A Hypersonic Aircraft Optimization Tool with Strong Aerothermoelastic Coupling

Abstract:

The design and optimization of hypersonic aircraft is severely impacted by the high temperatures encountered during flight as they can lead to high thermal stresses and a significant reduction in material strength and stiffness. This reduction in rigidity of the structure requires innovative structural concepts and a stronger focus on aerothermoelastic deformations in the early design and optimization phase of the design cycle. This imposes the need for a closer coupling of the aerodynamic, thermal and structural design tools than is currently in practice. The paper presents a multi-disciplinary, closely coupled optimization suite that is suitable for preliminary design in the hypersonic regime. The time varying temperature distribution is applied through an equilibrium analysis, and is coupled to the aerodynamics through the Tranair^® solver. An analysis of the effect that the aerothermodynamic coupling has on the sizing of the aircraft is given, along with the effect of skin buckling. It is shown that the coupling of the aerothermodynamics drives the sizing of the structure and therefore must be considered for hypersonic applications.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 846)
• Pages: 494-499
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.846.494
• Online since: July 2016
• Authors: David J. Munk, Gareth A. Vio*, Dries Verstraete
• Keywords: Aerothermodynamics, Design, Finite Element Analysis, Hypersonics, Optimization

References

[1] McNamara, J. J. and Friedmann, P. P., Aeroelastic and Aerothermoleastic Analysis of Hypersonic Vehicles: Current States and Future Trends, AIAA Journal, (2007).

[2] Fidan, B., Mirmirani, M. and Ioannou, P. A., Flight Dynamics and Control of Air Breathing Hypersonic Vehicles: Review and New Directions, 12th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies, AIAA paper 2003-7081, (2003).

DOI: 10.2514/6.2003-7081

[6] Livine, E., Aeroelasticity of Nonconventional Airplane Configurations – Past and Future, Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 40, 2003, pp.1047-1065.

DOI: 10.2514/1.2273

[7] Gnoffo, P. A., Weilmuenster, K. J., Hamilton, H. H., Olynick, D. R. and Venkatapathy, E., Computational Aerothermodynamic Design Issues for Hypersonic Vehicles, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 36, 1999, pp.21-43.

DOI: 10.2514/2.3430

[8] Lamorte, N. and Friedmann, P. P., Hypersonic Aeroelastic and Aerothermoelastic Studies using Computational Fluid Dynamics, AIAA Journal, Vol. 52, 2014, p.2062-(2078).

DOI: 10.2514/1.j053018

[9] Dugundji, J. and Calligeros, J. M., Similarity Laws for Aerothermoelastic Testing, Journal of the Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 29, 1962, pp.935-950.

DOI: 10.2514/8.9663

[10] Reaction Engines, LAPCAT A2, 2012. [Online]. Avaliable: http: /www. reactionengines. co. uk/lapcat. html. [Accessed 12 September 2015].

[13] Verstraete, D., Sharifzadeh, S. and Hendrick P., Definition and Aero-Elastic Optimisation of the Structure of the LAPCAT A2 Mach 6 Airliner, Brisbane, Australia, (2012).

DOI: 10.2514/6.2012-5942

[14] Friedmann, P. P., McNamara, J. J., Thuruthimattam, B. J. and Powell, K. G., Hypersonic Aerothermoelasticity with Application to Reusable Launch Vehicles, 12th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies, AIAA paper 2003-7014, (2003).

DOI: 10.2514/6.2003-7014

[15] McClinton, C. R., X-43-Scramjet Power Breaks the Hypersonic Barrier, Reno, Nevada, (2006).

[16] Cavagna, L., Gaspari, A. D., Ricci, S., Riccobene, L. and Travaglini, L., NEOCASS: An Open Source Environment for the Aeroelastic Analysis at Conceptual Design Level, 28th International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences, Brisbane, Australia, (2012).

DOI: 10.2514/6.2010-8241

[17] Bowcutt, K. G. and Hatakeyama S. J., Challenges, Enabling Technologies and Technology Maturity for Respective Space., AIAA 2nd Responsive Space Conference, AIAA paper 2004-6005, (2004).

[18] Cavagna, L., Structural Sizing, Aeroelastic Analysis, and Optimization in Aircraft Conceptual Design, Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 48, 2011, pp.1840-1855.

DOI: 10.2514/1.c031072

[19] Reynolds, K. W., Aero-Propulsive-Elastic-Modeling in OpenVSP, Intelligent Systems Division, NASA Ames Research Center, (2013).

[20] Morrell, B. J., Munk, D. J., Vio, G. A. and Verstratete D., Development of a Hypersonic Aircraft Design Optimisation Tool, Applied Mechanics and Materials, Vol. 553, 2014, pp.847-852.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.553.847

[21] Snapp, D. K. and Pomeroy R. C., A Geometry System for Aerodynamic Design, St. Louis Missouri, (1987).

[22] Johnson F. T., TranAir: a Full-Potential, Solution Adaptive, Rectangular Grid Code for Predicting Subsonic, Transonic and Supersonic Flow about Arbitrary Configurations: User's Manual, Boeing Military Airplane Company, Seattle, Washington, (1992).

[23] Anderson, J. D., Hypersonic and High-Temperature Gas Dynamics, 2nd ed., Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, (2006).

[24] Collier, C., Yarrington, P., Pickenheim, M. and Bednarcyk, B., An Approach to Preliminary Design and Analysis, 48th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, AIAA paper 2007-2176, (2007).

DOI: 10.2514/6.2007-2176

[25] Varvill, R. and Bond, N., LAPCAT II A2 Vehicle Structure Design Specifications, Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies II, (2008).