Conceptual Design Methodology Research Articles

Conceptual design methodology of a box wing aircraft: A novel commercial airliner

In this work, the development of a conceptual design methodology of an innovative aircraft configuration, known as box wing, is presented. A box wing aircraft is based on a continuous-surface nonplanar wing formation with no wing-tips. The A320 medium range conventional cantilever wing aircraft is used as both the reference aircraft and the main competitor of the box wing aircraft. Based on the A320 characteristics and dimensions, a complete aerodynamic analysis of the box wing configuration is made by means of layout design and computational fluid dynamics studies, highlighting the aerodynamic and operating advantages of the box wing configuration compared to the A320 aircraft. The aspect ratio and the Oswald factor of a box wing aircraft differ significantly from the corresponding ones of A320 and provide increased aerodynamic performance. The increased aerodynamic performance leads by consequence, to lower fuel consumption, thus allowing longer range for the same payload or greater payload for the same range, contributing to the efforts for greener environment. In this work, the design methodology begins by estimating the critical initial design parameters, such as aspect ratio, dihedral angle, sweep angle, and taper ratio, which are continuously refined via an iterative process based on a conceptual design study. Various flying scenarios are studied using computational fluid dynamics and analytical calculations, in order to compare the performance of the box wing and the conventional A320, having always the same mission and payload conditions. The conceptual results show that the novel box wing configuration has considerable aerodynamic performance advantages compared to the conventional A320 aircraft.

Tip-jet gyroplane 개념설계 기법 개발 및 사이징

Tip-jet gyroplane 개념설계 기법 개발 및 사이징

Design of reliability critical system using axiomatic design with FMECA

In product design, the initial design stage is being increasingly emphasized because it significantly influences the successive product development and production stages. However, for larger and more complex products, it is very difficult to accurately predict product reliability in the initial design stage. Various design methodologies have been proposed to resolve this issue, but maintaining reliability while exploring design alternatives is yet to be achieved. Therefore, this paper proposes a methodology for conceptual design considering reliability issues that may arise in the successive detailed design stages. The methodology integrates the independency of axiomatic design and the hierarchical structure of failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA), which is a technique widely used to analyze product reliability. We applied the proposed methodology to a liquefied natural gas fuel gas supply system to verify its effectiveness in the reliability improvement of the design process.

Design concept for coal-based polygeneration processes of chemicals and power with the lowest energy consumption for CO2 capture

Single coal based chemicals production processes emit large amount of CO2 during conversion of the syngas to the high H2/CO ratio feed gas for chemicals synthesis. However, the feed gas is with a low CO2 molar fraction, leading to high energy cost for CO2 capture. In this work, we try to reduce energy consumption for CO2 capture by improving its molar fraction. A new methanol and power polygeneration process is designed and analysed based on process modeling and simulation. The hierarchical conceptual design methodology is introduced to design the polygeneration more reasonably. In this process, the shifted syngas exiting from the water gas shift unit first goes into the CO2 capture unit to remove CO2. Then, the purified H2-rich syngas is mixed with the unshifted syngas and fed into the methanol synthesis to produce methanol. Then, unreacted syngas out from the methanol synthesis unit is moderately recycled to use, while the rest is used to generate power. Energy consumption for CO2 capture of the polygeneration process is 0.7 GJ/t-CO2, which is a 40.6% reduction compared to that of the single coal-to-methanol process and a 22.2% reduction to that of coal-to-hydrogen for power generation process. Techno-economic analysis shows that energy saving ratio and primary cost saving ratio are 16.5% and 13.2%, respectively.

