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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS1996

Advanced Configurations for Very Large Subsonic Transport Airplanes

Recent aerospace industry interest in developing a subsonic commercial transport airplane with 50 percent greater passenger capacity than the largest existing aircraft in this category (the Boeing 747-400 with approximately 400-450 seats) has generated a range of proposals based largely on the configuration paradigm established nearly 50 years ago with the Boeing B-47 bomber. While this basic configuration paradigm has come to dominate subsonic commercial airplane development since the advent of the Boeing 707/Douglas DC-8 in the mid-1950's, its extrapolation to the size required to carry more than 600-700 passengers raises several questions. To explore these and a number of related issues, a team of Boeing, university, and NASA engineers was formed under the auspices of the NASA Advanced Concepts Program. The results of a Research Analysis focused on a large, unconventional transport airplane configuration for which Boeing has applied for a patent are the subject of this report. It should be noted here that this study has been conducted independently of the Boeing New Large Airplane (NLA) program, and with the exception of some generic analysis tools which may be common to this effort and the NLA (as will be described later), no explicit Boeing NLA data other than that published in the open literature has been used in the conduct of the study reported here.

McMasters, John H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Advanced subsonic transport propulsion

Examination of future subsonic commercial aircraft propulsion trends begins with a brief review of the current NASA Energy Efficient Engine (E3) Project. Included in this review are the factors that influenced the design of these turbofan engines and the advanced technology incorporated in them to reduce fuel consumption and improve environmental characteristics. In addition, factors such as the continuing spiral in fuel cost, that could influence future aircraft propulsion systems beyond those represented by the E3 engines, are also discussed. Advanced technologies that will address these influencing factors and provide viable future propulsion systems are described. And finally, the potential importance of other propulsion system types, such as geared fans and turboshaft engines, is presented.

Nored, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Multivariate Analysis, Retrieval, and Storage System (MARS). Volume 6: MARS System - A Sample Problem (Gross Weight of Subsonic Transports)

The Mars system is a tool for rapid prediction of aircraft or engine characteristics based on correlation-regression analysis of past designs stored in the data bases. An example of output obtained from the MARS system, which involves derivation of an expression for gross weight of subsonic transport aircraft in terms of nine independent variables is given. The need is illustrated for careful selection of correlation variables and for continual review of the resulting estimation equations. For Vol. 1, see N76-10089.

Hague, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Advanced subsonic transport approach noise: The relative contribution of airframe noise

With current engine technology, airframe noise is a contributing source for large commercial aircraft on approach, but not the major contributor. With the promise of much quieter jet engines with the planned new generation of high-by-pass turbofan engines, airframe noise has become a topic of interest in the advanced subsonic transport research program. The objective of this paper is to assess the contribution of airframe noise relative to the other aircraft noise sources on approach. The assessment will be made for a current technology large commercial transport aircraft and for an envisioned advanced technology aircraft. NASA's Aircraft Noise Prediction Program (ANOPP) will be used to make total aircraft noise predictions for these two aircraft types. Predicted noise levels and areas of noise contours will be used to determine the relative importance of the contributing approach noise sources. The actual set-up decks used to make the ANOPP runs for the two aircraft types are included in appendixes.

Willshire, William L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

On the use of controls for subsonic transport performance improvement: Overview and future directions

Increasing competition among airline manufacturers and operators has highlighted the issue of aircraft efficiency. Fewer aircraft orders have led to an all-out efficiency improvement effort among the manufacturers to maintain if not increase their share of the shrinking number of aircraft sales. Aircraft efficiency is important in airline profitability and is key if fuel prices increase from their current low. In a continuing effort to improve aircraft efficiency and develop an optimal performance technology base, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center developed and flight tested an adaptive performance seeking control system to optimize the quasi-steady-state performance of the F-15 aircraft. The demonstrated technology is equally applicable to transport aircraft although with less improvement. NASA Dryden, in transitioning this technology to transport aircraft, is specifically exploring the feasibility of applying adaptive optimal control techniques to performance optimization of redundant control effectors. A simulation evaluation of a preliminary control law optimizes wing-aileron camber for minimum net aircraft drag. Two submodes are evaluated: one to minimize fuel and the other to maximize velocity. This paper covers the status of performance optimization of the current fleet of subsonic transports. Available integrated controls technologies are reviewed to define approaches using active controls. A candidate control law for adaptive performance optimization is presented along with examples of algorithm operation.

