Aerospace

25 pages, 8391 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Control Surface Freeplay Effects Investigation on Airfoil’s Aero-Elastic Behavior in the Sub-Sonic Regime

by Soheil Jafari, Morteza Feizarefi and Mohsen Majidi Pishkenari

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100115 - 21 Oct 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6070

One of the main limitations of linearity assumptions in airfoil’s aero-elastic problems is the inability to predict the system behavior after starting the instability. In reality, nonlinearities may prevent the amplitudes from going to infinity. This paper presents a methodological approach for predicting [...] Read more.

One of the main limitations of linearity assumptions in airfoil’s aero-elastic problems is the inability to predict the system behavior after starting the instability. In reality, nonlinearities may prevent the amplitudes from going to infinity. This paper presents a methodological approach for predicting airfoil aero-elastic behavior to investigate the control surface freeplay effects on the state responses and the flutter speed. For this purpose, the airfoil structural model is firstly developed while using the Lagrange’s method. The aerodynamic model is then generated by utilizing the Theodorsen approach for lift and moment calculation and Jones approximation with P-method for unstable aerodynamic modelling. After that, the aero-elastic model is developed by combination of structural and aerodynamic models and a numerical integration method is used to extract the time responses in the state space. The flutter analysis has been completed by utilizing the P-method for the system without freeplay and by the time response approach for the system with freeplay. The results that were obtained from simulations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method to predict the aero-elastic behavior and stability condition of a two-dimensional airfoil as well as to estimate the flutter speed with reasonable accuracy and low computational effort. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis of freeplay degree on time response results has been done and the results are discussed in detail. It is also showed that the control surface freeplay decreases the flutter speed. The results of the paper are also validated against publicly available data. Full article

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16 pages, 8882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Various Surface Coatings on De-Icing/Anti-Icing Fluids Aerodynamic and Endurance Time Performances

by Eric Villeneuve, Jean-Denis Brassard and Christophe Volat

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100114 - 9 Oct 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6564

Abstract

The Anti-icing Materials International Laboratory (AMIL) has been testing SAE AMS1424 and AMS1428 ground de-icing/anti-icing fluids for more than 30 years. With the introduction of new surface coatings and their investigation as potential passive ice protection systems, or for hybrid use with other [...] Read more.

The Anti-icing Materials International Laboratory (AMIL) has been testing SAE AMS1424 and AMS1428 ground de-icing/anti-icing fluids for more than 30 years. With the introduction of new surface coatings and their investigation as potential passive ice protection systems, or for hybrid use with other methods, it is important to understand their interaction with the ground de-icing/anti-icing fluids prior to applications on aircraft. In this study, five different surface coatings, both commercially available and under development, have been tested under two current test methods used to qualify the ground de-icing/anti-icing fluids: The Water Spray Endurance Test (WSET) and the Aerodynamic Acceptance Test (AAT). The tests were performed on three existing commercial de-icing/anti-icing fluids. The results have shown that the coatings tested in this study can considerably reduce the endurance time of the fluids and affect their ability to spread and wet the test surface. Superhydrophobic 1 coating also reduced the aerodynamic penalties created by the Ref. Fluid. Surface coatings, no matter their nature, can impact the performances and behaviour of the fluids and should be thoroughly tested before their use in the industry. The conclusions and methodology of this study were used in the development of sections of the SAE AIR6232 Aircraft Surface Coating Interaction with the Aircraft Deicing/Anti-Icing Fluids standard. Full article

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20 pages, 14786 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Additively Manufactured Wind Tunnel Models with Integrated Pressure Taps for Vortex Flow Analysis

by Matteo Moioli, Christopher Reinbold, Kaare Sørensen and Christian Breitsamter

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100113 - 8 Oct 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6055

Abstract

Wind tunnel models are traditionally machined from high-quality metal material; this condition reduces the possibility to test different geometric variations or models as it corresponds to incremental cost. In the last decade, the quality of additive manufacturing techniques has been progressively increasing, while [...] Read more.