Development of a new conceptual design methodology for parallel hybrid aircraft

In this paper, an innovative methodology for the conceptual design of hybrid-powered airplanes is proposed. In particular, this work focuses on parallel hybrid architectures, in which the thermal engine is mechanically coupled to an electric motor, both supplying propulsive power during a limited number of flight phases, e.g. during takeoff and climb. This innovative solution is the subject of several studies being carried out since the current decade. In this paper, a brief overview of the works conducted by other researchers is provided. Then, an overall aircraft design methodology is proposed, which is derived from the most renewed design algorithms. The original contribution of this work is represented by the development of a methodology for the design of hybrid propulsion systems. Moreover, the proposed method is integrated within a global aircraft design methodology. In particular, several effects of the innovative system on the entire aircraft are considered, for instance the variation of the empty mass or the impacts on fuel consumption. The paper ends with some case studies of the proposed design methodology, and a discussion of the obtained results is provided.

Modeling Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Generation and Storage in Planetary Entry System Conceptual Design

For a vehicle to land on a planetary body, it must first shed its kinetic energy, reducing its relative speed from multiple kilometers per second to zero. For planetary bodies with an atmosphere, aerodynamic drag is used to convert the vehicle’s kinetic energy into thermal energy, creating a high-temperature plasma in front of the vehicle. This kinetic energy is generally dissipated during the entry process and not harnessed for later use. This study aims to investigate the suitability of magnetohydrodynamic energy generation for reclaiming vehicle kinetic energy through interaction with the high-temperature entry plasma. A conceptual design methodology for estimating the energy available via magnetohydrodynamic energy generation and mass of the associated electrical energy storage system is presented. This methodology is applied to several potential mission configurations, with results that include the energy available and the performance of various electrical energy storage technologies for each case. Peak power levels of approximately 700 and 900 kW per square meter of generator area are observed for Mars and Earth entry, respectively, with available energy for storage of 60 and 30 MJ per square meter of generator area for Mars and Earth, respectively. In all but one case, this energy is capable of being stored in an electrical energy storage system with mass equal to or less than 25% of the original entry vehicle mass.

Conceptual design and analysis of hybrid airships with renewable energy

An increasing focus on hybrid airships and the developments in renewable energies has allowed a methodology for conceptual design and analysis to be described. After a model presented and its aerodynamic characteristics obtained through a computational fluid dynamics method, two types of hybrid airships, solar powered at high altitudes and hydrogen powered for cargo, are demonstrated using a wing loading as their independent variable. Then the constraints determining the design point are presented. Parametric estimates of two types for component mass are then illustrated on distribution diagrams. And the sensitivity of wing loading and its effects on hybrid airships are discussed.

Impacting Big Data analytics in higher education through Six Sigma techniques

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for utilizing Six Sigma (SS) principles and Big Data analytics at a US public university for the improvement of student success. This research utilizes findings from the Gallup index to identify performance factors of higher education. The goal is to offer a reimagined SS DMAIC methodology that incorporates Big Data principles.Design/methodology/approachThe authors utilize a conceptual research design methodology based upon theory building consisting of discovery, description, explanation of the disciplines of SS and Big Data.FindingsThe authors have found that the interdisciplinary approach to SS and Big Data may be grounded in a framework that reimagines the define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) methodology that incorporates Big Data principles. The authors offer propositions of SS DMAIC to be theory tested in subsequent study and offer the practitioner managing the performance of higher education institutions (HEIs) indicators and examples for managing the student success mission of the organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to conceptual research design with regard to the SS and Big Data interdisciplinary research. For performance management, this study is limited to HEIs and non-FERPA student data. Implications of this study include a detailed framework for conducting SS Big Data projects.Practical implicationsDevising a more effective management approach for higher education needs to be based upon student success and performance indicators that accurately measure and support the higher education mission. A proactive approach should utilize the data rich environment being generated. The individual that is most successful in engaging and managing this effort will have the knowledge and skills that are found in both SS and Big Data.Social implicationsHEIs have historically been significant contributors to the development of meritocracy in democratic societies. Due to a variety of factors, HEIs, especially publicly funded institutions, have been under stress due to a reduction of public funding, resulting in more limited access to the public in which they serve.Originality/valueThis paper examines Big Data and SS in interdisciplinary effort, an important contribution to SS but lacking a conceptual foundation in the literature. Higher education, as an industry, lacks penetration and adoption of continuous improvement efforts, despite being under tremendous cost pressures and ripe for disruption.

