scholarly journals Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 6006
Author(s):  
Elitza Karadotcheva ◽  
Sang N. Nguyen ◽  
Emile S. Greenhalgh ◽  
Milo S. P. Shaffer ◽  
Anthony R. J. Kucernak ◽  
...  

The development of commercial aviation is being driven by the need to improve efficiency and thereby lower emissions. All-electric aircraft present a route to eliminating direct fuel burning emissions, but their development is stifled by the limitations of current battery energy and power densities. Multifunctional structural power composites, which combine load-bearing and energy-storing functions, offer an alternative to higher-energy-density batteries and will potentially enable lighter and safer electric aircraft. This study investigated the feasibility of integrating structural power composites into future electric aircraft and assessed the impact on emissions. Using the Airbus A320 as a platform, three different electric aircraft configurations were designed conceptually, incorporating structural power composites, slender wings and distributed propulsion. The specific energy and power required for the structural power composites were estimated by determining the aircraft mission performance requirements and weight. Compared to a conventional A320, a parallel hybrid-electric A320 with structural power composites >200 Wh/kg could potentially increase fuel efficiency by 15% for a 1500 km mission. For an all-electric A320, structural power composites >400 Wh/kg could halve the specific energy or mass of batteries needed to power a 1000 km flight.

Author(s):  
Kulwant Singh ◽  
Gurbhinder Singh ◽  
Harmeet Singh

The weight reduction concept is most effective to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from vehicles, which also improves fuel efficiency. Amongst lightweight materials, magnesium alloys are attractive to the automotive sector as a structural material. Welding feasibility of magnesium alloys acts as an influential role in its usage for lightweight prospects. Friction stir welding (FSW) is an appropriate technique as compared to other welding techniques to join magnesium alloys. Field of friction stir welding is emerging in the current scenario. The friction stir welding technique has been selected to weld AZ91 magnesium alloys in the current research work. The microstructure and mechanical characteristics of the produced FSW butt joints have been investigated. Further, the influence of post welding heat treatment (at 260 °C for 1 h) on these properties has also been examined. Post welding heat treatment (PWHT) resulted in the improvement of the grain structure of weld zones which affected the mechanical performance of the joints. After heat treatment, the tensile strength and elongation of the joint increased by 12.6 % and 31.9 % respectively. It is proven that after PWHT, the microhardness of the stir zone reduced and a comparatively smoothened microhardness profile of the FSW joint obtained. No considerable variation in the location of the tensile fracture was witnessed after PWHT. The results show that the impact toughness of the weld joints further decreases after post welding heat treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7119
Author(s):  
Abbas Rabiee ◽  
Ali Abdali ◽  
Seyed Masoud Mohseni-Bonab ◽  
Mohsen Hazrati

In this paper, a robust scheduling model is proposed for combined heat and power (CHP)-based microgrids using information gap decision theory (IGDT). The microgrid under study consists of conventional power generation as well as boiler units, fuel cells, CHPs, wind turbines, solar PVs, heat storage units, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) as the set of distributed energy resources (DERs). Additionally, a demand response program (DRP) model is considered which has a successful performance in the microgrid hourly scheduling. One of the goals of CHP-based microgrid scheduling is to provide both thermal and electrical energy demands of the consumers. Additionally, the other objective is to benefit from the revenues obtained by selling the surplus electricity to the main grid during the high energy price intervals or purchasing it from the grid when the price of electricity is low at the electric market. Hence, in this paper, a robust scheduling approach is developed with the aim of maximizing the total profit of different energy suppliers in the entire scheduling horizon. The employed IGDT technique aims to handle the impact of uncertainties in the power output of wind and solar PV units on the overall profit.


2019 ◽  
Vol 794 ◽  
pp. 202-207
Author(s):  
Rafea Dakhil Hussein ◽  
Dong Ruan ◽  
Guo Xing Lu ◽  
Jeong Whan Yoon ◽  
Zhan Yuan Gao

Carbon fibre composite tubes have high strength to weight ratios and outstanding performance under axial crushing. In this paper, square CFRP tubes and aluminium sheet-wrapped CFRP tubes were impacted by a drop mass to investigate the effect of loading velocity on the energy absorption of CFRP/aluminium tubes. A comparison of the quasi-static and dynamic crushing behaviours of tubes was made in terms of deformation mode, peak crushing force, mean crushing force, energy absorption and specific energy absorption. The influence of the number of aluminium layers that wrapped square CFRP tubes on the crushing performance of tubes under axial impact was also examined. Experimental results manifested similar deformation modes of tubes in both quasi-static and dynamic tests. The dynamic peak crushing force was higher than the quasi-static counterpart, while mean crushing force, energy absorption and specific energy absorption were lower in dynamic tests than those in quasi-static tests. The mean crushing force and energy absorption decreased with the crushing velocity and increased with the number of aluminium layers. The impact stroke (when the force starts to drop) decreased with the number of aluminium layers.


Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Stein ◽  
Moe Tun ◽  
Keith Musser ◽  
Richard Rocheleau

Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are being deployed on electrical grids in significant numbers to provide fast-response services. These systems are normally procured by the end user, such as a utility grid owner or independent power producer. This paper introduces a novel research project in which a research institution has purchased a 1 MW BESS and turned ownership over to a utility company under an agreement that allowed the institution to perform experimentation and data collection on the grid for a multi-year period. This arrangement, along with protocols governing experimentation, has created a unique research opportunity to actively and systematically test the impact of a BESS on a live island grid. The 2012 installation and commissioning of the BESS was facilitated by a partnership between the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) and the utility owner, the Hawaiian Electric and Light Company (HELCO). After the test period ended, HELCO continued to allow data collection (including health testing). In 2018, after 8500 equivalent cycles, the BESS continues to operate within specifications. HNEI continues to provide HELCO with expertise to aid with diagnostics as needed. Details about the BESS design, installation, experimental protocols, initial results, and lessons learned are presented in this paper.


