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The INDIGO project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, investigates innovativeaircraft configurations aimed at reducing aviation’s environmental footprint. This study focuses on the conc…

The INDIGO project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, investigates innovativeaircraft configurations aimed at reducing aviation’s environmental footprint. This study focuses on the conceptual design of a midrange aircraft featuring Large Aspect-Ratio Wings (LARW) and Distributed Hybrid Electric Propulsion (DHEP), evaluated using a comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) framework. The framework integrates models for aerodynamics, structural weight, powertrain performance, and noise, enabling optimization across competing objectives such as fuel efficiency, local air quality, and noise impact on airport vicinities. Preliminary results demonstrate the potential of LARW-DHEP to significantly reduce emissions and noise, particularly during low-altitude operations where aviation’s environmental impact is most pronounced. This study underscores the role of advanced MDAO techniques and novel propulsion architectures in advancing the sustainability of next-generation aircraft, contributing to global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality in aviation.

This document is a preliminary version for the Deliverable 4.1 within WP4 Models for airport LAQ&N performance and operations. The main objective is to describe the work done in T4.1 Selection of …

This document is a preliminary version for the Deliverable 4.1 within WP4 Models for airport LAQ&N performance and operations. The main objective is to describe the work done in T4.1 Selection of airports and operations scenario. For this purpose, the following points will be explained in the document sections:1.Selection of Use Cases (airports for study)2.Baseline scenarios description including:a.Terrain and meteorological datab.Airport terminal and runway/stands configuration.c.Traffic demand and typed.Procedures (SID/STAR profiles)3.Identification of the applicable regulatory framework of the Use Cases to address emissions and noise from aircraft engines and propagation in the vicinity of the airport.4.LAQ&N key performance indicators (LAQ&N- KPI) applicable to the Use Cases.5.Critical pollutants of LAQ for each Use Case.This work intents to establish an operational environment for the following tasks within WP4 and for WP5 and WP6 in terms of optimization setup and validation.This document will be updated with new inputs from T4.2 for the D4.1 final delivery.

The present document is a deliverable (D3.1) of Work Package 3 “Models and simulations for airframe and propulsion integration” within the EU funded project INDIGO: INtegration and Digital…

The present document is a deliverable (D3.1) of Work Package 3 “Models and simulations for airframe and propulsion integration” within the EU funded project INDIGO: INtegration and Digital demonstration of low-emission aIrcraft technoloGies and airport Operations.Since INDIGO incorporates various coupled multidisciplinary tools, there is a need of having a central dataset encompassing the initial aircraft geometry as well as the most significant results emanating from the diverse analysis tools. The storing of these parameters will facilitate the estimation of mass distribution arising from the design of the airframe, the installation of the engine, and the electric powertrain architecture. Moreover, they will contribute to the establishment of a singular, comprehensive definition of the aircraft structure. To accomplish this objective, it was decided to define both geometry, airframe and propulsive system for the DHEP-LARW concept using a CPACS format.In light of the aforementioned, this document is structured as follows: the first section, after a brief introduction, is dedicated to succinctly describe general concepts utilized across the CPACS data exchange format; subsequently, there is a dedicated section that provides a description of the CPACS structure employed, emphasizing specific parameters which were appended to the current CPACS version.

The present document provides an overview of the content of the D1.1 of Work Package 1 “Aircraft concept generation and requirements for airport LAQN” within the EU funded project INDIGO: …

The present document provides an overview of the content of the D1.1 of Work Package 1 “Aircraft concept generation and requirements for airport LAQN” within the EU funded project INDIGO: INtegration and Digital demonstration of low-emission aIrcraft technoloGies and airport Operations.As results of all tasks of WP1, and, in particular, Task 1.5 “DHEP-LARW aircraft concept generation”, a baseline (called INDI1) featuring INDIGO’s technologies, i.e., LARW (with strut) and DHEP (in particular, the PSH hybrid electric arrangement). Such IND1 configuration is described using the CPACS format.Likewise, the reference aircraft, the CPACS description of the Airbus A320 is also provided. A320 and IND1 share the same Maximum Take-off Weight, the same Maximum Payload, the same reference wing surface.For future references, this document also shares some information on the IND1 which is not directly described within the CPACS format: for such an innovative aircraft no official CPACS description is yet released.

This work presents a study of the aerodynamics of strut-braced Large Aspect Ratio Wings with Distributed Hybrid-Electric Propulsion. It is intended to assess and quantify the ability of lower-fidelity…

This work presents a study of the aerodynamics of strut-braced Large Aspect Ratio Wings with Distributed Hybrid-Electric Propulsion. It is intended to assess and quantify the ability of lower-fidelity methods such as the Vortex-Lattice Method with actuator discs to address the aerodynamic interaction of non-conventional aircraft configurations. The use of the Vortex-Lattice Method is crucial in the context of multi-disciplinary design and optimisation where many different geometrical configurations and their associated aerodynamic performance needs to be considered in a cost-effective manner. The predictions resulting from the low-fidelity study are compared to the corresponding high-fidelity solutions with actuator disk. Discrepancies between the two approaches are addressed in terms of the flow physics of the air moving around the air frame and propellers.

