Conceptual Design Phase Research Articles

Digitalizing building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) conceptual design: A framework and an example platform

The design of a Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system involves considering various factors such as geophysical, technical, economic, and environmental aspects throughout its lifecycle. Although many studies have proposed approaches to support the BIPV design process, there is a need for a comprehensive BIPV design framework that integrates climate, BIPV product, regulation, technical, and economic data to create optimal BIPV solutions for individual building projects. This study proposes a solution that provides a comprehensive solution for all BIPV stakeholders including those in the solar power, energy, construction, and regulatory fields. The study examines the process of designing and analyzing BIPV in Australia during the conceptual design phase. The study employs a literature review, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey to investigate the current practices, methods, and workflows employed in BIPV design and analysis in Australia. The objective is to develop a framework that can facilitate this process. The framework includes five segments for simulation and analysis: Analysis of building design and solar performance, Assessment of BIPV system energy output, Evaluation of cost-benefit analysis for BIPV systems, Environmental assessment of BIPV systems, and Optimization of BIPV system designs. An example tool is developed based on the proposed framework and the effectiveness of the framework has been verified through a case study. The findings indicate that the suggested framework has the potential to assist professionals in the building design, construction, and BIPV industry in identifying viable BIPV design alternatives during the initial design phase. The proposed framework can serve as a valuable resource for guiding the design of BIPV projects in Australia, facilitating the development of efficient and cost-effective solutions. This, in turn, has the potential to promote the widespread adoption of BIPV in building projects across the country.

A More Accurate Systems Modelling and Simulation Framework in Design and Optimization of A System During the Conceptual Phase

Modelling and simulation of complex mechanical systems involving multi-simulation environment, with great accuracy is essential as part of the conceptual design phase of a system under design. The co-simulation between system level model with various subsystems based on Model Based Design (MBD) and component level model is a perfect example. These mathematical models have distinct features such as the type of differential equations used to represent its physics, boundary conditions etc. In this study we use MBD methodology to develop a simulation model that can drive product development and optimization of mechanical systems. We also incorporate a 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model as one of its subsystem into the System Level (SL) model architecture. This is done by creating a co-simulation interface between these two different modelling environments and exchange boundary conditions via a specific interface. The interaction between multi-domain models through system simulation together with the detailed fluid flow and thermal analysis of the component through CFD is finally explained. Finally, the dynamic behaviour of the complete system and its temporal and spatial scales is shown to be captured in more detail.

Cognitive Comparison of design methods in the conceptual phase

The initial phases of design, known as the conceptual design phases, are often associated with hand sketching, while parametric tools are reserved for the later, more developed stages of design. This paper examines the potentials of using parametric tools in the early design phases in comparison to widely utilized hand sketching. It is intended to find out the impacts of using parametric tools on the cognitive behaviors and the satisfaction of self-assessment levels of the designers. An experimental study was conducted with a group of graduate architecture students using Grasshopper, the findings of which are analyzed through a content-oriented coding scheme, together with protocol analyses. Significant differences are found between cognitive behaviors of the participants in using hand sketching and Grasshopper. The findings show that all of the participants consider Grasshopper as a useful conceptual design tool that may be utilized in early design phases, in contrast to its wide popularity in the late stages of design.

The European DEMO Helium Cooled Pebble Bed Breeding Blanket: Design Status at the Conclusion of the Pre-Concept Design Phase

Significant design efforts were undertaken during the Pre-Concept Design (PCD) phase of the European DEMO program to optimize the helium cooled pebble bed (HCPB) breeding blanket. A gate review was conducted for the entire European DEMO program at the conclusion of the PCD phase. This article presents a summary of the design evolution and the rationale behind the HCPB breeding blanket concept for the European DEMO. The main performance metrics, including nuclear, thermal hydraulics, thermal mechanical, and tritium permeation behaviors, are reported. These figures demonstrate that the HCPB breeding blanket is a highly effective tritium-breeding and robust driver blanket concept for the European DEMO. In addition, three alternative concepts of interest were explored. Furthermore, this article outlines the upcoming design and R&D activities for the HCPB breeding blanket during the Concept Design phase (2021–2027).

