Aircraft Design Driven by Climate Change

A methodology for the integration of climate change criteria in preliminary aircraft design is developed. Operational aspects such as route networks and aircraft fleets are represented in global emissions scenarios. Climate metrics similar to the Global Warming Potential used in the Kyoto protocol are integrated in the design loop. Non-CO2 effects such as nitrogen oxides and condensation trails can thus also be taken into account. Variations of cruise altitude, speed and range identify potentials for the reduction of fuel consumption and climate impact. Prioritising either of those two criteria leads to different aircraft configurations. Despite uncertainties in the evaluation of climate impact the methodology provides a basis for future optimization of aircraft for minimum impact on climate.

[1]  Robert Sausen,et al.  Estimates of the Climate Response to Aircraft CO2 and NOx Emissions Scenarios , 2000 .

[2]  John P. Fielding.  Introduction to Aircraft Design: Contents , 1999 .

[3]  K. Atkinson,et al.  AERO2k Global Aviation Emissions Inventories for 2002 and 2025 , 2004 .

[4]  E. Torenbeek,et al.  Synthesis of Subsonic Airplane Design , 1979 .

[5]  F. Désalmand.  Meteorology today : An introduction to weather, Climate, and the environment , 1998 .

[6]  Barry Turner,et al.  United Nations (UN) , 2009 .

[7]  J. E. Green.  Kuchemann's weight model as applied in the first Greener by Design Technology Sub Group Report : a correction, adaptation and commentary , 2006 .

[8]  M. Noguer,et al.  Climate change 2001: The scientific basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , 2002 .

[9]  C. Taylor,et al.  Stern Review: The Economics of Climate Change , 2006 .

[10]  J. Palutikof,et al.  Climate change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Summary for Policymakers. , 2007 .

[11]  Keith P. Shine,et al.  Impact of perturbations to nitrogen oxide emissions from global aviation , 2008 .

[12]  Fredrik Svensson,et al.  Potential of reducing the environmental impact of civil subsonic aviation by using liquid hydrogen , 2005 .

[13]  T. Paine.  Common Sense , 1995 .

[14]  Air Travel – Greener by Design Mitigating the environmental impact of aviation: Opportunities and priorities , 2005, The Aeronautical Journal (1968).

[15]  Regina Egelhofer,et al.  Minimizing Impact on Climate in Aircraft Design , 2007 .

[16]  Randall R. Friedl,et al.  Atmospheric Effects of Subsonic Aircraft: Interim Assessment Report of the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program , 1997 .

[17]  C. Jensen.  Die Atmosphäre der Erde , 1922 .

[18]  S. Baughcum,et al.  Scheduled civil aircraft emission inventories for 1992: Database development and analysis , 1996 .

[19]  Keith P. Shine,et al.  Radiative forcing by persistent contrails and its dependence on cruise altitudes , 2008 .

[20]  J. Fuglestvedt,et al.  Alternatives to the Global Warming Potential for Comparing Climate Impacts of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases , 2005 .

[21]  J. Hansen,et al.  Radiative forcing and climate response , 1997 .

[22]  Céline Badufle,et al.  Conceptual aircraft design: towards multiobjective, robust and uncertain optimisation , 2007 .

[23]  Anu Vedantham,et al.  Aviation and the Global Atmosphere: A Special Report of IPCC Working Groups I and III , 1999 .

[24]  David S. Lee,et al.  Aviation radiative forcing in 2000: an update on IPCC (1999) , 2005 .

[25]  Denis Howe,et al.  Aircraft Conceptual Design Synthesis , 2000 .

[26]  J. Wallace,et al.  Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey , 1977 .

[27]  Tom Otten,et al.  Gegenüberstellung des Emissions-Verbesserungspotentials von Brennkammertechnologien und anderen Weiterentwicklungen am Lufttransportsystem , 2006 .

[28]  Volker Grewe,et al.  AirClim: an efficient tool for climate evaluation of aircraft technology , 2008 .

[29]  J. Palutikof,et al.  Climate change 2007 : impacts, adaptation and vulnerability , 2001 .

[30]  Regina Egelhofer,et al.  On how to consider climate change in aircraft design , 2008 .

[31]  F. Deidewig,et al.  NO x emission indices of subsonic long‐range jet aircraft at cruise altitude: In situ measurements and predictions , 1997 .

[32]  Ilan Kroo,et al.  Aircraft optimization for minimal environmental impact , 2002 .

[33]  M. Saier,et al.  Climate Change, 2007 , 2007 .

[34]  B. Turner.  European Union (EU) , 1999 .

[35]  H. L. Miller,et al.  Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis , 2007 .

[36]  Steven L. Baughcum,et al.  Aircraft Emission Scenarios Projected in Year 2015 for the NASA Technology Concept Aircraft (TCA) High Speed Civil Transport , 1998 .

[37]  R. Sausen,et al.  Response of climate to regional emissions of ozone precursors: sensitivities and warming potentials , 2005 .

[38]  Dimitri N. Mavris,et al.  Architecture Study for the Aviation Environmental Portfolio Management Tool , 2006 .

[39]  Roy L. DeHart.  Fundamentals of aerospace medicine , 1996 .

[40]  Fredrik Svensson,et al.  Reduced environmental impact by lowered cruise altitude for liquid hydrogen-fuelled aircraft , 2004 .

[41]  Alexei G. Sankovski,et al.  Special report on emissions scenarios , 2000 .

[42]  R. Sausen.  Impact of Aircraft Emissions on the Atmosphere. , 1996 .

[43]  J. Farman,et al.  Large losses of total ozone in Antarctica reveal seasonal ClOx/NOx interaction , 1985, Nature.

[44]  Dafyd Ab. High.  The future of flying , 1988 .

[45]  F. Deidewig,et al.  Methods to Assess Aircraft Engine Emissions in Flight , 1996 .

[46]  J. Lamarque,et al.  Multimodel ensemble simulations of present-day and near-future tropospheric ozone , 2006 .

[47]  J. Penner,et al.  Aviation and the Global Atmosphere , 1999 .