State of the art: Advanced modelling was originally available for conventional high bypass ratio engines, electrical power systems, and thermal management systems in isolation.
Identified gaps: When the original state of the art modelling of hybrid propulsion systems is considered, limitations existed in the development and adaptation of models dedicated to specific components for such advanced future engine architectures. Hence the multi-disciplinary effects of a combination of radical components (electrical motors, converters/transformers, cables, energy storage, electrical fans, super-conductivity, cryo-coolers etc.) on integrated solutions had not been considered.
Progress beyond the state of the art: In order to progress from existing modelling capability and to adequately assess performance (in terms of thrust capabilities and block fuel consumption) at a preliminary design stage, reliable and robust models were developed. These models are capable of establishing the design impact of the novel components on the aircraft and propulsion system weight, life, overall mission fuel burn and environmental emissions (CO2) and direct operating costs for the aircraft.
A customised multi-disciplinary design framework with the integrated models was used to create design space maps. It was used to optimise the hybrid propulsion system, establishing the link between the thermal power part and the electrical power part, while assessing the effect of component losses and their dependencies to key design parameters. The framework was then used to undertake mission level performance optimisation of individual components and the integrated system while considering dimensions, weight, drag and engine uninstalled/installed performance.
The integration of model assets like Modelica libraries on gas turbines, electrical power systems, and thermal management including cooling provided significant progress beyond state-of-the art with respect to the modelling of new enabling technologies, more robust models and a more robust integration framework and a broader range of design space exploration and multi-disciplinary optimisation studies.
With the model-based design platform suggested by TRADE, the aircraft sub-system models were interfaced for the first time from their “native modelling language” with full expressivity required to cover this wide domain to a native aircraft conceptual design environment enabling full system level MDO.
Equally important to the development of new or extended component models, the unconventional system analyses within TRADE provided additional cases, on which the engineering predictions were evaluated and improved further.