Conceptual design methodology for the preliminary study of a mechatronic system: application to wind turbine system

This paper deals with a methodology for the preliminary design of a mechatronic system regarding the vibrational aspects using analytical approach with Modelica/Dymola. In fact, today, the most commonly used approach for modeling the vibrational behavior of a system is the finite element method. This method is effective however; it is very costly in computation time and space memory and not allows analyzing the whole mechatronic system because of the large number of components to be integrated. The main purpose of this work is to create compact analytical models and especially flexible beams in Modelica/Dymola. These elements can be thereafter inserted in a mechatronic system in order to study its vibrational aspects. The proposed approach aimed to highlight the importance of the structure analysis from the early stage of design and how the developed models allow a fast modeling. Our proposed approach is illustrated for the wind turbine system. In order to predict the motion and the deformation of the flexible system, the derived model considers the structural dynamics of the system and includes the dynamic coupling between the subcomponents. Selected simulation results have been presented to validate the model with respect to scientific reference case. The correctness of the results has been also ascertained by a comparison with those obtained by the finite element analysis using ABAQUS and with those obtained by the model based on the Beam component which belongs to the Modelica Flexible Bodies Library.

Multi Objective Knowledgebase Concept Design Methodology of Automotive Space Frame Structures for Crashworthiness by Numerical Methods

Crashworthiness of an automotive can be well-defined as its capability to defend its occupants and other accomplices, like pedestrians and other automobiles, complicated in an incident of impact. The multi objective knowledgebase methodology facilitates the performance oriented design of a crashworthy profile based car body structure with regular cross-sections in its concept design stage.Crashworthy design of a car body is realised by designing its components to absorb sufficient amount of energy in an event of impact, so that the integrity of the passenger compartment is maintained. The multi objectiveknowledgebase aims at pre-defining the targets for the structural performance of these car body components during a crash scenario, and choosing appropriate cross-sectional geometry and materials for these components, matching the targets. In this work, information extracted from FE simulations of full vehicles and profiles with regular cross sections is extensively used for developing this knowledgebase. Due to the performance oriented design concept employed here, the optimisation time required during the detailed design phase can be considerably reduced.

Event‐triggered communication in wide‐area damping control: a limited output feedback‐based approach

A conceptual design methodology is proposed for event-triggered based communication for wide-area damping controller in power systems. The event-triggering mechanism is adopted to reduce the communication burden between the origin of the remote signal and the wide-area damping controller (WADC) location. The remote signal is transmitted to the WADC only when an event-triggering condition based on a predefined system output, is satisfied. The triggering condition is derived from a stability criterion, and is monitored continuously by a separate event-monitoring unit located at the origin of the remote signal. The stability of the resulting closed-loop system is guaranteed via the input-to-state stability technique. The proposed event-triggered WADC is implemented on two typical test power systems – two area four machine and IEEE 39-bus 10-machine. The validation of proposed mechanism is carried out through non-linear simulation studies on MATLAB/Simulink platform. The numerical results show the efficacy of the controller in managing the communication channel usage without compromising the stated system stability objectives.

A formal functional representation methodology for conceptual design of material-flow processing devices

AbstractAlthough there has been considerable computer-aided conceptual design research, most of the proposed approaches are domain specific and can merely achieve conceptual design of energy flows-processing systems. Therefore, this research is devoted to the development of a general (i.e., domain-independent) and knowledge-based methodology that can search in a wide multidisciplinary solution space for suitable solution principles for desired material-flow processing functions without designers' biases toward familiar solution principles. It first proposes an ontology-based approach for representing desired material-flow processing functions in a formal and unambiguous manner. Then a rule-based approach is proposed to represent the functional knowledge of a known solution principle in a general and flexible manner. Thereafter, a simulation-based retrieval approach is developed, which can search for suitable solution principles for desired material-flow processing functions. The proposed approaches have been implemented as a computer-aided conceptual design system for test. The conceptual design of a coin-sorting device demonstrates that our functional representation methodology can make the proposed computer-aided conceptual design system to effectively and precisely retrieve suitable solution principles for a desired material-flow processing function.