Gilyard, Glenn↗
NASA NTRS1993

Research requirements for a real-time flight measurements and data analysis system for subsonic transport high-lift research

A multiphased research program to obtain detailed flow characteristics on a multielement high-lift flap system is being conducted on the Transport Systems Research Vehicle (B737-100 aircraft) at NASA Langley Research Center. Upcoming flight tests have required the development of a highly capable and flexible flight measurement and data analysis instrumentation system. This instrumentation system will be more comprehensive than any of the systems used on previous high-lift flight experiment at NASA Langley. The system will provide the researcher near-real-time information for decision making needed to modify a flight test in order to further examine unexpected flow conditions. This paper presents the research requirements and instrumentation design concept for an upcoming flight experiment for the subsonic transport high-lift research program. The flight experiment objectives, the measurement requirements, the data acquisition system, and the onboard data analysis and display capabilities are described.

Whitehead, Julia H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Advanced subsonic transport technology.

NASA has undertaken an Advanced Transport Technology Program directed toward defining technology advances that would contribute to a superior subsonic long-haul transport aircraft for conventional takeoff and landing. The aircraft, engine industries, and airlines play substantial parts in the program. Major objectives of the studies include the making of conceptual layouts of new subsonic transport aircraft incorporating projected advances and the identification of the potential benefits and costs of the technology advances. Another goal is the definition of the ground and flight research activities required to bring the advanced technologies to a state of readiness for industry use by the late 1970s.

Braslow, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Assessment of the Performance Potential of Advanced Subsonic Transport Concepts for NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project has matured technologies to enable simultaneous reductions in fuel burn, noise, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions for future subsonic commercial transport aircraft. The fuel burn reduction target was a 50% reduction in block fuel burn (relative to a 2005 best-in-class baseline aircraft), utilizing technologies with an estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4-6 by 2020. Progress towards this fuel burn reduction target was measured through the conceptual design and analysis of advanced subsonic commercial transport concepts spanning vehicle size classes from regional jet (98 passengers) to very large twin aisle size (400 passengers). Both conventional tube-and-wing (T+W) concepts and unconventional (over-wing-nacelle (OWN), hybrid wing body (HWB), mid-fuselage nacelle (MFN)) concepts were developed. A set of propulsion and airframe technologies were defined and integrated onto these advanced concepts which were then sized to meet the baseline mission requirements. Block fuel burn performance was then estimated, resulting in reductions relative to the 2005 best-in-class baseline performance ranging from 39% to 49%. The advanced single-aisle and large twin aisle T+W concepts had reductions of 43% and 41%, respectively, relative to the 737-800 and 777-200LR aircraft. The single-aisle OWN concept and the large twin aisle class HWB concept had reductions of 45% and 47%, respectively. In addition to their estimated fuel burn reduction performance, these unconventional concepts have the potential to provide significant noise reductions due, in part, to engine shielding provided by the airframe. Finally, all of the advanced concepts also have the potential for significant NOx emissions reductions due to the use of advanced combustor technology. Noise and NOx emissions reduction estimates were also generated for these concepts as part of the ERA project.

Nickol, Craig L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The liquid hydrogen option for the subsonic transport - A status report

Studies dealing with the use of liquid hydrogen for fuel in subsonic air transport systems are reviewed. Topics of the studies include the possibility for economical production of hydrogen, the problems associated with the efficient liquefaction of the gas, the development of insulation materials and materials for long-lasting liquid hydrogen fuel tanks, the difficulties related to fueling processes and the installation of liquid hydrogen fuel stations at major air terminals, an assessment of the hazards connected with liquid hydrogen fuels, and the engineering and design problems involved in incorporating liquid hydrogen fuel systems into large subsonic passenger aircraft.

