Integrate engine manufacturer’s knowledge into the preliminary aircraft sizing process
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to set up and assess a new method to collaboratively mature the requirements for engine development in a more efficient way during the preliminary design phase.
Design/methodology/approach
A collaborative process has been set up in which detailed information on the behaviour of designed engines has been integrated into the aircraft preliminary sizing process by means of surrogate modelling.
Findings
The engine surrogate model has been invoked as a black box from within the aircraft preliminary design optimisation loops. The surrogate model reduces the uncertainty of coarse-grain formulas and may result in more competitive aircraft and engine designs. The surrogate model has been integrated in a collaborative cross-organisational workflow between aircraft manufacturer, engine manufacturer and simulation service providers to prepare for its deployment in industrial preliminary design processes.
Practical implications
The new collaborative way of working between aircraft manufacturer, engine manufacturer and simulation service providers could contribute to remove time consuming rework cycles in early and later design stages within delivering the optimal aircraft-engine combination.
Originality/value
The assessed process, based on an innovative collaboration standard, provides the opportunity to introduce useful design iterations with much more enriched information than in the classical design process as performed today. Specifically, the application of an engine surrogate model is advantageous, as it allows for extensive trade-off studies on aircraft level because of the low computational effort, while the intellectual property of the engine manufacturer (the engine preliminary design process) is respected and kept in-house.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
© by NLR, Rolls-Royce Deutschland and Airbus France
The research leading to these results has received partial funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement No. 234344 (www.crescendo-fp7.eu). The authors would like to acknowledge all colleagues whose contributions were essential to the success of collaborative design study in which the engine surrogate model has been applied: T. Druot, J.M. Rogero, S. Grihon, A. Rivas and L. Parigot (Airbus France); M. Guenov, M. Nunez and A. Molina-Cristobal (Cranfield University); R. Schwartz, V. Touloup and H. Wenzel (Dassault Systemes); M. Sielemann and K. Schnepper (DLR); J. Pearce (EUROSTEP); A. Remouchamps (LMS SAMTECH); E.H. Baalbergen (NLR); S. Sachdeva (Rolls-Royce); and D. Graham (SIEMENS).
Citation
Lammen, W., Kupijai, P., Kickenweitz, D. and Laudan, T. (2014), "Integrate engine manufacturer’s knowledge into the preliminary aircraft sizing process", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 86 No. 4, pp. 336-344. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-10-2012-0190
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Authors