Author(s):  
Miloš Pjević ◽  
Ljubodrag Tanović ◽  
Goran Mladenović ◽  
Biljana Marković

The paper presents experimental results of microcutting brittle materials (granite). The analysis was conceived on the observed interaction between the workpiece and two tools of different shapes. Experiment was based on scratching the workpiece surface with diamond tools. Applied tools had tip radius R0.2 and R0.15 mm. The experiment determined the changes in the value of perpendicular and tangential components of the cutting force based on the geometric properties of tools, as well as the changes of the specific energy of microcutting granite (Jošanica and Bukovik types). The experiment has shown that reduction of tool radius causes reduction of the cutting force intensity and specific cutting energy. Because of its physical/mechanical properties, more energy is required for micromachining granite “Jošanica” than “Bukovik.” Based on the topography of the surface, the value of critical tool penetration depth was established, after which the brittle fracture is no longer present. For granite “Jošanica” values of critical penetration depth are 6 and 5 μm when micromachining with tools R0.2 and R0.15 mm, while for Bukovik those values are 6.5 and 5.5 μm. The paper should form the basis for understanding the phenomena which occur during microcutting brittle materials.


Author(s):  
Kazuaki Yazawa ◽  
Yee Rui Koh ◽  
Ali Shakouri

Thermoelectric (TE) generators have a potential advantage of the wide applicable temperature range by a proper selection of materials. In contrast, a steam turbine (ST) as a Rankine cycle thermodynamic generator is limited up to more or less 630 °C for the heat source. Unlike typical waste energy recovery systems, we propose a combined system placing a TE generator on top of a ST Rankine cycle generator. This system produces an additional power from the same energy source comparing to a stand-alone steam turbine system. Fuel efficiency is essential both for the economic efficiency and the ecological friendliness, especially for the global warming concern on the carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. We report our study of the overall performance of the combined system with primarily focusing on the design parameters of thermoelectric generators. The steam temperature connecting two individual generators gives a trade-off in the system design. Too much lower the temperature reduces the ST performance and too much higher the temperature reduces the temperature difference across the TE generator hence reduces the TE performance. Based on the analytic modeling, the optimum steam temperature to be designed is found near at the maximum power design of TE generator. This optimum point changes depending on the hours-of-operation. It is because the energy conversion efficiency directly connects to the fuel consumption rate. As the result, physical upper-limit temperature of steam for ST appeared to provide the best fuel economy. We also investigated the impact of improving the figure-of-merit (ZT) of TE materials. As like generic TE engines, reduction of thermal conductivity is the most influential parameter for improvement. We also discuss the cost-performance. The combined system provides the payback per power output at the initial and also provides the significantly better energy economy [$/KWh].


2015 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 556-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanna G. Mogilyuk ◽  
Mikhail S. Hlystunov ◽  
Valery I. Prokopiev

2017 ◽  
Vol 865 ◽  
pp. 247-252
Author(s):  
Gui Tao Du

Because of the added mass, the aerodynamic drag of the automobile will increase obviously when accelerating in the still air. In this paper, it firstly gave the definition of the added mass, and presented that there was little research on the calculation of the added mass of automobile. Then through the analysis of the theoretical calculation method for the added mass, it pointed out that, for the added mass of the car-body with a complex shape, there was much difficulty in the theoretical calculation. Alternatively, a numerical calculation method for the added mass of car-body was derived. The simulation model adopted the Ahmed body and the corresponding verification experiment was completed in the Tongji Automotive Wind Tunnel center. The results indicate that the added mass is a constant which is only dependent on the body-shape. For the model investigated, the added mass is 0.0052kg that is approximately equal to the air displaced by the car-body. As the body accelerates to 4m/s2, the aerodynamic drag is increased by 1.89% because of added mass. Therefore, it needs to pay more attention to the impact that the added mass has on the dynamic performance of vehicle when proceeding the aerodynamic designs (especially for the high power performance vehicles). Meanwhile, it still makes a correction to the conventional aerodynamic drag formula. This paper also demonstrates that, with the analysis of the flow-field of car-body, the added mass essentially stems from the additionally work done by the car-body to increase the kinetic energy of external fluid as it speeds up.


2014 ◽  
Vol 660 ◽  
pp. 976-982
Author(s):  
Lukman Sukarma

As a continuation of the previous paper by the author for this conference, this article provides empirical evidence for the impact of concurrent implementation of TQM, JIT and TPM in enhancing company performance, and hence its competitiveness. In doing this, ingredients of World Class Manufacturing company performance are reviewed, hypotheses and research methodology are developed, and data are analysed to verify the hypotheses. It is confirmed that plants implementing TQM, JIT and TPM concurrently outperform those, which implement only one or two of the methods, and there is no difference in performance among plants using either one or two of the methods. Further investigation on the causes of difference in performance reveals that, in addition to simultaneous implementation of the three methods, the establishment of performance targets leads to better performance. However, there is insufficient evidence to claim that involving employees in target setting has an effect on performance.


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