Review of simulation software for cyber-physical production systems with intelligent distributed production control

ABSTRACT Many intelligent distributed production control architectures have been developed for cyber-physical production systems (CPPSs), but the difficulty in predicting performance has hindered acceptance by industry. Performance predictions for systems with conventional control can be made by simulating product flow using discrete-event simulation (DES) software. However, DES is inadequate for capturing the intricacies of intelligent distributed production control architectures. Alternatively, agent-based simulation (ABS) software is more effective for capturing distributed intelligence. A hybrid discrete-event and agent-based simulation tool combines the strengths of both approaches, making it effective for capturing the intertwined physical and cyber layers of a CPPS. In this paper, a review is carried out to determine which off-the-shelf simulation tools are capable of using hybrid discrete-event and agent-based simulation for performance predictions in the conceptual design phase of a CPPS. This review is carried out using the following structured steps. First, the scope and evaluation criteria are identified. Next, a selection of simulation tools is collected. The selected tools are then evaluated and classified. Finally, the most promising simulation tool according to this evaluation – Anylogic – is subjected to a case study to assess if hybrid simulation can be used to predict the performance of a CPPS.

Model‐based Framework for Data and Knowledge‐Driven Systems Architecting Demonstrated on a Hydrogen‐Powered Concept Aircraft

AbstractAircraft development is a protracted process over many years. Novel concept aircraft with new energy sources and disruptive systems technologies are investigated during the aircraft conceptual design phase with the goal to achieve sustainable aviation. Current development cycles need to be accelerated to reduce time to market and development costs of novel aircraft, while still handling complexity and uncertainty of systems technologies. Therefore, a holistic framework for knowledge‐based systems architecting using a model‐based systems engineering approach is presented. This framework has the purpose to conserve and provide knowledge, i.e., information, data, and experiences about existing systems architectures, to the engineer. The developed framework consists of a database concept, a method for model‐based systems architecting, and an interface to the overall systems design software toolGeneSys. Based on evaluating different modeling languages and tools,MathWorks System Composeris selected as most suitable tool for knowledge‐based systems architecting. The developed framework is then demonstrated by conserving and reusing formalized knowledge for the design of a novel hydrogen‐powered concept aircraft. On‐board systems architecture models are saved in a database and automatically recreated reducing development time. The complete graphical representation could not yet be stored in a formalized manner partly reducing the advantage of a clear representation of model‐based systems architecting. However, this did not reduce automatic recreation and evaluation capabilities.

From Requirements to Product: an MBSE Approach for the Digitalization of the Aircraft Design Process

AbstractDuring the aircraft conceptual design phase, many different design options need to be explored and compared in a short time frame. To speed up this process, efforts have been made in the past decades to digitalize parts of the design process, with a focus on the automation of the repetitive and non‐creative tasks inherent to the iterative design process. Whilst many of the newly developed methodologies focus on specific parts of the design process, a holistic model‐based design framework, incorporating the latest design technology developments, is lacking. To fill this gap, this paper presents the latest version of the Design and Engineering Engine (DEE) framework, originally proposed in the early 2000s and progressively matured through the experience of several international research collaborations. The DEE enables the setup and execution of Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) problems for aircraft (sub)systems, leveraging the automated, rule‐based modeling capabilities offered by Knowledge‐Based Engineering (KBE) and recent developments in the automatic formulation and integration of MDAO workflows. While the traditional MDAO process focuses on a given product architecture, the DEE allows also architectural design studies and makes use of Model‐Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) principles to address the whole design process, from requirements modeling up to the automatic verification of the requirements. In practice, the DEE provides a single conceptual framework or template from which specific design framework instances can be formulated and executed, according to the user's needs. This paper describes the DEE architecture and its implementation concepts. Furthermore, it demonstrates the application of the DEE template to four different scenarios, ranging from a simple requirement verification study, up to the simultaneous synthesis and optimization of an aircraft system and its production process, including multiple system architecture options.