Wind tunnel models are traditionally machined from high-quality metal material; this condition reduces the possibility to test different geometric variations or models as it corresponds to incremental cost. In the last decade, the quality of additive manufacturing techniques has been progressively increasing, while the cost has been decreasing. The utilization of 3D-printing techniques suggests the possibility to improve the cost, time, and flexibility of a wind tunnel model production. Possible disadvantages in terms of quality of the model finishing, stiffness, and geometric accuracy are investigated, to understand if the production technique is capable of providing a suitable test device. Additionally, pressure taps for steady surface pressure measurements are integrated during the printing procedure and the production of complex three-dimensional highly swept wings have been selected as targets. Computational fluid dynamics tools are exploited to confirm the experimental results in accordance with the best practice approaches characterizing flow patterns dominated by leading-edge vortices. The fidelity level of the experimental data for scientific research of the described flow fields is investigated. An insight of the most important guidelines and the possible improvements is provided as well as the main features of the approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Analysis of Wind-Tunnel Models and Fluidic Measurements)

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14 pages, 4921 KiB

Open AccessArticle

SPH-FEM Design of Laminated Plies under Bird-Strike Impact

by Yadong Zhou, Youchao Sun and Tianlin Huang

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100112 - 7 Oct 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6669

Abstract

Composite laminates can potentially reduce the weight of aircrafts; however, they are subjected to bird strike hazards in civil aviation. To handle their nonlinear dynamic behaviour, in this study, the impact damage of composite laminates were numerically evaluated and designed by means of [...] Read more.

Composite laminates can potentially reduce the weight of aircrafts; however, they are subjected to bird strike hazards in civil aviation. To handle their nonlinear dynamic behaviour, in this study, the impact damage of composite laminates were numerically evaluated and designed by means of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and the finite element method (FEM) to simulate the interaction between bird projectiles and the laminates. Attention was mainly focused on the different damage modes in various laminates’ plies induced by bird impact on a square laminated plate. A continuum damage mechanics approach was exploited to simulate damage initiation and evolution in composite laminates. Damage maps were computed with respect to different ply angles, i.e., 0°, 45° and −45°. The damage distributions were comparatively investigated, and then the ply design was considered for crashworthiness improvement. The results aim to serve as a design guideline for future prototype-scale bird strike studies of complex laminated structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crashworthiness Design for Aviation Safety)

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21 pages, 73482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphing Wing Droop Nose with Large Deformation: Ground Tests and Lessons Learned

by Srinivas Vasista, Johannes Riemenschneider, Ralf Keimer, Hans Peter Monner, Felix Nolte and Peter Horst

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100111 - 2 Oct 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10043

Abstract

A design for a new high lift system that features a morphing wing leading edge “droop nose” has the potential to generate high lift coefficients whilst mitigating airframe noise emissions. This seamless, continuous, and stepless flexible droop nose potentially offers improvements to stall [...] Read more.

A design for a new high lift system that features a morphing wing leading edge “droop nose” has the potential to generate high lift coefficients whilst mitigating airframe noise emissions. This seamless, continuous, and stepless flexible droop nose potentially offers improvements to stall and compressor requirements for an internally-blown active Coandă trailing edge flap. A full-scale, span-trimmed three-dimensional droop nose was manufactured and ground-tested based on results obtained from new design synthesis tools. A new component of the droop nose is the hybrid fiberglass-elastomeric skin that is tailored in stiffness to meet morphing curvature requirements and spanwise bending resistance. A manufacturing concept of the novel skin was established that led to an adequate manufacturing quality. The skin was driven and supported by two optimized kinematic ribs and conventional actuators and overall shape results show good agreement apart from the region closest to the leading edge. Kinematic trajectory measurements showed that the kinematics met the target trajectories well, with and without the influence of the skin, and it was deemed that the error in curvature is due to a higher than expected skin stiffness in the hybrid layer. Calculated actuator torque levels and strain measurements corroborate this inference. The lessons learned show that means of adjustment post-assembly are needed, and a reduction of torque, energy and a better curvature distribution may be achieved if the skin at the spar junction is allowed to move relative to the main wing. Careful aerodynamic, structural, actuation and manufacturing trade-off studies would be needed to determine the overall performance benefit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aeronautical Systems for Flow Control)

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30 pages, 4254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bowtie Methodology for Risk Analysis of Visual Borescope Inspection during Aircraft Engine Maintenance

by Jonas Aust and Dirk Pons

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100110 - 2 Oct 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 15389

Abstract

Background—The inspection of aircraft parts is critical, as a defective part has many potentially adverse consequences. Faulty parts can initiate a system failure on an aircraft, which can lead to aircraft mishap if not well managed and has the potential to cause fatalities [...] Read more.

