A simulation-based performance analysis tool for aircraft design workflows

A simulation-based approach for take-off and landing performance assessments is presented in this work. In the context of aircraft design loops, it provides a detailed and flexible formulation that can be integrated into a wider simulation methodology for a complete commercial aviation mission. As a matter of fact, conceptual and preliminary aircraft design activities require iterative calculations to quickly make performance predictions on a set of possible airplane configurations. The goal is to search for a design that best fits all top level aircraft requirements among the results of a great number of multi-disciplinary analyses, as fast as possible, and with a certain grade of accuracy. Usually, such a task is carried out using statistical or semi-empirical approaches which can give pretty accurate results in no time. However, those prediction methods may be inappropriate when dealing with innovative aircraft configurations or whenever a higher level of accuracy is necessary. Simulation-based design has become crucial to make the overall process affordable and effective in cases where higher fidelity analyses are required. A common example when flight simulations can be effectively used to support a design loop is given by aircraft mission analyses and performance predictions. These usually include take-off, climb, en route, loiter, approach, and landing simulations. This article introduces the mathematical models of aircraft take-off and landing and gives the details of how they are implemented in the software library JPAD. These features are not present in most of the currently available pieces of preliminary aircraft design software and allow one to perform high fidelity, simulation-based take-off and landing analyses within design iterations. Although much more detailed than classical semi-empirical approaches, the presented methodologies require very limited computational effort. An application of the proposed formulations is introduced in the second part of the article. The example considers the Airbus A220-300 as a reference aircraft model and includes complete take-off and landing performance studies, as well as the simulation of both take-off and landing certification noise trajectories

Design and optimization of a large turboprop aircraft

This paper proposes a feasibility study concerning a large turboprop aircraft to be used as a lower environmental impact solution to current regional jets operated on short/medium hauls. An overview of this market scenario highlights that this segment is evenly shared between regional turboprop and jet aircraft. Although regional jets ensure a large operative flexibility, they are usually not optimized for short missions with a negative effect on block fuel and environmental impact. Conversely, turboprops represent a greener solution but with reduced passenger capacity and speed. Those aspects highlight a slot for a new turboprop platform coupling higher seat capacity, cruise speed and design range with a reduced fuel consumption. This platform should operate on those ranges where neither jet aircraft nor existing turboprops are optimized. This work compares three different solutions: a high‐wing layout with under‐wing engines installation and both two-and three‐lifting‐surface configurations with low‐wing and tail tips‐mounted engines. For each concept, a multi‐disciplinary optimization was performed targeting the minimum block fuel on a 1600 NM mission. Optimum solutions were compared with both a regional jet such as the Airbus A220‐300 operated on 1600 NM and with a jet aircraft specifically designed for this range

Noise, emissions and costs trade factors for regional jet platforms using a new software for aircraft preliminary design

A multidisciplinary analysis approach plays a very important role in the development of future transport aircraft, being able to interconnect all aircraft-related subjects and suppliers. A major issue, which has prevented aircraft manufacturers from implementing efficient and cost-effective design processes, is the loose integration of engine models into iterative aircraft design workflows. The continuous improvement of computer calculation capabilities over years has allowed the growth of a large family of software dedicated to aircraft preliminary design activities concerning also multi-disciplinary analyses, and optimizations. In this context, a new software for aircraft preliminary design, multi-disciplinary analyses and optimizations named JPAD (Java toolchain of Programs for Aircraft Design) has been developed at the University of Naples Federico II. The main purpose of this paper is to show the capabilities of the JPAD software applied to typical preliminary design problems. Thus, results of the activities carried out by means of JPAD in the scope of the Work Package 2 (WP2) of the European CleanSky2 project ADORNO will be shown. Those will concern trade factors and response surfaces related to environmental noise, DOC, and pollutant emissions (linked to the design mission block fuel) for a Rear-Mounted engines (RM) reference 2014 aircraft configuration