EFFECTS OF EMBODIED AND SELF-REFLECTED VIRTUAL REALITY ON ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ DESIGN COGNITION ABOUT NATURE

AbstractThe study presented in this paper investigated the impact of embodied and self-reflected virtual reality (VR) experiences on engineering design students' cognition and perception of nature-relatedness during the early conceptual design phase. Results showed that students who explored the design environment as a bird (embodied) or human (self) avatar were significantly more likely to explore a larger design space indicated by more semantically unique design concepts compared to students without the VR experience. Network graphs of the syntactic connection of design concepts revealed notable differences among the three groups. The bird avatar group showed more connections to nature-related and social concepts, while more technical concepts were central for the human avatar group, and concepts about money were more central to the control group. Finally, students who embodied the bird avatar had a significantly stronger perception of connection to nature compared to the human avatar and control group, with a small to medium effect size. The results suggest that embodied (as a bird) and self-reflected (as a human) VR experiences can enhance engineering students' design thinking and perception of connection to nature.

Parametric investigation of the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a low-boom supersonic airliner

In the present work, a parametric design study in the conceptual design phase of a low-boom supersonic airliner (LBSSA) is presented. The low-boom constraint is of great importance to the near future supersonic airliners, in order for them to be certified for overland operation, but is also usually associated with a penalty in their aerodynamic performance (e.g. increased drag) and subsequently a higher fuel consumption. In this work, a dedicated low-fidelity design tool for the conceptual and early preliminary design of a LBSSA is developed which includes both Class-I and Class-II weight calculations. The design tool is also capable of predicting the aircraft’s aerodynamic performance in both the subsonic and supersonic cruise segments of its mission. The aerodynamic behavior of the LBSSA is then compared against the results obtained from high fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling. Regarding the acoustic behavior of the LBSSA, Carlson’s simplified method is employed, which is based on the equivalent area distribution of the aircraft, in order to provide representative trends and results in the conceptual design phase. Finally, the contribution of the examined design parameters, in the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of the resultant LBSSA is presented and clear trends are indicated.

A Simulation Framework for Aircraft Take-Off Considering Ground Effect Aerodynamics in Conceptual Design

The development of novel aircraft concepts and propulsion technologies requires up-to-date physics-based methods and tools for conceptual aircraft design. In this context, a simulation model for the take-off manoeuvre is proposed in this article, to be employed in the conceptual design phase for aircraft whether of traditional or innovative configuration. The model is capable of evaluating the longitudinal dynamics, both translational and rotational, of the aircraft considered as a rigid body, and influenced by the aerodynamic effects introduced by the presence of the ground. The ground effect, indeed, induces variations in the aerodynamic forces depending on the distance and the attitude of the lifting surfaces from the ground, which may significantly influence the aeromechanical characteristics of the aircraft during the evolution of the take-off manoeuvre. The simulation model is based on the numerical solution of the equations of the dynamics of the rigid aircraft in the longitudinal plane and integrates a vortex lattice aerodynamic solver to evaluate the aerodynamic and aeromechanical characteristics of the aircraft considering the ground effect in each time-step. The proposed approach is configuration independent, as it can model the geometry, evaluate the aerodynamics, and simulate the dynamics of aircraft with any lifting architecture; furthermore, the simulation model is fast and flexible, making it effective for the conceptual phase of aircraft design. The paper proposes the description of the take-off manoeuvre of two aircraft with different airframes: one with a conventional tube-and-wing architecture and one with a box-wing lifting system. The results proposed highlight the potential of the simulation model to detect aeromechanic and dynamic differences during the development of the manoeuvre for different aircraft configurations, and to assess the significance of considering ground effect aerodynamics.

A parametric design approach for multi-lobed hybrid airships

AbstractIn recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the research and development of hybrid airships for various applications. Airship design involves multiple design parameters from various disciplines that interact mutually. Existing design methodologies, however, are often limited to fixed shapes and geometry. This paper provides a comprehensive parametric design approach for the sizing of multi-lobed hybrid air vehicles for low- and high-altitude applications. The proposed design techniques are robust so that the designer has the freedom to change the number of lobes, the relative location of lobes, the envelope profile, and the optimiser for the design optimisation process. The outcomes of the proposed methodology are envelope volume, wetted surface area, length and span of the envelope, sizing and layout of the solar array, and sizing and layout of the fins. The modeling techniques highlighted in this paper are very efficient for the design and optimisation of multi-lobed airships in the conceptual design phase with a large design exploration space. The robustness of the shape generation algorithms is tested on some of the standard envelope profiles of airships. The effect of the shape and geometry of the multi-lobed envelope on added mass is demonstrated through the added mass estimation using Boundary Element Method.