Background—The inspection of aircraft parts is critical, as a defective part has many potentially adverse consequences. Faulty parts can initiate a system failure on an aircraft, which can lead to aircraft mishap if not well managed and has the potential to cause fatalities and serious injuries of passengers and crew. Hence, there is value in better understanding the risks in visual inspection during aircraft maintenance. Purpose—This paper identifies the risks inherent in visual inspection tasks during aircraft engine maintenance and how it differs from aircraft operations. Method—A Bowtie analysis was performed, and potential hazards, threats, consequences, and barriers were identified based on semi-structured interviews with industry experts and researchers’ insights gained by observation of the inspection activities. Findings—The Bowtie diagram for visual inspection in engine maintenance identifies new consequences in the maintenance context. It provides a new understanding of the importance of certain controls in the workflow. Originality—This work adapts the Bowtie analysis to provide a risk assessment of the borescope inspection activity on aircraft maintenance tasks, which was otherwise not shown in the literature. The consequences for maintenance are also different compared to flight operations, in the way operational economics are included. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Civil and Military Airworthiness: Recent Developments and Challenges)

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30 pages, 10203 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preliminary Design and System Considerations for an Active Hybrid Laminar Flow Control System

by G. Kalarikovilagam Srinivasan and Oliver Bertram

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100109 - 1 Oct 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8411

Abstract

Hybrid laminar flow control or HLFC design is a complex and multi-disciplinary process, which demands a thorough understanding of all aspects from a global systems viewpoint. The objective of the paper is to present a preliminary design of important components of an HLFC [...] Read more.

Hybrid laminar flow control or HLFC design is a complex and multi-disciplinary process, which demands a thorough understanding of all aspects from a global systems viewpoint. The objective of the paper is to present a preliminary design of important components of an HLFC system that helps in quick assessment of conceptual system architectures. This is important to evaluate feasibility, system performance, and overall aircraft benefits at early stages of system development. This paper also discusses the various important system requirements and issues concerning the design of active HLFC systems, and the interfaces between various disciplines are presented. It can be emphasized from the study that the future compressor design for the HLFC system should consider the thermal management aspects and additional mass flow requirements from the aerodynamics-structure design optimization and also from water drain system solutions. A method to calculate the accumulated water content inside the plenum chambers is presented, and the effect of a drain hole on the power consumption is studied. A low order thermal management study of the HLFC compressor motor shows a high temperature rise in the windings for very high speed motors for long duration operation and calls for effective cooling solutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aeronautical Systems for Flow Control)

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38 pages, 11238 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design, Implementation, and Operation of a Small Satellite Mission to Explore the Space Weather Effects in LEO

by Isai Fajardo, Aleksander A. Lidtke, Sidi Ahmed Bendoukha, Jesus Gonzalez-Llorente, Rafael Rodríguez, Rigoberto Morales, Dmytro Faizullin, Misuzu Matsuoka, Naoya Urakami, Ryo Kawauchi, Masayuki Miyazaki, Naofumi Yamagata, Ken Hatanaka, Farhan Abdullah, Juan J. Rojas, Mohamed Elhady Keshk, Kiruki Cosmas, Tuguldur Ulambayar, Premkumar Saganti, Doug Holland, Tsvetan Dachev, Sean Tuttle, Roger Dudziak and Kei-ichi Okuyama Show full author list Hide full author list

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100108 - 27 Sep 2019

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 12077

Abstract

Ten-Koh is a 23.5 kg, low-cost satellite developed to conduct space environment effects research in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Ten-Koh was developed primarily by students of the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) and launched on 29 October 2018 on-board HII-A rocket F40, as a [...] Read more.

