To read this content please select one of the options below:

Fuel system design of the smart UAV considering operational reliability

Changduk Kong (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea)
Myoung‐cheol Kang (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea)
Chang‐ho Lee (Korean Aerospace Research Institute, Daejeon, South Korea)
Dong‐ju Han (Sunaerosys Inc., Choongnam, South Korea)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 1 May 2006

1853

Abstract

Purpose

To set‐up a specific design procedure for the smart unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fuel supply system which has been developed by Korean Aerospace Research Institute, and to design it preliminarily with the fuel system requirement and target reliabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The fuel system layout and fuel tank were determined through consideration of total fuel volume, fuel flow rate, reliability, weight, centre of gravity, etc. In sizing of components such as booster pumps, jet pumps, piping system, vent subsystem, refuelling and defuelling subsystem, engine fuel flow requirement, pressure loss, component failure rate, weight and centre of gravity were considered. Finally, the reliability analysis of the preliminary designed fuel system was carried out.

Findings

According to the reliability analysis and weight estimation results, it was confirmed that the proposed fuel system agreed well with the design specifications and target reliabilities required by the vehicle system.

Research limitations/implications

In current preliminary design phase, the most important consideration is the reliability of the fuel system. Therefore, the weight estimation of the designed fuel system to meet this reliability requirement could not meet partially the system's requirements. In the next design step, the proper fuel system for weight reduction will be performed through an optimization process between weight and reliability.

Originality/value

A specific design procedure components' sizing to meet system requirement target reliability for UAV vertical take‐off/landing was proposed.

Keywords

Citation

Kong, C., Kang, M., Lee, C. and Han, D. (2006), "Fuel system design of the smart UAV considering operational reliability", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 78 No. 3, pp. 204-210. https://doi.org/10.1108/17488840610663666

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles