Life-Cycle Cost Estimation for High-Speed Vehicles: from the engineers’ to the airline’s perspective

This paper aims at upgrading the holistic Cost Estimation methodology for High-Speed Vehicles already developed by Politecnico di Torino and the European Space Agency (ESA) to encompass different stakeholders’ perspectives. In details, the presented methodology combines International Air Transport Association (IATA) best practices with a detailed Life- Cycle Cost (LCC) assessment, which includes the evaluation of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDTE) Costs, Production costs and of Direct and Indirect Operating Costs (DOC and IOC). The integrated approach allows to further extend the capabilities of the inhouse developed HyCost tool to support all the actors of the product value-chain (including engineers, manufacturers, airlines and customers) in assessing the economic sustainability of a newly under-development high-speed vehicle. However, considering the need of providing all these cost analyses perspectives since the early design stages, the derived Cost Estimation Relationships are mainly derived on statistical bases. To cope with the uncertainties that affect the initial statistical population and consequently, the CERs, this paper presents each cost item together with the estimation of related prediction intervals. Finally, results of the application of the upgraded cost estimation methodology and of the upgraded tool to the LAPCAT MR2.4 high-speed civil transport are reported and discussed

EUFOREA Rhinology Research Forum 2016: report of the brainstorming sessions on needs and priorities in rhinitis and rhinosinusitis

The first European Rhinology Research Forum organized by the European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway Diseases (EUFOREA) was held in the Royal Academy of Medicine in Brussels on 17th and 18th November 2016, in collaboration with the European Rhinologic Society (ERS) and the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA2LEN). One hundred and thirty participants (medical doctors from different specialties, researchers, as well as patients and industry representatives) from 27 countries took part in the multiple perspective discussions including brainstorming sessions on care pathways and research needs in rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. The debates started with an overview of the current state of the art, including weaknesses and strengths of the current practices, followed by the identification of essential research needs, thoroughly integrated in the context of Precision Medicine (PM), with personalized care, prediction of success of treatment, participation of the patient and prevention of disease as key principles for improving current clinical practices. This report provides a concise summary of the outcomes of the brainstorming sessions of the European Rhinology Research Forum 2016

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

THE LAPCAT-MR2 HYPERSONIC CRUISER CONCEPT

This paper describes the MR2, a Mach 8 cruise passenger vehicle, conceptually designed for antipodal flight from Brussels to Sydney in less than 4 hours. This is one of the different concepts studied within the LAPCAT II project [1]. It is an evolution of a previous vehicle, the MR1 based upon a dorsal mounted engine, as a result of multiple optimization iterations [2] leading to the MR2.4 concepts. The main driver was the optimal integration of a high performance propulsion unit within an aerodynamically efficient wave rider design, whilst guaranteeing sufficient volume for tankage, payload and other subsystems.status: publishe

Preliminary Performance Analysis of the LAPCAT-MR2 by means of Nose-to-Tail Computations

Hypersonic airbreathing vehicle designs are challenging due to the complexity of airframe integration and engine cycle design able to operate over a wide Mach number range. Airframe integration needs to deal with the mutual effect of the aerodynamics on the engine performance. On the other hand, the engine performance affects the vehicle design and operation. This paper first presents the followed design methodology including a description of the different approaches used for the layout of a M=8 hypersonic cruiser vehicle. The simulation of combustion process with the Dual Mode Ramjet engine is still based upon on 1D model whereas a dedicated 3D combustor CFD-analysis assesses the reliability of the 1D combustion hypotheses. An assessment of the thrust minus drag balance is carried out on a conceptual vehicle design for different Mach numbers using three-dimensional nose-to-tail CFD simulations. Here, the loosely coupled one-dimensional code for the estimation of the Dual Mode Ramjet performance is applied as well. It could be shown that for the trajectory points investigated both lateral and axial acceleration is possible. © 2012 by T. Langener, J. Steelant, P. Roncioni, P. Natale and M. Marini.status: publishe

TRAJECTORY SIMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF THE LAPCAT-MR2 HYPERSONIC CRUISER CONCEPT

To show the feasibility of high-speed aircrafts, one needs to have reliable performance indicators and figures of merit. As high-speed vehicles only make sense on long-haul routes, various trajectories and related optimizations were evaluated, covering classical transatlantic routes up to antipodal flights from Europe to Australia. The latter is actually the reference mission for the EC-funded projects LAPCAT I and II [1, 2] enabling the potential reduction of antipodal flight times to about 4 hours without stopover. As these trajectories are different to classical routes, due to the imposed constraints of over-land flights due to sonic boom, the necessary information on range extension is then used in the as well EC co-funded project HIKARI [3]. This enabled a more reliable dataset for a market analysis carried out by AIRBUS but is not part of study presented in this paper. The trajectory simulations and optimizations presented here are performed for the Mach 8 LAPCAT-MR2 hypersonic cruiser concept, given the GTOW and the amount of fuel on-board. This evaluation is based upon detailed aerodynamic and propulsion databases which on their turn are composed from experiments and numerical simulations.status: publishe

Numerical Validation of a Free-Flying Scramjet Powered Vehicle at Realistic Wind Tunnel Conditions

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Layout and Design Verification of a Small Scale Scramjet

One of the major objectives of the EC-co funded research project LAPCAT II is demonstrating positive aero-propulsive balance of a scramjet propelled vehicle in a wind tunnel. For this, the LAPCAT MR2 hypersonic cruiser needed to be scaled to wind tunnel scale. An optimization of the internal flow path was necessary, to cope with the different flight conditions and constraints in the wind tunnel environment. Therefore, a study featuring reactive CFD simulations was carried out. It was found that the best way to achieve a high combustion efficiency is to use a staged injection scheme in the combustor. The results were verified with nose-to-tail simulations of the small-scale configuration under wind tunnel conditions, showing that positive net thrust can be expected from the experimental campaigns.status: publishe