Thermal Analysis of an Integrated Aircraft Model
Mark Bodie, Greg Russell, Kevin A. McCarthy, Eric M. Lucas, Jon Zumberge, Mitch Wolff · 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition · 2010
The INVENT Phase I efforts have focused strongly on the development of high fidelity aircraft modeling and simulation capabilities. As a part of this initiative, AFRL has undertaken the development, integration and demonstration of a mission level tip-to-tail thermal model. The major components of the integrated model include the Air Vehicle System (AVS), the Fuel Thermal Management System, the engine models, and Power Thermal Management System (PTMS). The integrated model is then flown over a complete aircraft flight mission from ground idle thru take-off, climb, cruise, descent, landing and post-flight ground hold. Having established a baseline level of performance for the aircraft PTMS system over the full mission length, the PTMS model is then exercised to investigate some possible design space trades. The trades include varying the engine bleed air demand for an aircycle design as well as comparing the air cycle performance to a representative vapor cycle design. The design trades are an effort to highlight the potential application of the integrated system model. This, first in a series of research investigations, is not constrained to actual hardware components. The components in this system are representative of modern/future aircraft. The motivation is to stimulate additional dialog and discussion as to the benefits of integrated aircraft system analysis with the long term goal of achieving a design system capable of analyzing future energy optimized aircraft.