAssembly of ICAO called for – a statement of fuel used per revenue tonne-kilometre performed. Finally, correlating the amended metric against design range, as determined from the measured specific air range and the key certificated masses, provides a sound scientific basis for an initial regulation to cap passenger aircraft emissions.


Aerospace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Stanislav Karpuk ◽  
Yaolong Liu ◽  
Ali Elham

The German Cluster of Excellence SE²A (Sustainable and Energy Efficient Aviation) is established in order to investigate the influence of game-changing technologies on the energy efficiency of future transport aircraft. In this paper, the preliminary investigation of the four game-changing technologies active flow control, active load alleviation, boundary layer ingestion, and novel materials and structure concepts on the performance of a long-range Blended Wing Body (BWB) aircraft is presented. The BWB that was equipped with the mentioned technologies was designed and optimized using the multi-fidelity aircraft design code SUAVE with a connection to the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code SU2. The conceptual design of the BWB aircraft is performed within the SUAVE framework, where the influence of the new technologies is investigated. In the second step, the initially designed BWB aircraft is improved by an aerodynamic shape optimization while using the SU2 CFD code. In the third step, the performance of the optimized aircraft is evaluated again using the SUAVE code. The results showed more than 60% reduction in the aircraft fuel burn when compared to the Boeing 777.


Author(s):  
Benjamin Godard ◽  
Camil Negulescu

Abstract Recent innovative engine integration systems present interesting prospects for considerable aircraft fuel burn reduction. In this context, the Airbus Nautilius is a patented engine integration concept embedding two Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) turbofans at the rear of the fuselage so as to take the full benefit of the boundary layer ingestion (BLI). This concept presents very promising power savings compared to classical podded configurations when neglecting the penalty on fan performance. However, as the engine is now working in distorted boundary layer flow conditions, these benefits can be partially offset by an additional fan performance penalty. In order to assess these additional losses and therefore to refine the potential of this concept, a numerical fan design activity has been conducted by Onera on behalf of and in collaboration with Airbus. First, blade design modifications have been applied to a pre-existing UHBR fan stage originally designed for “classical” podded configurations in order to maximize the isentropic efficiency in cruise conditions. The results of this first activity shows that more than half of the fan isentropic efficiency penalty due to the distortion at the engine inlet can be recovered by few design iterations. Secondly, an operability assessment at take-off high-lift conditions has been conducted on the optimized geometry and ensures that the fan stall margin remains acceptable. In conclusion, these results confirm the initial potential and mark an additional step towards a broader assessment of the Nautilius engine integration concept, which shall be further completed by acoustic and aeroelastic studies.


Author(s):  
Andrew J. Provenza ◽  
Kirsten P. Duffy ◽  
Milind A. Bakhle

Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI) is a propulsion technology being investigated at NASA by the Advanced Aircraft Transportation Technology (AATT) Program to facilitate a substantial reduction in aircraft fuel burn. In an attempt to experimentally demonstrate an increase in propulsive efficiency of a BLI engine, a first-of-its-kind sub-scale high-bypass ratio 22” titanium fan, designed to structurally withstand significant unsteady pressure loading caused by a heavily distorted axial air inflow, was built and then tested in the transonic section of the GRC 8′ × 6′ Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The vibratory responses of a subset of fan blades were measured using strain gages placed in four different blade pressure side surface locations. Response highlights include a significant response of the blade’s first resonance to engine order excitation below idle as the fan was spooled up and down. The fan fluttered at the design speed under off operating line, low flow conditions. This paper presents the blade vibration response characteristics over the operating range of the fan and compares them to predicted behaviors. It also provides an assessment of this distortion tolerant fan’s (DTF) ability to withstand the harsh dynamic BLI environment over an entire design life of billions of load cycles at design speed.


Author(s):  
Andrew J. Provenza ◽  
Kirsten P. Duffy ◽  
Milind A. Bakhle

Boundary layer ingestion (BLI) is a propulsion technology being investigated at NASA by the Advanced Aircraft Transportation Technology (AATT) Program to facilitate a substantial reduction in aircraft fuel burn. In an attempt to experimentally demonstrate an increase in the propulsive efficiency of a BLI engine, a first-of-its-kind subscale high-bypass ratio 22″ titanium fan, designed to structurally withstand significant unsteady pressure loading caused by a heavily distorted axial air inflow, was built and then tested in the transonic section of the GRC 8′ × 6′ supersonic wind tunnel. The vibratory responses of a subset of fan blades were measured using strain gages placed in four different blade pressure side surface locations. Response highlights include a significant response of the blade's first resonance to engine order excitation below idle as the fan was spooled up and down. The fan fluttered at the design speed under off operating line, low flow conditions. This paper presents the blade vibration response characteristics over the operating range of the fan and compares them to predicted behaviors. It also provides an assessment of this distortion-tolerant fan's (DTF) ability to withstand the harsh dynamic BLI environment over an entire design life of billions of load cycles at design speed.