Korycinski, P. F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Optimized aerodynamic design process for subsonic transport wing fitted with winglets

The aerodynamic design of a wind-tunnel model of a wing representative of that of a subsonic jet transport aircraft, fitted with winglets, was performed using two recently developed optimal wing-design computer programs. Both potential flow codes use a vortex lattice representation of the near-field of the aerodynamic surfaces for determination of the required mean camber surfaces for minimum induced drag, and both codes use far-field induced drag minimization procedures to obtain the required spanloads. One code uses a discrete vortex wake model for this far-field drag computation, while the second uses a 2-D advanced panel wake model. Wing camber shapes for the two codes are very similar, but the resulting winglet camber shapes differ widely. Design techniques and considerations for these two wind-tunnel models are detailed, including a description of the necessary modifications of the design geometry to format it for use by a numerically controlled machine for the actual model construction.

Kuhlman, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Vehicle design considerations for active control application to subsonic transport aircraft

The state of the art in active control technology is summarized. How current design criteria and airworthiness regulations might restrict application of this emerging technology to subsonic CTOL transports of the 1980's are discussed. Facets of active control technology considered are: (1) augmentation of relaxed inherent stability; (2) center-of-gravity control; (3) ride quality control; (4) load control; (5) flutter control; (6) envelope limiting, and (7) pilot interface with the control system. A summary and appraisal of the current state of the art, design criteria, and recommended practices, as well as a projection of the risk in applying each of these facets of active control technology is given. A summary of pertinent literature and technical expansions is included.

Hofmann, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Three-dimensional aerodynamic analysis of a subsonic transport high-lift configuration and comparisons with wind-tunnel test results

The sizing and efficiency of an aircraft is largely determined by the performance of its high-lift system. Subsonic civil transports most often use deployable multi-element airfoils to achieve the maximum-lift requirements for landing, as well as the high lift-to-drag ratios for take-off. However, these systems produce very complex flow fields which are not fully understood by the scientific community. In order to compete in today's market place, aircraft manufacturers will have to design better high-lift systems. Therefore, a more thorough understanding of the flows associated with these systems is desired. Flight and wind-tunnel experiments have been conducted on NASA Langley's B737-100 research aircraft to obtain detailed full-scale flow measurements on a multi-element high-lift system at various flight conditions. As part of this effort, computational aerodynamic tools are being used to provide preliminary flow-field information for instrumentation development, and to provide additional insight during the data analysis and interpretation process. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the ability and usefulness of a three-dimensional low-order potential flow solver, PMARC, by comparing computational results with data obtained from 1/8 scale wind-tunnel tests. Overall, correlation of experimental and computational data reveals that the panel method is able to predict reasonably well the pressures of the aircraft's multi-element wing at several spanwise stations. PMARC's versatility and usefulness is also demonstrated by accurately predicting inviscid three-dimensional flow features for several intricate geometrical regions.

Edge, D. Christian↗
NASA NTRS1979

Durability of foam insulation for LH2 fuel tanks of future subsonic transports

Organic foams were tested to determine their suitability for insulating liquid hydrogen tanks of subsonic aircraft. The specimens, including nonreinforced foams and foams with chopped glass reinforcements, flame retardants, and vapor barriers, were scaled to simulate stress conditions in large tanks. The tests were conducted within aluminum tank compartments filled with liquid hydrogen and the boil-off rate was used as the criterion of thermal performance. It was found that while all insulations deteriorated with increased cycles, two nonreinforced polyurethane foams showed no structural deterioration after 4200 thermal cycles (equivalent to 15 years of airline service). It was also found that fiberglass reinforcement and flame retardants impaired thermal performance and reduced useful life of the foams. Vapor barriers enhanced structural integrity without any deterioration in thermal properties.

Sharpe, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Hydrogen for the subsonic transport

Relations between air travel and fuel requirements are examined. Alternate fuels considered in connection with problems related to a diminishing supply of petroleum include synthetic jet fuel, methane, and hydrogen. A cruise flight of a subsonic aircraft on a hydrogen-fueled jet engine was demonstrated in 1957. However, more development work is required to provide a sound engineering base for a complete air transportation system using hydrogen as fuel. Aircraft designs for alternate fuels are discussed, giving attention to hydrogen-related technology already available and new developments which are needed.

Korycinski, P. F.↗