An assessment of distributed propulsion: Part B – Advanced propulsion system architectures for blended wing body aircraft configurations

Abstract Studies such as those by NASA predict large performance benefits when integrating Distributed Propulsion (DP) with the Blended Wing Body (BWB) aircraft configuration. This is because the BWB planform geometry is particularly suited to the ingestion of boundary layer air. The present study evaluates the relative benefit of DP through a comparison with an advanced turbofan reference system of the same technology level as in Part A of this two part paper. Fuel savings of 5.3% relative to the reference aircraft have been shown to be achievable, although it was found that the system is particularly sensitive to duct losses.

[1]  P.J. Masson,et al.  Next Generation More-Electric Aircraft: A Potential Application for HTS Superconductors , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[2]  Fredrik Haglind,et al.  Potential of reducing the environmental impact of aviation by using hydrogen Part I: Background, prospects and challenges , 2006, The Aeronautical Journal (1968).

[3]  Rudi Kirner,et al.  An assessment of distributed propulsion: Advanced propulsion system architectures for conventional aircraft configurations , 2015 .

[4]  Mark Drela,et al.  Airframe Design for "Silent Aircraft" , 2007 .

[5]  Jan Roskam,et al.  Airplane Flight Dynamics and Automatic Flight Controls , 2018 .

[6]  James I. Hileman,et al.  Design and operation for ultra low noise take -off , 2007 .

[7]  R. H. Liebeck,et al.  Design of the Blended Wing Body Subsonic Transport , 2002 .

[8]  James L. Felder,et al.  Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concept for Sustainable Aviation: Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion , 2013 .

[9]  D Howe,et al.  Blended wing body airframe mass prediction , 2001 .

[10]  Panagiotis Laskaridis,et al.  Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion System Modelling for Hybrid-Wing- Body Aircraft , 2012 .

[11]  Gerald V. Brown,et al.  Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion in a Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft , 2011 .

[12]  Cesare A. Hall,et al.  Challenges in the silent aircraft engine design , 2007 .

[13]  de Castro,et al.  The longitudinal static stability of tailless aircraft , 2001 .

[14]  Christopher K. Droney,et al.  Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research Phase II: N+4 Advanced Concept Development , 2012 .