Automated Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Architecture Modeling for Conceptual Aircraft Design: A Novel Approach to Integrating System Architecting in MDO

Kurzfassung

The implementation of electric propulsion systems plays a pivotal role in enhancing the sustainability of air transport, offering novel design possibilities, particularly in the initial design phases to leverage the advantages provided by electric power. The electrification or hybridization of aircraft presents a multifaceted design problem. To address this matter, the utilization of architecture optimization techniques are employed as a mean to explore an extensive array of designs. The optimization process necessitates the utilization of flexible and automated modeling techniques for propulsion systems. Furthermore, it is crucial to examine the performance of these systems on a holistic aircraft level to establish reasonable objectives for evaluation. This thesis presents a novel approach for the construction, integration, and evaluation of propulsion architectures in the context of conceptual aircraft design. It aims to integrate the system architecting method, applied to propulsion architecture modeling, into the design optimization process. Utilizing a software toolkit OpenConcept, ADORE and NASA's OpenMDAO, the presented methodology facilitates versatile, autonomous construction and evaluation of propulsion architectures, considering the impact of various architectural decisions on aircraft performance relative to given missions. This study entails an examination of the integration of electric and hybrid electric propulsion into the commuter aircraft, Beechcraft King Air C90GT. This task entails the automated evaluation of five distinct propulsion systems, conventional, turboelectric, all-electric, series, and parallel hybrid systems. The objective is to minimize fuel consumption and the maximum takeoff weight while taking into account various design ranges and battery energy capacities.