Design Guidelines for High Capacity Innovative Regional Turboprop Aircraft

This paper deals with the Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) of an innovative high capacity regional turboprop aircraft. To cope with the Top-Level Aircraft Requirements (TLARs), different design solutions have been analyzed and compared in terms of weights, balance, aerodynamics, performance, emissions and Direct Operating Costs (DOC). Response surfaces and Pareto fronts have been generated for each aircraft configuration assuming different values of lifting surfaces and geometrical design parameters. Optimal solutions have been selected from Pareto fronts according to specific performance, emissions and DOC objective functions. Those have been compared to illustrate relative benefits and drawbacks. This kind of innovative regional platform is supposed to be competitive on the short/medium range with regional jets. A regional jet similar to the Airbus A220 has been chosen as the reference regional jet aircraft to which compare all optima configuration coming from the MDAO process. Comparisons have been made in terms of block fuel, block time and DOC. The three-lifting surfaces configuration has been identified as the most promising choice for the higher gain in terms of block fuel and direct operative costs

Computational Study of Propeller–Wing Aerodynamic Interaction

Kestrel simulation tools are used to investigate the mutual interference between the propeller and wing of C130J aircraft. Only the wing, nacelles, and propeller geometries are considered. The propulsion system modelled is a Dowty six-bladed R391 propeller mounted at inboard or outboard wing sections in single and dual propeller configurations. The results show that installed propeller configurations have asymmetric blade loadings such that downward-moving blades produce more thrust force than those moving upward. In addition, the influence of installed propeller flow-fields on the wing aerodynamic (pressure coefficient and local lift distribution) are investigated. The installed propeller configuration data are compared with the non-installed case, and the results show that propeller effects will improve the wing’s lift distribution. The increase in lift behind the propeller is different at the left and right sides of the propeller. In addition, the propeller helps to delay the wing flow separation behind it for tested conditions of this work. Finally, the results show the capability of Kestrel simulation tools for modeling and design of propellers and investigates their effects over aircraft during conceptual design in which no experimental or flight test data are available yet. This will lead to reducing the number of tests required later