A Java toolchain of programs for aircraft design

The purpose of this work is to provide a comprehensive overview of JPAD (Java toolchain of Programs for Aircraft Design), a java-based framework conceived as a fast and efficient tool useful as support in the preliminary design phases of an aircraft, and during its optimization process. The software platform is made to perform fast multi-disciplinary analysis of an established aircraft configuration and to search for an optimized configuration in a domain, whose boundaries are defined by the user. The following sections will focus on the description of the software structure and on the results obtained from a case study carried out assuming as baseline a regional turboprop aircraft model similar to ATR-72

Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization of Regional Jet Retrofitting Activity

A retrofit analysis on a 90 passengers regional jet aircraft is performed through a multidisciplinary collaborative aircraft design and optimization highlighting the impact on costs and performance. Two different activities are accounted for selecting the best aircraft retrofit solution: a re-engining operation that allows to substitute a conventional power-plant platform with advanced geared turbofan and an on-board-systems architecture modernization, considering different levels of electrification. Besides the variables that are directly dependent from these activities, also scenario variables are considered during the optimization such as the fuel price, the fleet size and the years of utilization of the upgraded systems. The optimization is led by impacts of the retrofitting process on emissions, capital costs and saving costs, computed at industrial level. Overall aircraft design competences (aerodynamics, masses, performance, noise, and emissions) have been computed increasing the level of fidelity and reliability. The whole process is implemented in the framework of the AGILE 4.0 research project in a collaborative remote multidisciplinary approach. Results show that the engine retrofitting can be a profitable solution for both manufacturers and airliners. Conversely, the on-board-system electrification seems to be not convenient in a retrofitting process due to the high capital costs. Depending on the operative scenario, involved stakeholders can properly orient their decision on a retrofitting strategy

Innovative tools for aircraft preliminary design – development, applications and education

The Design of Aircraft and Flight Technologies Research Group (DAF) at University of Naples is involved in research activities addressing the development and application of new and innovative tools and frameworks for aircraft preliminary design. To build such new tools for aircraft design we believe that the following activities should be carried out: (a) derive new semi-empirical formulations (even through the construction of surrogate methods) which can be more accurate in the prediction of aircraft characteristics (especially for non-conventional configurations); (b) integrate medium to high fidelity tools into the analyses; (c) design with a multidisciplinary approach (i.e. including systems and direct operating costs); (d) include innovative propulsive systems; (e) deal with innovative configurations; (f) include new and efficient optimization algorithms; (g) use advanced software engineering to enhance tool capabilities, speed and usability (for example user-friendly graphic interface or inter-operability with other software). Recent research activities of the DAF group have been focused on the development and application of a new framework. Examples and applications in relevant European research projects can be presented. The development of these tools play also a relevant role in educational activities at the University of Naples as far aircraft design is concerned

Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis in APECED or thymoma patients correlates with autoimmunity to Th17-associated cytokines

Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) is frequently associated with T cell immunodeficiencies. Specifically, the proinflammatory IL-17A–producing Th17 subset is implicated in protection against fungi at epithelial surfaces. In autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED, or autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome 1), CMC is often the first sign, but the underlying immunodeficiency is a long-standing puzzle. In contrast, the subsequent endocrine features are clearly autoimmune, resulting from defects in thymic self-tolerance induction caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE). We report severely reduced IL-17F and IL-22 responses to both Candida albicans antigens and polyclonal stimulation in APECED patients with CMC. Surprisingly, these reductions are strongly associated with neutralizing autoantibodies to IL-17F and IL-22, whereas responses were normal and autoantibodies infrequent in APECED patients without CMC. Our multicenter survey revealed neutralizing autoantibodies against IL-17A (41%), IL-17F (75%), and/ or IL-22 (91%) in >150 APECED patients, especially those with CMC. We independently found autoantibodies against these Th17-produced cytokines in rare thymoma patients with CMC. The autoantibodies preceded the CMC in all informative cases. We conclude that IL-22 and IL-17F are key natural defenders against CMC and that the immunodeficiency underlying CMC in both patient groups has an autoimmune basis

Early Production of IL-22 but Not IL-17 by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Exposed to live Borrelia burgdorferi: The Role of Monocytes and Interleukin-1

