Parametric Investigation of a Distributed Propulsion System on a Regional Aircraft

With the mandatory requirement for more efficient aircraft due to both economic and environmental purposes, academy and industry are exploring new aircraft design opportunities including the concepts of hybrid-electric and fully electric vehicles. Within this framework, distributed electric propulsion is a key technology for future aviation, as it allows the installation of a theoretically indefinite number of small motors. The blowing effect induced by the propeller can be used to improve aerodynamic performance, hence, thanks to their reduced size, these small motors could be installed along the whole span covering the whole wing. This paper presents a study devoted to the investigation of the aerodynamic effects of distributed electric propulsion installation on a regional aircraft, computing the aerodynamic coefficients using high-fidelity CFD simulations via the RANS approach. Different propeller diameters and trust levels were analysed in climb and landing conditions, applying periodic boundary conditions on a finite span section of the wing, simulating an infinite rectangular wing. The goal of the current study is to quantify the increase of aerodynamic coefficients with reference to power off condition and report data as a function of the propeller’s characteristics. The objective is to identify and propose a simplified analytical formulation to be used in the phase of preliminary design. The implementation of such a formula in lower-fidelity tools will allow fast and reliable procedures for preliminary conceptual design.