10 Years of Joint Research at DLR and TU Braunschweig toward Low-Noise Aircraft Design - What Did we Achieve?

Abstract

This review article is based on an invited keynote presentation at the 22ndWorkshop of the Aero acoustics Specialists Committee of the CEAS. The event was held in September 2018 in Amsterdam with the main focus on the relation between aircraft design and noise impact. This article reviews the last years of joint research activities between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Technical University of Braunschweig (TU BS) in the field of low-noise aircraft design. The joint research was initiated around 2008 between the DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology and the Institute of Aircraft Design and Lightweight Structures at TU BS. Around that time, DLR was developing a first version of an aircraft noise prediction tool. This tool has then consequently been implemented as a module into the aircraft design synthesis code of the TU BS. In 2012, for the first time, a fully automated and fully parametric aircraft design process with integrated noise prediction capabilities was established, i.e., including a full approach and departure flight simulation. The main focus lies on conventional tube-and-wing aircraft with turbofan or turboprop engine concepts. Ever since 2012, the tools have been under constant development and the simulation chain for low-noise aircraft design has been applied to various aircraft concepts. This article is comprised of a description of the tool development from 2008 until early 2018 and a selected application example. Some lessons learned and a brief outlook on future developments and applications conclude this review.