If insufficiently treated, Lyme borreliosis can evolve into an inflammatory disorder affecting skin, joints, and the CNS. Early innate immunity may determine host responses targeting infection. Thus, we sought to characterize the immediate cytokine storm associated with exposure of PBMC to moderate levels of live Borrelia burgdorferi. Since Th17 cytokines are connected to host defense against extracellular bacteria, we focused on interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22. Here, we report that, despite induction of inflammatory cytokines including IL-23, IL-17 remained barely detectable in response to B. burgdorferi. In contrast, T cell-dependent expression of IL-22 became evident within 10 h of exposure to the spirochetes. This dichotomy was unrelated to interferon-γ but to a large part dependent on caspase-1 and IL-1 bioactivity derived from monocytes. In fact, IL-1β as a single stimulus induced IL-22 but not IL-17. Neutrophils display antibacterial activity against B. burgdorferi, particularly when opsonized by antibodies. Since neutrophilic inflammation, indicative of IL-17 bioactivity, is scarcely observed in Erythema migrans, a manifestation of skin inflammation after infection, protective and antibacterial properties of IL-22 may close this gap and serve essential functions in the initial phase of spirochete infection

Automatic modeling of aircraft external geometries for preliminary design workflows

This article introduces a high-fidelity geometry definition methodology enabling Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) of aircraft configurations. All definitions and functional features have been implemented within the JPAD software, a Java-based computing library for aircraft designers, which provides a dedicated geometric modeling module called JPADCAD. The geometric module, that comes as an application programming interface (API) built on top of the OpenCASCADE Technology solid modeling kernel, is conceived for the automatic production of parametric aircraft CAD geometries. The tool allows the definition of input geometries for low-fidelity as well as high-fidelity aerodynamic analyses, hence proves to be a key factor in the entire MDAO process, particularly in conceptual or preliminary design analysis workflows. The main goal of such a geometric library remains ease of use and support for automation to minimize unnecessary or repetitive human effort. The backbone of the presented methodology is the parametric definition of a generic commercial transport aircraft configuration that translates into software data structures and functionalities of CAD surface modelers. These aspects are discussed in the first part of the article. The second part presents a use case example of the geometric modeling API, where an automated aerodynamic analysis workflow is used to construct a prediction model for canard-wing configurations

Implementation of a noise prediction software for civil aircraft applications (

This paper introduces the activities performed at University of Naples Federico II developed within the ADORNO research project. ADORNO project, "Aricraft Design and nOise Rating for regional aircraft" is a research project financed by European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Program Clean Sky 2, focused on the development of aircraft models for a regional aircraft engine platform. The main objective is to provide aircraft requirements as well as trade factors for specific fuel consumption, engine drag and engine weight on fuel burn for both a year 2014 reference aircraft and a CS2 targhet aircraft. In addition, an aircraft noise method will be developed and integrated in an aircraft design chain, providing an overall aircraft design chain. The call for proposal topic manager is MTU Aero Engines AG, and the partners are University of Naples Federico II and the small aeronautical company Lead Tech. Two aspects are proceeding, i) the aircraft design and ii) the noise evaluation, to allow a fast and reliable estimation of aircraft Noise and Emissions in terms of CO2, NOx at different mission phases, through the implementation of a flexible aircraft model which provides requirements and trade factors for the engine platform in terms of thrusts and take-off at different power settings and flight conditions. A reference 2014 regional turbofan aircraft has been designed and used as baseline and benchmark for the following steps. Fuel consuptions, emissions and noise trajectories have been computed. Following, trajectories are provided to the Noise tool, to compute noise in certification points and noise footprint. The noise evaluation is carried out following several main steps. The first one is represented by the estimation of the noise coming from single aircraft components such as engines, high lift devices or landing gears. Next, the total aircraft noise comes frome the summing up all the previous contributions taking also into account for interference effects, ground reflection and atmospheric absorption which could be very significant. Once the aircraft noise source is modelled within the "near field", a propagation model is used to estimate the noise level on the ground. Finally, the optimization process of the approach and take off trajectories to guarantee the minimum noise level is the result of this process