Modeling Geared Turbofan and Open Rotor Engine Performance for Year-2050 Long-Range and Short-Range Aircraft

Francesco S Mastropierro,Florian Jacob,Joshua Sebastiampillai,Andrew Rolt

doi:10.1115/1.4045077

Francesco S Mastropierro, Florian Jacob + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4045077

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Abstract

Abstract This paper provides design and performance data for two envisaged year-2050 engines: a geared high bypass turbofan for intercontinental missions and a contra-rotating pusher open rotor targeting short to medium range aircraft. It defines component performance and cycle parameters, general arrangements, sizes, and weights. Reduced thrust requirements reflect expected improvements in engine and airframe technologies. Advanced simulation platforms have been developed to model the engines and details of individual components. The engines are optimized and compared with “baseline” year-2000 turbofans and an anticipated year-2025 open rotor to quantify the relative fuel-burn benefits. A preliminary scaling with year-2050 “reference” engines, highlights tradeoffs between reduced specific fuel consumption (SFC) and increased engine weight and diameter. These parameters are converted into mission fuel burn variations using linear and nonlinear trade factors (NLTF). The final turbofan has an optimized design-point bypass ratio (BPR) of 16.8, and a maximum overall pressure ratio (OPR) of 75.4, for a 31.5% TOC thrust reduction and a 46% mission fuel burn reduction per passenger kilometer compared to the respective “baseline” engine–aircraft combination. The open rotor SFC is 9.5% less than the year-2025 open rotor and 39% less than the year-2000 turbofan, while the TOC thrust increases by 8% versus the 2025 open rotor, due to assumed increase in passenger capacity. Combined with airframe improvements, the final open rotor-powered aircraft has a 59% fuel-burn reduction per passenger kilometer relative to its baseline.

Highlights

Civil aviation plays a crucial role in the modern global economy
The final turbofan has an optimized design-point bypass ratio of 16.8, and a maximum overall pressure ratio of 75.4, for a 31.5% TOC thrust reduction and a 46% mission fuel burn reduction per passenger kilometer compared to the respective 'baseline' engine-aircraft combination
Air passenger traffic reached 7.7 trillion revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) in 2017 [1], with average growth rates of more than 4% per annum over the last decade expected to continue for two more decades at least [2, 3]

Summary

Introduction

Civil aviation plays a crucial role in the modern global economy. Air passenger traffic reached 7.7 trillion revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) in 2017 [1], with average growth rates of more than 4% per annum over the last decade expected to continue for two more decades at least [2, 3]. The final turbofan has an optimized design-point bypass ratio of 16.8, and a maximum overall pressure ratio of 75.4, for a 31.5% TOC thrust reduction and a 46% mission fuel burn reduction per passenger kilometer compared to the respective 'baseline' engine-aircraft combination.

Results

Conclusion