The preliminary design of the air-intake system and the nacelle in the small aircraft-engine integration process

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the preliminary design and optimization of the air-intake system and the engine nacelle. The work was conducted as part of an integration process of a turboprop engine in a small aircraft in a tractor configuration. Design/methodology/approach – The preliminary design process was performed using a parametric, interactive design approach. The parametric model of the aircraft was developed using the PARADES™ in-house software. The model assumed a high level of freedom concerning shaping all the components of aircraft important from the point of view of the engine integration. Additionally, the software was used to control the fulfillment of design constraints and to analyze selected geometrical properties. Based on the developed parametric model, the preliminary design was conducted using the interactive design and optimization methodology. Several concepts of the engine integration were investigated in the process. All components of the aircraft propulsion system were designed simultaneously to ensure their compliance with each other. Findings – The concepts of the engine integration were modified according to changes in the design and technological constraints in the preliminary design process. For the most promising configurations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computations were conducted using commercial Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver FLUENT™ (ANSYS). The simulations tested the flow around the nacelle and inside the air-delivery system which consists of the air-intake duct, the foreign-particles separator and the auxiliary ducts delivering air to the cooling and air-conditioning systems. The effect of the working propeller was modeled using the Virtual Blade Model implemented in the FLUENT code. The flow inside the air-intake system was analyzed from the point of view of minimization of pressure losses in the air-intake duct, the quality of air stream delivered to the engine compressor and the effectiveness of the foreign particles separator. Practical implications – Based on results of the CFD analyses, the final concept of the turboprop engine integration has been chosen. Originality/value – The presented results of preliminary design process are valuable to achieve the final goal in the ongoing project.

Ground and in-Fligh Testing of Cooling Efficiency of Turboprop Engine Compartment

“…Aviation Structures and Design Department at Institute of Aviation developed the whole engine installation design, while Aerodynamic Department did the necessary numerical analyses of air circulation in the engine compartment [4,5]. Air flow through the duct was significantly complicated due to complex, three dimensional shape of the designed firewalls and three vents in the upper cowl.…”

Flight Tests of Turboprop Engine with Reverse Air Intake System

“…Aviation Structures and Design Department did structure design work. Aerodynamic Department did computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses of air flow in the inlet duct [6]. Fig.…”

Engine nacelles design – Problems and challenges

“…The main function of the Inlet is to guide airflow into to the engine. The geometry is aerodynamically optimized for cruise condition; however, it must work well in other flight conditions including operation in high angles of attack of the engine axis in relation to airflow, 4 as well as in high cross-wind conditions. The inlet lip skin is furnished with a heating system to allow aircraft operation in icing conditions.…”