Ten-Koh is a 23.5 kg, low-cost satellite developed to conduct space environment effects research in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Ten-Koh was developed primarily by students of the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) and launched on 29 October 2018 on-board HII-A rocket F40, as a piggyback payload of JAXA’s Greenhouse gas Observing Satellite (GOSAT-2). The satellite carries a double Langmuir probe, CMOS-based particle detectors and a Liulin spectrometer as main payloads. This paper reviews the design of the mission, specifies the exact hardware used, and outlines the implementation and operation phases of the project. This work is intended as a reference that other aspiring satellite developers may use to increase their chances of success. Such a reference is expected to be particularly useful to other university teams, which will likely face the same challenges as the Ten-Koh team at Kyutech. Various on-orbit failures of the satellite are also discussed here in order to help avoid them in future small spacecraft. Applicability of small satellites to conduct space-weather research is also illustrated on the Ten-Koh example, which carried out simultaneous measurements with JAXA’s ARASE satellite. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Space Mission Analysis and Design for Space Sciences, Earth Observation, Global Change, Space Weather)

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22 pages, 5091 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conceptual Design and Performance Optimization of a Tip Device for a Regional Turboprop Aircraft

by Ilias Lappas and Akira Ikenaga

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100107 - 27 Sep 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 8910

Abstract

An increasing number of aircraft is equipped with wing tip devices, which either are installed by the aircraft manufacturer at the production line or are retrofitted after the delivery of the aircraft to its operator. The installation of wing tip devices has not [...] Read more.

An increasing number of aircraft is equipped with wing tip devices, which either are installed by the aircraft manufacturer at the production line or are retrofitted after the delivery of the aircraft to its operator. The installation of wing tip devices has not been a popular choice for regional turboprop aircraft, and the novelty of the current study is to investigate the feasibility of retrofitting the British Aerospace (BAe) Jetstream 31 with an appropriate wing tip device (or winglet) to increase its cruise range performance, taking also into account the aerodynamic and structural impact of the implementation. An aircraft model has been developed, and the simulated optimal winglet design achieved a 2.38% increase of the maximum range by reducing the total drag by 1.19% at a mass penalty of 3.25%, as compared with the baseline aircraft configuration. Other designs were found to be more effective in reducing the total drag, but the structural reinforcement required for their implementation outweighed the achieved performance improvements. Since successful winglet retrofit programs for typical short to medium-range narrow-body aircraft report even more than 3% of block fuel improvements, undertaking the project of installing an optimal winglet design to the BAe Jetstream 31 should also consider a direct operating cost (DOC) assessment on top of the aerodynamic and structural aspects of the retrofit. Full article

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12 pages, 3769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In-Situ Testing of a Multi-Band Software-Defined Radio Platform in a Mixed-Field Irradiation Environment

by Jan Budroweit, Steffen Mueller, Mattis Jaksch, Rubén Garcia Alía, Andrea Coronetti and Alexander Koelpin

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100106 - 24 Sep 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5521

Abstract

This paper presents an in-situ test concept for a multi-band software-defined radio (SDR) platform in a mixed-field radiation environment. Special focus is given to the complex automated test setup with respect to the requirements of the irradiation facility. Additionally, selected test results of [...] Read more.

This paper presents an in-situ test concept for a multi-band software-defined radio (SDR) platform in a mixed-field radiation environment. Special focus is given to the complex automated test setup with respect to the requirements of the irradiation facility. Additionally, selected test results of a system-level evaluation are presented and discussed. For the verification of the mixed-field radiation environment, the software-defined radio (SDR) was also tested under proton irradiation. The cross-sections for the observed single event effects are compared and show similar results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Single Event Effect Prediction in Avionics)

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34 pages, 10211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Model-Based Fault Detection and Diagnosis for Spacecraft with an Application for the SONATE Triple Cube Nano-Satellite

by Kirill Djebko, Frank Puppe and Hakan Kayal

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100105 - 24 Sep 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6014

Abstract

The correct behavior of spacecraft components is the foundation of unhindered mission operation. However, no technical system is free of wear and degradation. A malfunction of one single component might significantly alter the behavior of the whole spacecraft and may even lead to [...] Read more.