Exploiting the generative design potential to select the best conceptual design of an aerospace component to be produced by additive manufacturing

Since the advent of Industry 4.0, the manufacturing sector has had to face new challenges, which require the development of new skills and innovative tools. This scenario includes innovative production processes such as additive manufacturing (AM), a technology capable of producing a component layer-by-layer directly from the 3D model without needing specific tools during the building phase. Generative design (GD) may represent an opportunity to maximise the potential of AM techniques. GD is based on parametric computer-aided design (CAD) tools capable of generating multiple optimised outputs, among which the designer could select the most promising solution. This paper presents a general methodology for evaluating the GD outputs in the conceptual phase of design to select the best possible solution through a series of criteria at several levels. The evaluation method is deployed in an aerospace field case study. The procedure demonstrates the benefits of synergising GD with AM in the early stages of product development. This indicates that the developed methodology could reduce the number of iterations during the design process, and the result is a decrease in the overall time spent on the project, avoiding problems during the final stages of the design.

A SysML-centric integration framework for helicopter fuel system development

Data and model exchange between SysML (Systems Modeling Language) Modeling tools and other system development tools is a critical aspect of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). This paper introduces an application of the SysML-centric integration framework, which allows integrating multi-disciplinary engineering models into a SysML Modeling environment. A design practice of helicopter fuel system is then presented to illustrate how to combine the external simulation models within the SysML Models to explore the performance and verify corresponding requirements. In this case, FMI (Functional Mock-up Interface) based co-simulation creates a bridge between SysML Modeling tools and simulation tools in the SysML-centric integration framework. According to the practice, we believe it will significantly improve model consistency and traceability to provide early evaluation of concepts during conceptual design phase.

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A MANUAL CENTRIFUGAL CASTING DEVICE PROTOTYPE FOR POST COVID-19 RECOVERY GROWTH OF THE TRADITIONAL GOLD JEWELLERY INDUSTRY IN GHANA

Innovation in equipment and technology development has been identified as a powerful trigger for SMEs resilience and recovery in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. This paper presents the design, fabrication and operationalization of a simple but effective centrifugal casting device prototype, for the traditional gold jewellery industry in Ghana. The design process commenced by the conceptual design phase; detailed design phase followed by the embodiment design stage. The device was constructed using local materials. The device is easy to manufacture, maintain and relatively cheap. It can therefore be easily replicated or fabricated by ‘’wayside’’ welders. It is also easily transportable and can be used for teaching and demonstration purposes for students of tertiary institutions. The merit of this project is its innovative concept and constitutes a fundamental and important contribution to the research and development of new pioneering centrifugal casting machine for the local gold jewellery industry in Ghana.

Design and Analysis of a Mooring System for an Offshore Platform in the Concept Design Phase

Design and Analysis of a Mooring System for an Offshore Platform in the Concept Design Phase

A Design Model for Electric Environmental Control System in Aircraft Conceptual and Preliminary Design

In present decades, the need for a more efficient air transport system is driving towards more electric aircraft subsystems. Electrified subsystems offer the opportunity to optimize the operational performance of systems by reducing the power required by the propulsion system therefore, reducing the fuel burnt. A considerable advantage can be obtained by electrifying the environmental control system which is the most power demanding aircraft subsystem. The paper presents a simplified model to estimate the main performances of the conventional and electrified environmental control system during the aircraft conceptual and preliminary design phases. Different air cycle machine architectures can be designed. The model is divided in two main modules. The first is dedicated to the estimation of the aircraft thermal loads including the effect of solar radiation, the conduction of external air, the presence of passengers and the avionic systems. With the main result of estimating the cabin airflow required to control the temperature and the air quality within the aircraft’s mission profile. The second module of the model designs all major components of the air conditioning pack including the dedicated compressors of the electrified environmental control system. The model requires basic input data that can be easily estimated during the early stages of aircraft design. The model is calibrated using the available data of a conventional system and then applied to the electrified one. The results show the increased efficiency of the electrified system that results from optimizing both pneumatic power generation and the air cycle machine.

