Multi-disciplinary analysis and optimisation methodology for conceptual design of a box-wing aircraft
TL;DR: In this paper, a multi-disciplinary analysis methodology for a box-wing aircraft configuration optimised for a given mission scenario is presented, where the design space is explored from a combined aerodynamics and structural design perspective.
Abstract: This paper presents a multi-disciplinary analysis methodology for a box-wing aircraft configuration optimised for a given mission scenario. This conceptual design methodology and associated toolchain combines well-established vortex lattice analysis and a newly developed structural analysis tool called WingMASS, allowing the design space to be explored from a combined aerodynamics and structural design perspective. For a given mission scenario, the method optimises a box-wing configuration and compares it with an equivalent conventional configuration. This study shows that, for a given mission, a boxwing configuration can lead to a fuel burn reduction of up to 5% by optimising aspect ratio, horizontal and vertical wing separation.
Citations
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TL;DR: This study analyzes both box-wing and conventional aircraft designed for representative regional-jet missions and identified operating conditions where the box-wings can have superior performance to conventional aircraft despite the fuel volume constraint.
25 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors present the current state-of-the-art in the development of future aircraft for civil aviation and present a detailed survey of the design characteristics of unconventional aircraft for non-specialists and a comprehensive review of the literature detailing past and current design trends of such configurations for specialists.
18 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a DoE-based approach is proposed to define surrogate models suitable for the purpose of estimating the structural mass of a box-wing configuration in the early stages of the design.
13 citations
01 May 2014
TL;DR: In this paper, a flexible wing modeling and physical mass estimation system for early aircraft design stages is developed, where the core of the interdisciplinary tool chain is a central model generator that automatically generates all analysis models from the DLR aircraft data format CPACS (Common Parametric Aircraft Configuration Scheme).
Abstract: State-of-the-art models in preliminary wing design apply physics-based methods for primary structures while using empirical correlations for secondary structures. Using those methods, a detailed optimization such as e.g. rear spar positions or flap size is only possible within a limited design space. Novel structural concepts such as multi-spar flap layouts or the introduction of composite materials cannot be analyzed using statistical methods and require extended higher level structural modeling.
Therefore, a flexible wing modeling and physical mass estimation system for early aircraft design stages is developed – the WINGmass system. The core of the interdisciplinary tool chain is a central model generator that automatically generates all analysis models from the DLR aircraft data format CPACS (Common Parametric Aircraft Configuration Scheme). For the automatic model generation, a large amount of engineering rules are implemented in the model generator, to reduce the amount of required input parameters and therefore to relieve the aircraft designer. Besides the multi-model generator, the tool chain consist of a structural finite element model (incl. wing primary structures, flaps, flap tracks, ailerons, engine pylon and landing gear), a structural sizing algorithm and loads models for aerodynamic, fuel, landing gear and engine loads.
The wing mass estimation system is calibrated against real mass values of the wing primary structures and the trailing edge devices of the Airbus A320 and A340-200. The results of the calibrated tool chain are compared to the masses of the primary structures of the B747-100 and the aluminum baseline version of the MD-90-40X. The calibration factors for composite primary structures are derived from the composite version of the MD-90-40X.
Finally, the benefits of the extended physics-based modeling and the application of the WINGmass system in an interdisciplinary aircraft design environment are shown in an aircraft design study. The objective of this study is to compute the optimal wing shape in terms of mission fuel as a function of the take-off field length. Therefore, a parameter variation of the wing and flap geometry is performed, the engine scaled correspondingly and the mission fuel evaluated.
13 citations
01 Apr 2018
TL;DR: A new analytic model is developed, which takes into account the downwash from the two main wings and is sensitive to three important design variables: the relative areas of each wing, the streamwise separation of the wings, and the center of gravity position.
Abstract: Recent studies of new, fuel-efficient transport aircraft have considered designs, which make use of two principal lifting surfaces to provide the required lift as well as trim and static stability....
5 citations
References
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Book•
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of the design process of an aircraft from a conceptual sketch, including sizing from a Conceptual Sketch and initial sizing of the aircraft.
Abstract: * Design - A Separate Discipline * Overview of the Design Process * Sizing from a Conceptual Sketch * Airfoil and Geometry Selection * Thrust-to-Weight Ratio and Wing Loading * Initial Sizing * Configuration Layout and Loft * Special Considerations in Configuration Layout * Crew Station, Passengers, and Payload * Propulsion and Fuel System Integration * Landing Gear and Subsystems * Intermission: Step-by-Step Development of a New Design * Aerodynamics * Propulsion * Structures and Loads * Weights * Stability, Control, and Handling Qualities * Performance and Flight Mechanics * Cost Analysis * Sizing and Trade Studies * Design of Unique Aircraft Concepts * Conceptual Design Examples * Appendix A: Unit Conversion * Appendix B: Standard Atmosphere.
2,374 citations
"Multi-disciplinary analysis and opt..." refers background in this paper
...For the initial design of the conventional aircraft for a given set of mission requirements, a large number of methodologies, historical data and guidelines exist in terms of designing large passenger aircraft of the conventional configuration that could be drawn upon as resourced during this initial part of the process(23,24)....
