TY - GEN
T1 - Electrified aircraft trade-space exploration
AU - Kruger, Michael
AU - Byahut, Saakar
AU - Uranga, Alejandra
AU - Dowdle, Aidan
AU - Gonzalez, Jonas
AU - Hall, David K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - This work presents a design space exploration for electrified aircraft that use electrical components for propulsion, and identifies configurations and missions for which electrification can provide an energy-usage advantage relative to hydrocarbon-based propulsion. A framework was developed to capture the major trade-offs of electrification at cruise condition, as well as the effects of distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion. The analysis is based on a parametric exploration of the trade-space with focus on mission size (payload and range) and technology level. It considers aircraft classes ranging from a 20-passenger thin-haul up to a twin-aisle intercontinental transport. All-electric aircraft are found to be best at low ranges (200–500 nmi), requiring the lowest amount of on-board energy but with a limited feasibility region. Turbo-electric architectures can be beneficial even with current technology, and are best for long missions. Adding a turbo-generator to an electric aircraft, for a hybrid-electric propulsion system, acts as a range extender and is optimal for intermediate-size missions. Finally, leveraging distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion improves energy efficiency and expands the range of feasible missions for highly electrified aircraft.
AB - This work presents a design space exploration for electrified aircraft that use electrical components for propulsion, and identifies configurations and missions for which electrification can provide an energy-usage advantage relative to hydrocarbon-based propulsion. A framework was developed to capture the major trade-offs of electrification at cruise condition, as well as the effects of distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion. The analysis is based on a parametric exploration of the trade-space with focus on mission size (payload and range) and technology level. It considers aircraft classes ranging from a 20-passenger thin-haul up to a twin-aisle intercontinental transport. All-electric aircraft are found to be best at low ranges (200–500 nmi), requiring the lowest amount of on-board energy but with a limited feasibility region. Turbo-electric architectures can be beneficial even with current technology, and are best for long missions. Adding a turbo-generator to an electric aircraft, for a hybrid-electric propulsion system, acts as a range extender and is optimal for intermediate-size missions. Finally, leveraging distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion improves energy efficiency and expands the range of feasible missions for highly electrified aircraft.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051660402&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85051660402&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2514/6.2018-4227
DO - 10.2514/6.2018-4227
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85051660402
SN - 9781624105562
T3 - 2018 Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference
BT - 2018 Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference
PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
T2 - 18th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, 2018
Y2 - 25 June 2018 through 29 June 2018
ER -