New Electric Propulsion Simulation Framework for the Arduino Microcontrollers

Abstract Future aircraft and rotorcraft propulsion systems should be able to meet ambitious targets and severe limitations set by governments and organizations. These targets cannot be achieved through marginal improvements in turbine technology or vehicle design. Hybrid-electric propulsion is being widely considered as a revolutionary concept to further improve the environmental impact of air travel. One of the most important challenges and barriers in the development phase of hybrid-electric propulsion systems is the Thermal Management System (TMS) design, sizing and optimization for addressing the increased thermal loads due to the electric power train. The aim of this paper is to establish an integrated simulation framework including the vehicle, the propulsion system and the fuel-oil system (FOS) for assessing the cooling capability of the FOS for the more electric era of rotorcrafts. The framework consists of a helicopter model, propulsion system models, both conventional and hybrid-electric, and a FOS model. The test case is a twin-engine medium (TEM) helicopter flying a representative Passenger Air Transport (PAT) mission. The conventional power plant heat loads are calculated and the cooling capacity of the FOS is quantified for different operating conditions. Having established the baseline, three different Power Management Strategies (PMS) are considered and the integrated simulation framework is utilized for evaluating FOS temperatures. The results highlight the limitations of existing rotorcraft FOS to cope with the high values of thermal loads associated with hybridization for the cases examined. Hence, new ideas and embodiments should be identified and assessed. The case of exploiting the fuel tank as a heat sink is investigated and the results indicate that recirculating fuel to the fuel tank can enhance the cooling capacity of conventional FOS.

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Design Exploration and Performance Assessment of Advanced Recuperated Hybrid-Electric UAM Rotorcraft

Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power ◽

10.1115/1.4052955 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Chana Anna Saias ◽

Ioannis Roumeliotis ◽

Ioannis Goulos ◽

Vassilios Pachidis ◽

Marko Bacic

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impact ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Simulation Framework ◽

Design Exploration ◽

Rotor Aerodynamics ◽

Fuel Burn ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Parallel Hybrid ◽

Hybrid Electric ◽

And Performance

Abstract The design of efficient, environmentally friendly and quiet powerplant for rotorcraft architectures constitutes a key enabler for Urban Air Mobility application. This work focuses on the development and application of a generic methodology for the design, performance and environmental impact assessment of a parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system, utilizing simple and advanced recuperated engine cycles. A simulation framework for rotorcraft analysis comprising models for rotor aerodynamics, flight dynamics and hybrid-electric powerplant performance is deployed for the design exploration and optimization of a hybrid-electric rotorcraft, modelled after the NASA XV-15, adapted for civil applications. Optimally designed powerplants for payload-range capacity, energy efficiency and environmental impact have been obtained. A comparative evaluation has been performed for the optimum designs. The respective trade-offs between engine, heat exchanger weight, thermal efficiency, as well as mission fuel burn and environmental impact have been quantified. It has been demonstrated that a recuperated gas turbine based hybrid-electric architecture may provide improvements of up to 6% in mission range capability without sacrificing useful load. At the same time, analyses performed for a representative 100 km mission suggest reductions in fuel burn and NOX emissions of up to 12.9% and 5.2% respectively. Analyses are carried at aircraft and mission level using realistic UAM mission scenarios.

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Rendez vous with Saturn's rings

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100101885 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 743-759 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kerry T. Nock

Keyword(s):

Solar Energy ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Power Source ◽

Propulsion System ◽

Low Thrust ◽

Ring Plane ◽

The Earth ◽

Total Impulse ◽

Saturn's Rings

ABSTRACTA mission to rendezvous with the rings of Saturn is studied with regard to science rationale and instrumentation and engineering feasibility and design. Future detailedin situexploration of the rings of Saturn will require spacecraft systems with enormous propulsive capability. NASA is currently studying the critical technologies for just such a system, called Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP). Electric propulsion is the only technology which can effectively provide the required total impulse for this demanding mission. Furthermore, the power source must be nuclear because the solar energy reaching Saturn is only 1% of that at the Earth. An important aspect of this mission is the ability of the low thrust propulsion system to continuously boost the spacecraft above the ring plane as it spirals in toward Saturn, thus enabling scientific measurements of ring particles from only a few kilometers.

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