Preliminary Aero-Elastic Optimization of a Twin-Aisle Long-Haul Aircraft with Increased Aspect Ratio

This paper presents a preliminary study on the improvement of the fuel efficiency of a civil transport aircraft, focusing on the aero-elastic optimization of an increased aspect ratio wingbox. The wing is stretched, increasing its aspect ratio, and a trade-off between the improved aerodynamic efficiency and the structural mass identifies an optimal aspect ratio for such aircraft. The aeroelastic optimization is performed with NeOPT, a structural optimizer for conceptual and preliminary design phases. The analysis considers different materials and structural solutions for the wingbox and tackles aeroelastic constraints, such as flutter and aileron efficiency, from the preliminary design phases. The fuel consumption of the sized aircraft is evaluated with a simplified approach that provides an indication of the fuel efficiency. The results show how a composite wing with increased aspect ratio can save up to 6.9% of fuel burnt with respect to the baseline aluminum wing. The results are extended at fleet level, achieving a 2-million-ton cut in CO2 emissions and a saving of USD 1.28 million on fuel-related costs.

An Ontology-based Engineering system to support aircraft manufacturing system design

During the conceptual design phase of an aircraft manufacturing system, different industrial scenarios need to be evaluated against performance indicators in a collaborative engineering process. Domain experts’ knowledge and the motivations for decision-making is a crucial asset for enterprises which is challenging to be captured and capitalised. Ontology-based Engineering (OBE) systems emerge as a new generation of Knowledge-based Engineering techniques with advancements of ontology engineering methods and computer science technologies. Ontologies enable to capture both explicit and implicit domain knowledge from historical records and domain experts. These Ontology-based Engineering systems can stand highly complex collaborative design processes involving multidisciplinary stakeholders and various digital tools. This paper proposes a tradespace framework with Ontology-based Engineering features included on top of existing Model-Based System Engineering and interoperability capabilities. These additional Ontology-based Engineering features reuse formalised knowledge via knowledge graph technologies and generative algorithms, changing the cognitive process from the designer, to an automatic process which generates design alternatives for the designer. The tradespace framework is demonstrated in a case study to design the aircraft fuselage orbital joint process, helping the designer to take better strategic decisions at conceptual phase and proving to be an advantageous paradigm for the design process.

Early design validation on the Vacuum Vessel ports sealing interface installation and removal with Virtual Reality in ITER TBM port cells

Port Cell (PC) rooms in the ITER tokamak building host the devices required for the Port Plugs operation and provide connection to services. During Plasma Operation State, the Vacuum Vessel ports sealing interface provides vacuum tightness and first confinement barrier as essential functions. When a Port Plug needs to be replaced or maintained, this significant sealing component must be removed and reinstalled. The general strategy for this operation has been reviewed resulting in modification proposals to address the requirements for static and dynamic confinement and management of radiation considering the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) approach. As Dose Reduction Measures (DRM), additional provisions have been proposed to ensure a robust confinement control during the machine shutdown operation. They mostly consist in an airlock that allows the extension of the first confinement barrier equipped with specific handling equipment to perform human-assisted operations on the sealing flanges. In particular, this paper presents the study carried out in TBM dedicated PC during the conceptual design phase of the maintenance cabin airlock and the handling tools by means of Virtual Reality (VR). VR techniques allow working with virtual prototypes at full scale from the early design stage to ease the design process and the concepts validation with important results concerning the assessments of accessibility issues. The study describes also the outcomes of the VR studies and explains how VR can be an effective instrument to conduct integration studies with complex kinematics and human access operations in the execution of the engineering validation process.

Floodable length analysis of a container vessel using computer aided design

The floodability of a container vessel is investigated to determine the maximum volume of compartments that can be flooded without causing the container vessel to capsize. In this project, Maxsurf modeler was used for the hull design and Maxsurf stability enterprise for the floodable length analysis of a container vessel at several displacements, number of transverse water tight bulkheads and its positions from AP to FP and a constant permeability value for the compartments. Floodable length is the preliminary check on damage survival. It is used at the initial concept design phase because it is faster than a full damage stability analysis, it checks if the vessel has sufficient buoyancy to sustain damage and stop from sinking straight to the bottom. Maxsurf Enterprise marine design software is used to determine the results. The output of the analysis shows a floodable length curve and the curves that represent different displacements, if a displacement line is below the allowable floodable length of a compartment then the vessel will not survive damages but if the line is above the allowable floodable length then the vessel will survive damages. The result also shows that it is easier for the vessel to survive heavily loaded conditions with more compartments.