Strut-braced large aspect ratio wings (LARW) with distributed hybrid-electric propulsion (DHEP) show promise in reducing noise and emissions from aircraft, this furthers aviation sustainability a…

Strut-braced large aspect ratio wings (LARW) with distributed hybrid-electric propulsion (DHEP) show promise in reducing noise and emissions from aircraft, this furthers aviation sustainability and improves the quality of life of communities near to airports. However, low-fidelity models used for optimizing these configurations often neglect crucial flow physics, limiting their accuracy. The work presented explores two methods to enhance prediction capabilities: correcting the low-fidelity model using an error-based approach and developing a model solely based on high-fidelity Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations. An error-based model aims to correct outputs from the low-fidelity surrogate, while a pure high-fidelity surrogate is constructed using the same samples. We evaluate both methods by predicting the performance of an untrained configuration within the training space to determine which approach more effectively predicts lift and drag coefficients.

Electrification of aircraft power and propulsion systems is critical for reduction of aircraft emissions (greenhousegases and acoustic noise). The disruptive nature of electrical propulsion systems fo…

Electrification of aircraft power and propulsion systems is critical for reduction of aircraft emissions (greenhousegases and acoustic noise). The disruptive nature of electrical propulsion systems for aircraft, and theassociated lack of legacy electrical power system (EPS) solutions presents as an opportunity for new solutionsto optimize the overall performance of these new aircraft. However, the lack of legacy architecture solutions,combined with the increased power levels of hybrid electric aircraft, is a major challenge to the design of EPSto meet performance requirements (reliability, weight, volume, efficiency). Existing approaches to EPS design for aircraft with electrical propulsion (all or hybrid) assume a starting pointwith a comprehensive set of baseline requirements, sufficient to commence informed EPS design. This paperdirectly addresses the challenge of how to determine these baseline requirements for a new concept aircraftwith minimal initial design criteria, and ensure that architectures developed will meet safety requirements. Thisis achieved by translation of expected certification criteria to failure modes, during the occurrence of which flightmust be maintained. From these, baseline requirements for subsequent EPS designs, including system tradesfor optimized EPS architecture solutions and interfaces with non-electrical power systems, are captured.Through a case study for a concept, low emission distributed, hybrid electric propulsion, long aspect wing ratioaircraft, capture of baseline criteria and subsequent EPS design (including system design trades) and interfacesto associated non-EPS systems design is demonstrated.

The INDIGO project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, explores innovative aircraft configurations to reduce aviation’s environmental impact. This study focuses on the conceptual design …

The INDIGO project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, explores innovative aircraft configurations to reduce aviation’s environmental impact. This study focuses on the conceptual design of a midrange aircraft featuring Large Aspect-Ratio Wings (LARW) and Distributed Hybrid Electric Propulsion (DHEP), assessed using a  comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) framework. The framework integrates models for aerodynamics, structural weight, powertrain performance, and noise, enabling the optimization of objectives such as fuel efficiency, local air quality, and noise impact on airport vicinities. Preliminary results highlight the significant potential of LARW-DHEP to reduce emissions and noise, particularly during low-altitude operations.This work underscores the critical role of MDAO techniques in developing sustainable and efficient next-generation aircraft designs.

The aviation industry is facing an urgent need to address the environmental impact of air traffic. This isunderlined by the Flightpath 2050 agenda of policymakers and the aerospace industry, which has…

The aviation industry is facing an urgent need to address the environmental impact of air traffic. This isunderlined by the Flightpath 2050 agenda of policymakers and the aerospace industry, which has the ambitiousgoals of reducing CO2 emissions by 75 %, NOx emissions by 90 %, and noise emissions by 65 % until 2050compared to typical capabilities of new aircraft in 2000. Various technologies are promising solutions to tacklethese goals; for example, efficient propulsion concepts, such as Distributed Hybrid Electric Propulsion (DHEP),allow the reduction or even elimination of pollutant emissions through full-electrical operation at ground levels (<900 m). Another promising option is the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to reduce chemical emissionsdirectly at the source. This study takes up the potential of DHEP and SAF operation, introducing a designapproach for hybrid electric powertrains of mid-range aircraft based on the 0D in-house tool ASTOR for thethermodynamic cycle performance calculation of gas turbines. It has been adapted for on-design calculationsand extended by a combustion chamber model to enable the determination of combustion emissions of SAFs.Two approaches, 0D-chemical equilibrium (CE) and 0D-chemical reaction network (CRN), were employed tomodel the emissions of the combustion process and integrated into the hybrid electric powertrain model usinglookup tables. The hybrid electric powertrain model represents a propeller-based DHEP architecture, the gasturbine consisting of a compressor and turbine, as well as the combustion chamber. Appropriate boundaryconditions are applied to investigate different propeller-based DHEP concepts. Subsequently, a Design ofExperiments-based (DoE) design process is conducted for the SAF powered gas turbine of the hybrid electricpowertrain for take-off conidtions providing insights into power-specific fuel consumption (PSFC) and chemicalemissions, offering a database enabling new assessments of air pollution at ground level and a pollution drivendesign selection.