Aerospace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Arne Seitz ◽  
Anaïs Luisa Habermann ◽  
Fabian Peter ◽  
Florian Troeltsch ◽  
Alejandro Castillo Pardo ◽  
...  

Key results from the EU H2020 project CENTRELINE are presented. The research activities undertaken to demonstrate the proof of concept (technology readiness level—TRL 3) for the so-called propulsive fuselage concept (PFC) for fuselage wake-filling propulsion integration are discussed. The technology application case in the wide-body market segment is motivated. The developed performance bookkeeping scheme for fuselage boundary layer ingestion (BLI) propulsion integration is reviewed. The results of the 2D aerodynamic shape optimization for the bare PFC configuration are presented. Key findings from the high-fidelity aero-numerical simulation and aerodynamic validation testing, i.e., the overall aircraft wind tunnel and the BLI fan rig test campaigns, are discussed. The design results for the architectural concept, systems integration and electric machinery pre-design for the fuselage fan turbo-electric power train are summarized. The design and performance implications on the main power plants are analyzed. Conceptual design solutions for the mechanical and aero-structural integration of the BLI propulsive device are introduced. Key heuristics deduced for PFC conceptual aircraft design are presented. Assessments of fuel burn, NOx emissions, and noise are presented for the PFC aircraft and benchmarked against advanced conventional technology for an entry-into-service in 2035. The PFC design mission fuel benefit based on 2D optimized PFC aero-shaping is 4.7%.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Petra Skolilova

The article outlines some human factors affecting the operation and safety of passenger air transport given the massive increase in the use of the VLA. Decrease of the impact of the CO2 world emissions is one of the key goals for the new aircraft design. The main wave is going to reduce the burned fuel. Therefore, the eco-efficiency engines combined with reasonable economic operation of the aircraft are very important from an aviation perspective. The prediction for the year 2030 says that about 90% of people, which will use long-haul flights to fly between big cities. So, the A380 was designed exactly for this time period, with a focus on the right capacity, right operating cost and right fuel burn per seat. There is no aircraft today with better fuel burn combined with eco-efficiency per seat, than the A380. The very large aircrafts (VLAs) are the future of the commercial passenger aviation. Operating cost versus safety or CO2 emissions versus increasing automation inside the new generation aircraft. Almost 80% of the world aircraft accidents are caused by human error based on wrong action, reaction or final decision of pilots, the catastrophic failures of aircraft systems, or air traffic control errors are not so frequent. So, we are at the beginning of a new age in passenger aviation and the role of the human factor is more important than ever.


2015 ◽  
Vol 798 ◽  
pp. 596-601
Author(s):  
R.F. Francisco Reis ◽  
Guilherme A. Santana ◽  
Paulo Iscold ◽  
Carlos A. Cimini

This paper will present the development of a simple subsonic boundary layer method suitable to be used coupled with panel methods in order to estimate the aerodynamic characteristics, including viscous drag and maximum lift coefficient, of 3D wings. The proposed method does not require viscous-inviscid iterations and is based on classical integral bi-dimensional boundary layer theory using Thwaites and Head ́s models with bi-dimensional empirical corrections applied to each wing strip being therefor robust and efficient to be used in the early conceptual stage of aircraft design. Presented results are compared to the Modified CS Method in an IBL scheme and experimental data and are shown to provide good results.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Alejandro Castillo Pardo ◽  
Cesare A. Hall

Abstract Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI) potentially offers significant reductions in fuel burn and pollutant emissions. The Propulsive Fuselage Concept features a fan at the back of the airframe that ingests the 360deg fuselage boundary layer. Consequently, the distortion at the fan face during cruise is close to radial. This paper aims to devise and test a fan design philosophy that is tuned to this inflow distortion. Initially a free-vortex fan design matched to clean inflow is presented. The effects of BLI on the aerodynamics of this fan are investigated. A series of design steps are then presented to develop the baseline fan into a new design matched to fuselage BLI inflow. Both fan designs have been tested within a low speed rig. The impact of the fan design changes on the aerodynamics and the performance with BLI are evaluated using the test results. This paper presents the successful application of a unique experimental facility for the analysis of BLI fuselage fans. It shows that it is possible to design a fan that accepts the radial distortion caused by fuselage BLI with a modified profile of work input. The new fan design was found to increase the work input by 4.9% and to improve the efficiency by 2.75% relative to a fan designed for clean flow. This new fan design has reduced loading near the hub to account for the incoming distortion, increased mid span loading and negative incidence towards the tip for tolerance to circumferential distortion off-design.


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