The correct behavior of spacecraft components is the foundation of unhindered mission operation. However, no technical system is free of wear and degradation. A malfunction of one single component might significantly alter the behavior of the whole spacecraft and may even lead to a complete mission failure. Therefore, abnormal component behavior must be detected early in order to be able to perform counter measures. A dedicated fault detection system can be employed, as opposed to classical health monitoring, performed by human operators, to decrease the response time to a malfunction. In this paper, we present a generic model-based diagnosis system, which detects faults by analyzing the spacecraft’s housekeeping data. The observed behavior of the spacecraft components, given by the housekeeping data is compared to their expected behavior, obtained through simulation. Each discrepancy between the observed and the expected behavior of a component generates a so-called symptom. Given the symptoms, the diagnoses are derived by computing sets of components whose malfunction might cause the observed discrepancies. We demonstrate the applicability of the diagnosis system by using modified housekeeping data of the qualification model of an actual spacecraft and outline the advantages and drawbacks of our approach. Full article

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19 pages, 5966 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aeroelastic Assessments and Functional Hazard Analysis of a Regional Aircraft Equipped with Morphing Winglets

by Maria Chiara Noviello, Ignazio Dimino, Antonio Concilio, Francesco Amoroso and Rosario Pecora

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100104 - 20 Sep 2019

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6627

Abstract

The application of morphing wing devices can bring several benefits in terms of aircraft performance, as the current literature shows. Within the scope of Clean Sky 2 AirGreen 2 European project, the authors provided a safety-driven design of an adaptive winglet, through the [...] Read more.

The application of morphing wing devices can bring several benefits in terms of aircraft performance, as the current literature shows. Within the scope of Clean Sky 2 AirGreen 2 European project, the authors provided a safety-driven design of an adaptive winglet, through the examination of potential hazards resulting from operational faults, such as actuation chain jamming or links structural fails. The main goal of this study was to verify whether the morphing winglet systems could comply with the standard civil flight safety regulations and airworthiness requirements (EASA CS25). Systems functions were firstly performed from a quality point of view at both aircraft and subsystem levels to detect potential design, crew and maintenance faults, as well as risks due to the external environment. The severity of the hazard effects was thus identified and then sorted in specific classes, representative of the maximum acceptable probability of occurrence for a single event, in association with safety design objectives. Fault trees were finally developed to assess the compliance of the system structures to the quantitative safety requirements deriving from the Fault and Hazard Analyses (FHAs). The same failure scenarios studied through FHAs have been simulated in flutter analyses performed to verify the aeroelastic effects due to the loss of the actuators or structural links at aircraft level. Obtained results were used to suggest a design solution to be implemented in the next loop of design of the morphing winglet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptive/Smart Structures and Multifunctional Materials in Aerospace)

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20 pages, 5735 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Queue-Based Modeling of the Aircraft Arrival Process at a Single Airport

by Eri Itoh and Mihaela Mitici

Aerospace 2019, 6(10), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6100103 - 20 Sep 2019

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 12231

Abstract

This paper proposes data-driven queuing models and solutions to reduce arrival time delays originating from aircraft arrival processing bottlenecks at Tokyo International Airport. A data-driven analysis was conducted using two years of radar tracks and flight plans from 2016 and 2017. This analysis [...] Read more.

This paper proposes data-driven queuing models and solutions to reduce arrival time delays originating from aircraft arrival processing bottlenecks at Tokyo International Airport. A data-driven analysis was conducted using two years of radar tracks and flight plans from 2016 and 2017. This analysis helps not only to understand the bottlenecks and operational strategies of air traffic controllers, but also to develop mathematical models to predict arrival delays resulting from increased, future aircraft traffic. The queue-based modeling approach suggests that one potential solution is to expand the realization of time-based operations, efficiently shifting from traffic flow control to time-based arrival management. Furthermore, the proposed approach estimates the most effective range of transition points, which is a key requirement for designing extended arrival management systems while offering automation support to air traffic controllers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Air Transportation—Operations and Management)

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Aerospace, Volume 6, Issue 10 (October 2019) – 13 articles

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