Special issue devoted to distributed propulsion and hybrid-energy propulsion and power systems

Citation

Singh, R. and Isikveren, A. (2014), "Special issue devoted to distributed propulsion and hybrid-energy propulsion and power systems", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 86 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-08-2014-0134

Special issue devoted to distributed propulsion and hybrid-energy propulsion and power systems

Article Type: Editorial From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 86, Issue 6

Greetings to you, colleagues. It is with pleasure both Prof Riti Singh and I present Vol. 86 No. 6 of the Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology (AEAT) Journal as a special issue devoted to distributed propulsion and hybrid-energy topics. Prof Singh is Professor Emeritus of Gas Turbine Engineering at Cranfield University and serves as one of the members on the AEAT Journal Editorial Advisory Board. It is with enthusiasm we offer this publication to the technical community because Prof Singh and I have a good measure of research interest in distributed propulsion and hybrid-energy propulsion and power systems. Apart from participating in groundbreaking work involving turbo-electric distributed propulsion, e.g. NASA N3-X, in early 2013, Prof Singh was awarded an unprecedented three-year research grant from NASA to investigate novel propulsion systems. As for myself, in my dual role as Head of Visionary Aircraft Concepts Group and Deputy to the Executive Director of Research and Technology at Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V., I have found occasion to engage in research related to distributed propulsion, as well as hybrid-electric propulsion and power systems topics. In fact, I currently serve as Coordinator of the European Commission Framework Programme 7 DisPURSAL Project (Distributed Propulsion and Ultra-high By-pass Rotor Study at Aircraft Level) scheduled to finish in January 2015.

Both Prof Singh and I have collaborated to bring together an international array of 20 high-calibre technical article contributions from authors representing Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. (Germany), Boeing (USA), Central Institute of Aviation Motors (Russia), Cranfield University (UK), Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (USA), Georgia Institute of Technology (USA), NASA (USA), Rolls-Royce (USA), TU Delft (The Netherlands) and the University of Padova (Italy). The nature of each manuscript is to offer a synopsis of research activities, thereby instilling an idea of not only what is work-in-progress but also to provide highly relevant outcomes/conclusions and to give a notion of future prospects when it concerns topics related to distributed propulsion and hybrid-energy propulsion and power systems. It is rather important to note that most of the work presented in this special issue is the by-product of moderate-to-large-scale national and international research programmes where the co-authors have participated as contributors.

Broadly speaking, in this special issue, 20 technical articles have been clustered into five main areas. The first, “Distributed Propulsion”, covers aspects related to airframe-propulsion morphological approaches, options available for power-train solutions, as well as aero-propulsion and aero-airframe considerations. “Multi-fuels Combustion” constitutes the second category where the focus is on combinations of kerosene and non-drop-in fuels like liquefied natural gas, liquid-hydrogen, liquid-methane and propane-butane mixtures. The third category addresses “Advanced Hybrid-Electric Architectures” examining facets of component technologies and sub-system configurations including the selection of appropriate operating parameters and account of failure-modes. Thereafter, “Integrated Hybrid-Electric Concepts” presents the reader with a series of articles that discuss effective frameworks for Multi-disciplinary Design Optimisation analyses together with the presentation of a series of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft design concepts that use parallel (turbo-electric) and serial hybrid-electric propulsion and power systems. The fifth and final category, “Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Operations” reviews the impact advanced hybrid-electric architectures have on low-speed/high-speed aircraft performance, as well as offering coherent methods when flight planning such vehicles. The following technical articles presented in this AEAT Journal special issue have been categorised and sequenced into five main areas:

1. Distributed propulsion:

• Laskaridis, P., Pachidis, V., Pilidis, P., “Opportunities and challenges for distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion”.

• Isyanov, A., Lukovnikov, A., Mirzoyan, A., “Development challenges of distributive propulsion systems for advanced aeroplanes”.

