Conceptual Design and Optimization of Distributed Electric Propulsion General Aviation Aircraft

Abstract

The interaction between the slipstream of the propellers and the wing of an aircraft with distributed electric propulsion (DEP) could benefit aerodynamics. A conceptual design and optimization are carried out in order to increase the range of an electric general aviation aircraft without affecting its takeoff and landing velocity in the same fuselage condition. Propellers are modelled using the actuator disk (AD) theory, and the aircraft is modelled using the vortex lattice method (VLM) to obtain DEP aircraft’s aerodynamics in conceptual design. The DIRECT method is used for global optimization. To concentrate on the layout of the propellers and wing, a propeller with the same chord distribution, twist distribution, and number of blades is selected. The design and optimization of DEP aircraft’s range is carried out with the objective of achieving the maximum product of the lift–drag ratio with propeller efficiency under force balance constrains. Additionally, to decrease the takeoff and landing distance, the DEP aircraft’s takeoff and landing performance are optimized with the objective of the smallest velocity at an angle near the tail down angle under the constrains of acceleration bigger than 0 and a Mach number at the tip of blades smaller than 0.7. The CFD simulation was used to confirm the DEP aircraft’s pretty accurate aerodynamics. Compared to the reference aircraft, the improved DEP aircraft with 10 high-lift propellers on the leading edge of the wing and 2 wing-tip propellers may boost cruise performance by 6% while maintaining takeoff and landing velocity. Furthermore, it has been shown that the stall speed of DEP aircraft with smaller wings would rise proportionally when compared to conventional design aircraft, and the power need of DEP aircraft will be increased as a result of the operation of high-lift propellers. The conceptual design and optimal approach suggested in this work has some reference value for the design and research of the fixed-wing DEP general aviation aircraft.