An Object-oriented Model for Development and Assessment of Green Taxiing Systems

Kurzfassung

A number of systems are currently being researched and developed that allow to move the aircraft on ground without using the main engines. The expected advantages lie in noise and emission reduction in the airport area, in optimization of energy use, and in simplification of driving and ground procedures. A 6-degree-of-freedom dynamic aircraft model with the new ground propulsion technology will be presented in this paper. The model has been realized in the framework of Cleansky SGO WP3.7 ”Smart Operation on Ground” where a prototype of such a propulsion technology is being realized. The model is based on the object-oriented modeling language Modelica and is capable of simulating whole flight missions with particular focus on the ground phases. To this end, special effort has been dedicated in modeling the landing gear components, the tires, and the new propulsion parts with adequate detail. The model is a versatile and useful tool for several steps of the development process. Simulations of taxi phases help in the definition and revision of the performance specifications. Also, the overall benefit of the technology regarding emissions and fuel consumption can be assessed with simulations of whole gate-to-gate flight missions. Finally, the model can be used as virtual aircraft to design automatic control laws of motors, brakes, and steering system and to optimize the overall dynamic behavior of the aircraft on the ground.