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...Instead, the component build-up method(23) was...
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented updated values of aviation radiative forcing (RF) for 2005 based upon new operations data that show an increase in traffic of 22.5%, fuel use of 8.4% and total aviation RF of 14% over the period 2000-2005.
910 citations
TL;DR: Focusing on relatively high-aspect-ratio subsonic wings, the review suggests that opportunities for new concepts remain, but the greatest challenge lies in their integration with other aspects of the system.
Abstract: ▪ Abstract This article describes some of the fundamental ideas underlying methods for induced-drag prediction and reduction. A review of current analysis and design methods, including their development and common approximations, is followed by a survey of several approaches to lift-dependent drag reduction. Recent concepts for wing planform optimization, highly nonplanar surfaces, and various tip devices may lead to incremental but important gains in aircraft performance. Focusing on relatively high-aspect-ratio subsonic wings, the review suggests that opportunities for new concepts remain, but the greatest challenge lies in their integration with other aspects of the system.
231 citations
"Multi-disciplinary analysis and opt..." refers result in this paper
...These findings were confirmed by later studies(13,14), which found a reduction in induced drag for a closed wing system when working...
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01 Feb 1924
TL;DR: The most important part of the resistance or drag of a wing system, the induced drag, can be calculated theoretically, when the distribution of lift on the individual wings is known as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The most important part of the resistance or drag of a wing system,the induced drag, can be calculated theoretically, when the distribution of lift on the individual wings is known. The calculation is based upon the assumption that the lift on the wings is distributed along the wing in proportion to the ordinates of a semi-ellipse. Formulas and numerical tables are given for calculating the drag. In this connection, the most favorable arrangements of biplanes and triplanes are discussed and the results are further elucidated by means of numerical examples.
188 citations
"Multi-disciplinary analysis and opt..." refers background or methods in this paper
...Some studies(11,26) have proposed a V-tail system at the rear for the box-wing, allowing for control devices to be implemented on the vertical tailplanes at the rear to try and overcome...
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...within the conditions stipulated by Prandtl and Munk(11,12), such as maintaining equal lift on both wings....
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...Wing twist was determined to ensure an elliptical and equal lift distribution on both wings as required by the Prandtl-Munk theorem(11)....
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...Vertical wing separation has a theoretically large effect on the aerodynamic and structural efficiency of the box-wing planform(11)....
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...These findings were confirmed by later studies(13,14), which found a reduction in induced drag for a closed wing system when working within the conditions stipulated by Prandtl and Munk(11,12), such as maintaining equal lift on both wings....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined five generic policies for reducing the emissions of commercial aviation; (1) technological efficiency improvements, (2) operational efficiency improvement, (3) use of alternative fuels, (4) demand shift and (5) carbon pricing (i.e., market-based incentives).
Abstract: With increasing demand for air transportation worldwide and decreasing marginal fuel efficiency improvements, the contribution of aviation to climate change relative to other sectors is projected to increase in the future. As a result, growing public and political pressures are likely to further target air transportation to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The key challenges faced by policy makers and air transportation industry stakeholders is to reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining mobility for passengers and time-sensitive cargo as well as meeting future demand for air transportation in developing and emerging countries. This paper examines five generic policies for reducing the emissions of commercial aviation; (1) technological efficiency improvements, (2) operational efficiency improvements, (3) use of alternative fuels, (4) demand shift and (5) carbon pricing (i.e. market-based incentives). In order to evaluate the impacts of these policies on total emissions, air transport mobility, airfares and airline profitability, a system dynamics modeling approach was used. The Global Aviation Industry Dynamics (GAID) model captures the systemic interactions and the delayed feedbacks in the air transportation system and allows scenarios testing through simulations. For this analysis, a set of 34 scenarios with various levels of aggressiveness along the five generic policies were simulated and tested. It was found that no single policy can maintain emissions levels steady while increasing projected demand for air transportation. Simulation results suggest that a combination of the proposed policies does produce results that are close to a “weak” sustainability definition of increasing supply to meet new demand needs while maintaining constant or increasing slightly emissions levels. A combination of policies that includes aggressive levels of technological and operations efficiency improvements, use of biofuels along with moderate levels of carbon pricing and short-haul demand shifts efforts achieves a 140% increase in capacity in 2024 over 2004 while only increasing emissions by 20% over 2004. In addition, airline profitability is moderately impacted (10% reduction) compared to other scenarios where profitability is reduced by over 50% which pose a threat to necessary investments and the implementation of mitigating measures to reduce CO2 emissions. This study has shown that an approach based on a portfolio of mitigating measures and policies spanning across technology and operational improvements, use of biofuels, demand shift and carbon pricing is required to transition the air transportation industry close to an operating point of environmental and mobility sustainability.
180 citations
"Multi-disciplinary analysis and opt..." refers background in this paper
...Key improvements in technology and operations are required to sustain passenger and cargo mobility growth while reducing emissions, as without them emission levels become uncontrollable(3) including new aircraft configurations such as the box-wing and blended wing body....
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