Modeling Performance and Emissions from Aircraft in the Aviation Integrated Modelling Project

Abstract

A new computational method has been developed that simulates the performance of a civil aircraft and determines the fuel consumption and emissions throughout the flight trajectory by linking the main aircraft aerodynamic characteristics with a model of engine performance. The performance emission simulation of aircraft operations model responds to the needs of the Aviation Integrated Modelling project by delivering a computationally fast and reliable model able to simulate aircraft performance, fuel use, and emissions. The methodology implies that the airframe aerodynamic characteristics and the performance of the engine are modeled by generic nondimensional relationships and related through the equations of motion. These nondimensional characteristics are sufficient to enable accurate determination of the forces acting on the aircraft, the fuel burn of the engine, and the key parameters that determine the emissions of pollutants such as nitrous oxides. Within this paper, this nondimensional approach is demonstrated and validated using comparisons with flight data from commercial aircraft operations. The results show that the model can accurately simulate civil aircraft performance for a range of f light conditions and operating procedures. In future work with the Aviation Integrated Modelling project, the method will be further developed and applied to investigate novel aircraft technologies, new operating procedures, and the use of alternative fuels.