Proof of concept study for fuselage boundary layer ingesting propulsion

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%.European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Grant agreement no. 72324

MorphElle

Abstrac

The Effect of Engine Location on the Aerodynamic Efficiency of a Flying-V Aircraft

The Flying-V is a novel flying wing concept where the main lifting surface has been fully integrated with the passenger cabin. This study focuses on the effect of engine positioning on aerodynamic interference under regulatory and structural constraints. An initial benchmark for the lift-to-drag ratio is obtained from a baseline Flying-V configuration, and the influence of the x, y and z position, as well as engine orientation are subsequently analysed. An Euler solver on a three-dimensional, unstructured grid is used to model the flow at cruise condition: M = 0.85, h = 13, 000 m, α = 2.9 ◦, and a thrust per engine of 50 kN. The viscous drag contribution is computed using an empirical method. A total of forty different engine locations are tested under these conditions to build a surrogate model that predicts the aircraft’s lift-to-drag ratio based on the position of the engine. The results obtained show that misplacing the engine can lead to significant lift-to-drag ratio losses going as high as 55% when compared against the ideal integration configuration. A region behind the airframe’s trailing edge is identified where the interference losses due to the installation are minimized. At this location, engine installation causes a 10% penalty in aerodynamic efficiency, a minimum one-engine-inoperative yawing moment and a small thrust-induced pitching moment. Flight Performance and Propulsio

Aero-Propulsive Efficiency Requirements for Turboelectric Transport Aircraft

In this paper a design-of-experiments is performed with the objective of determining the improvements in aeropropulsive efficiency required for a reduction in the energy consumption of turboelectric transport aircraft, when compared to conventional, gas-turbine based alternatives. Simplified representations of the powertrain and the aeropropulsive interaction effects are used, such that the results are independent of the design of the electrical system or the external layout of the propulsion-system. An evaluation of different mission requirements confirms that the turboelectric architecture presents the largest benefit for long ranges, and that the aeropropulsive benefit required for a predefined reduction in energy consumption increases with increasing cruise Mach number. Moreover, the impact of different technology maturity levels of the electrical drivetrain components is assessed. The results show that the shaft power ratio necessary to achieve a determined aeropropulsive benefit is a decisive factor, and that for a shaft power ratio of 20%, a 5% reduction in energy consumption is possible on the mid-term (circa 2035) if an 11% increase in aeropropulsive efficiency is achieved. A 15% reduction in energy consumption is only possible with extremely optimistic powertrain technology assumptions, and requires and increase in aeropropulsive efficiency of at least 14%, for the missions considered.Flight Performance and Propulsio

Concept Validation Study for Fuselage Wake-Filling Propulsion Integration

The present paper provides an overview together with intermediate results of the work-in-progress research performed in the EC-funded Horizon 2020 collaborative project CENTRELINE (“ConcEpt validatioN sTudy foR fusElage wake-filLIng propulsioN integration”), aiming at demonstrating the proof of concept for a groundbreaking approach to synergistic propulsion-airframe integration, the so-called Propulsive Fuselage Concept (PFC). The concept features a turbo-electrically driven propulsive device integrated in the very aft-section of the fuselage, dedicated to the purpose of fuselage wake-filling. Currently at TRL 1-2, CENTRELINE's target is to mature the technological key features of the PFC to TRL 3-4. The core of the targeted proof-of-concept is formed by two experimental test campaigns supported by high-fidelity 3D numerical simulation and integrated multidisciplinary design optimisation techniques for aerodynamics, aero-structures as well as the energy and propulsion system