• Seitz, A., Bijewitz, J., Kaiser, S., Wortmann, G., “Conceptual investigation of a propulsive fuselage aircraft layout”.

• Furlan, F., Chiereghin, N., Kipouros, T., Benini, E., Savill, M.,“Computational design of S-duct intakes for distributed propulsion”.

• Reynolds, K., Nguyen, N., Ting, E., Urnes, J., “Wing shaping concepts using distributed propulsion”.

2. Multi-fuels combustion:

• Rao, A.G., Yin, F., van Buijtenen, J.P., “A hybrid engine concept for multi-fuel blended wing body”.

• Ryabov, P., Kalenskiy, S., Khaletskiy, Y., Mirzoyan, A., “Efficiency assessment of HPS for advanced airliners using different fuels”.

3. Advanced hybrid-electric architectures:

• Armstrong, M.J., Ross, C.A.H., “Implications of distribution voltage configuration on TeDP electrical systems”.

• Armstrong, M.J., Ross, C.A.H., “Power and protection considerations for TeDP microgrid systems”.

• Malkin, P., Pagonis, M., “Superconducting electric power systems for hybrid electric aircraft”.

• Freeman, J., Osterkamp, P., Green, M., Gibson, A., Schiltgen, B.,“Challenges and opportunities for electric aircraft thermal management”.

4. Integrated hybrid-electric concepts:

• Isikveren, A.T., Kaiser, S., Pornet, C., Vratny, P.C., “Pre-design strategies and sizing techniques for dual-energy aircraft”.

• Nalianda, D., Singh, R., “Turbo-electric distributed propulsion – opportunities, benefits and challenges”.

• Perullo, C., Mavris, D., “A review of hybrid-electric energy management and its inclusion in vehicle sizing”.

• Kim, H., Felder, J.L., Tong, M.T., Berton, J.J., Haller, W.J.,“Turboelectric distributed propulsion benefits on the N3-X vehicle”.

• Smith, H., “Airframe integration for an LH2 hybrid-electric propulsion system”.

• Pornet, C., Kaiser, S., Isikveren, A.T., Hornung, M., “Integrated fuel-battery hybrid for a narrow-body sized transport aircraft”.

• Zakharchenko, V., Lukovnikov, A., “Comprehensive approach to comparative efficiency evaluation of HPS for helicopters”.

5. Hybrid-electric aircraft operations:

• Schiltgen, B., Green, M., Freeman, J., Gibson, A., “Terminal area operations for hybrid electric distributed propulsion”.

• Pornet, C., Kaiser, S., Gologan, C., “Cost-based flight technique optimization for hybrid energy aircraft”.

A select number of the technical articles listed above have also served as primers for specially invited presentations to be made at the upcoming “Special Conference on Disruptive Green Propulsion Technologies: Beyond the Competitive Horizon” organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) to take place in London, UK, 17-18 November 2014. The focus of the conference is to provide aircraft and propulsion integrators, as well as the wider academic community, an insight into the latest research initiatives and potential emissions reduction benefits of distributed propulsion and turbo-electric disruptive technologies. On behalf of IMechE and as members of the Specialist Advisory Board, Prof Singh, Dr Rubén del Rosario of NASA and myself do hope you have occasion to attend this special event and participate in what will surely prove to be interesting and stimulating discussions about disruptive propulsive technologies.

Expressions of gratitude are conveyed to all authors listed above for their valuable and insightful contributions. In addition, appreciations are forwarded to the reviewers for their emphasis on quality and timely feedback during the peer-review process. A special word of thanks is forwarded to Dr Devaiah Nalianda, Research Fellow, Energy and Power Division, Cranfield University, for most diligent supporting effort when bringing this special issue of the AEAT Journal to fruition.

In closing, on behalf of the Editorial Advisory Board and Editorial Team, it is our express wish you find Vol. 86 No. 6 interesting reading.

About the authors

Askin T. Isikveren works at Visionary Aircraft Concepts, Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V., Munich, Germany

Riti Singh works at Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK