Medium-Range Aircraft Conceptual Design from a Local Air Quality and Climate Change Viewpoint

Salem, Karim Abu; Palaia, Giuseppe; Quarta, Alessandro A.; Chiarelli, Mario Rosario

doi:10.3390/en16104013

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…On one hand, unconventional airframes may allow the increase of the lift-to-drag ratio and/or the structural efficiency with respect to state-of-the-art [16,17]; on the other hand, the adoption of innovative hybrid powertrains may enable reductions in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions [18][19][20]. Battery-powered aircraft are suitable for regional aircraft [21][22][23], whereas hydrogen-powered aircraft seem more relevant to medium-and long-range aircraft [24,25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Analysis of Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft with Tube-and-Wing and Box-Wing Airframes: A Performance Study

2023

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The continuously expanding transport aviation sector has a significant impact on climate change, and measures must be taken to limit its environmental impact. The study of advanced airframes, which may increase the lift-to-drag ratio and structural efficiency, and the development of innovative high-efficient powertrains, could be a way to achieve air transport decarbonization. This paper explores this broad topic by proposing a classical performance comparison between an aircraft with a traditional tube-and-wing (TW) airframe and a corresponding one with an advanced box-wing (BW) lifting architecture, both equipped with a parallel hybrid-electric powertrain. In fact, the propulsion technologies selected for this comparative study are consistent with the 2035 forecast, and both aircraft concepts are designed to belong to the regional transport category. The comparison between TW and BW is conducted on a conceptual and multi-disciplinary level, offering an analysis of the competitive benefits and limitations in terms of the aerodynamic, structural, and propulsive performance of the two configurations. The metrics selected to make the comparison are related to aircraft performance, such as the structural weight, the block fuel, or the energy required to accomplish the assigned mission. The outcomes obtained highlight the potential of BW airframes coupled with hybrid-electric powertrains to reduce fuel consumption, and hence the related greenhouse gas emissions, because of improvements introduced by this advanced architecture in both the aircraft’s empty weight and energy efficiency.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Analysis of Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft with Tube-and-Wing and Box-Wing Airframes: A Performance Study

2023

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“…The context in which this study is developed is that of regional transport aviation. This sector is selected because the well-known limitations arising from the weight of batteries, even in a future scenario, imply that hybrid-electric propulsion cannot be effectively applied on higher-class aircraft [57,58]. The reference for this area is, serving as an example, the ATR-42 aircraft.…”

Section: Reference Regional Aircraftmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Figures of Merit Selection on Hybrid–Electric Regional Aircraft Design and Performance Analysis

Abu Salem,

Palaia,

Quarta

2023

Energies

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The adoption of hybrid–electric propulsion, allowing us to partially replace fuel with batteries and to reduce aircraft in-flight emissions, represents one of the main investigated solutions to mitigate the aviation climate impact. Despite its environmental potential being appealing for a practical application, two main drawbacks limit the actual implementation of this technology: first, the low gravimetric energy density of the batteries restricts hybrid–electric aircraft payload and range capabilities; second, the production of electricity is currently not entirely based on renewable energy sources, hence a non-direct emissions budget may limit the benefit in terms of overall decarbonization. When designing hybrid–electric aircraft, even projecting its actual entry into service in the next decades, it is necessary to take these limitations into account depending on both the more reliable technological forecasts on the development of electric components and on the estimates of electricity production. A proper analysis of the figure of merits related to the operation of such an aircraft, therefore, becomes crucial in assessing the impact related to its introduction into service. In this context, trade-offs between different performance metrics may be needed to efficiently exploit the environmental benefits of such an advanced concept, while limiting the possible drawbacks coming from its utilisation. This paper provides a performance analysis of hybrid–electric aircraft through an assessment of the relevant figures of merit characterizing its operations. In particular, direct and non-direct emissions, climate impact, ground pollution, operating costs, fuel consumption, weight, and a combination of these figures of merit allow us to define a proper development perimeter in which a possible (future) hybrid–electric aircraft can express its maximum potential towards all the aspects of its utilisation. The trade-off analyses provided in this paper allow us to identify more effective paths for the actual development of hybrid–electric aircraft, highlighting the impact of the selected design variables on the performance metrics, and bringing to light also the possible related limitations.

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“…Specifically, electrical energy (stored in batteries) and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) represent a compelling alternative to the current kerosene [14,15]. Electric-powered aircraft, discussed in detail in [16][17][18], exhibit a main penalizing issue related to the low gravimetric energy density of batteries that introduces large detrimental weight increase; hence, electric or hybrid-electric aircraft may only be designed to reduce fuel consumption and related emissions for short flight distances, for aircraft belonging to commuter up to the regional category [19][20][21], whereas some benefit can be gained with much difficulty if medium-and long-range aircraft are considered [22]. However, to assess the actual emissions of hybrid-electric aircraft, the electricity production methods should be taken into account; specifically, a clear transition towards renewably sourced electricity production is compulsory for an actual general reduction in emissions [20,23,24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary Performance Analysis of Medium-Range Liquid Hydrogen-Powered Box-Wing Aircraft

Palaia,

Abu Salem,

Carrera

2024

Aerospace

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This paper proposes a performance analysis of a medium-range airliner powered by liquid hydrogen (LH2) propulsion. The focus is on operating performance in terms of achievable payload and range. A non-conventional box-wing architecture was selected to maximize operating performance. An optimization-based multidisciplinary design framework was developed to retrofit a baseline medium-range box-wing aircraft by designing and integrating the fuel tanks needed to store the LH2; several solutions were investigated for tank arrangement and layout by means of sensitivity analyses. As a main outcome, a performance analysis of the proposed LH2-powered box-wing aircraft is provided, highlighting the impact of the introduction of this energy carrier (and the integration of the related tank systems) on aircraft operating performance; a comparative study with respect to a competitor LH2-retrofitted tube-and-wing aircraft is also provided, to highlight the main possible operating differences between the two architectures. The findings reveal that the retrofitted box-wing can achieve long-range flights at the cost of a substantially reduced payload, mainly due to the volume limitations imposed by the installation of LH2 tanks, or it can preserve payload capacity at the expense of a significant reduction in range, as the trade-off implies a reduction in on-board LH2 mass. Specifically, the studied box-wing configuration can achieve a range of 7100 km transporting 150 passengers, or shorter ranges of 2300 km transporting 230 passengers. The competitor LH2-retrofitted tube-and-wing aircraft, operating in the same category and compatible with the same airport apron constraints, could achieve a distance of 1500 km transporting 110 passengers.

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Medium-Range Aircraft Conceptual Design from a Local Air Quality and Climate Change Viewpoint

Cited by 6 publications

References 56 publications

Comparative Analysis of Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft with Tube-and-Wing and Box-Wing Airframes: A Performance Study

Comparative Analysis of Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft with Tube-and-Wing and Box-Wing Airframes: A Performance Study

Impact of Figures of Merit Selection on Hybrid–Electric Regional Aircraft Design and Performance Analysis

Preliminary Performance Analysis of Medium-Range Liquid Hydrogen-Powered Box-Wing Aircraft

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