Effective practices for the concept design of electromechanical systems

Purpose Concept design practices in engineering are not common across industry or academia. There are a number of well-known tools and methods acknowledged as useful in facilitating concept designing, that is, to assist idea generation, aid evaluation and final selection of one winning concept from many. Combinations of these popular concept design tools and methods provide various systematic methodologies by which practitioners propose to conduct or teach concept designing. In this paper, effective practices and trends are observed through the application of a specific concept design methodology over a range of different projects in electromechanical systems design. Design/methodology/approach The concept design methodology utilised in this study has been developed through the adoption of various tools and methods shown to be beneficial to concept designing, supported by previous positive experiences and successful utilisation associated with electromechanical systems research projects in academia. Each stage of the methodology is discussed and six case studies are presented, which are used to explore effective practices for concept designing. Findings Analysis of the case study data reveals the most popular criteria for the selection of concepts in electromechanical systems design, the number of selection criteria and number of initial concepts ideally required to converge on a final winning concept more efficiently, that is without the need for a more detailed second stage of selection using performance metrics. Originality/value Rarely are detailed studies undertaken in concept design, first, to address the justification for the concept design methodology adopted and, second, to show how effective practices emerge through the analysis of non-subjective data over a number of concept design projects. Although the paper uses only six case studies in electromechanical systems design, it is hoped that the approach presented promotes the possible future development of a framework for verification of concept design methodologies across different products, sectors and user groups.

Multi-disciplinary analysis and optimisation methodology for conceptual design of a box-wing aircraft

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a multi-disciplinary analysis methodology for a box-wing aircraft configuration optimised for a given mission scenario. This conceptual design methodology and associated toolchain combines well-established vortex lattice analysis and a newly developed structural analysis tool called WingMASS, allowing the design space to be explored from a combined aerodynamics and structural design perspective. For a given mission scenario, the method optimises a box-wing configuration and compares it with an equivalent conventional configuration. This study shows that, for a given mission, a box-wing configuration can lead to a fuel burn reduction of up to 5% by optimising aspect ratio, horizontal and vertical wing separation.

The Proposal Concept of Development and Implementation in Strategy of Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility in the Context of the HCS Model 3E

Abstract This article is the result of a conceptual design methodology for the development of a sustainable strategy of sustainable corporate social responsibility (SCSR) in the context of the HCS model 3E formed, as a co-author within the stated grants and dissertation. On the basis of the use of propositional logic, the SCSR procedure is proposed for incorporation into the corporate strategy of sustainable development and the integrated management system (IMS) of the industrial enterprise. The aim of this article is the proposal of the concept of development and implementation strategy of SCSR in the context of the HCS model 3E.

Conceptual design of a hybrid solar MALE UAV

This study presents the conceptual design of a hybrid solar Medium-Altitude-Long-Endurance Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle (MALE UAV) designed to perform surveillance-related missions, such as border patrolling, wildfires monitoring, atmospheric data recording, search and rescue missions and telecommunications. For this purpose, a conceptual design methodology was also developed, focusing on the energy management of the aerial platform. Specifically, the presizing calculations are presented, including the methods for estimating weight, aerodynamic and performance parameters. In order to perform a complete aerodynamic study and accurately estimate the aerodynamic coefficients, theoretical analytical methods were employed, along with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. A refined weight sizing methodology is presented in detail, including a solar power estimation technique, which allows for a balanced selection between fuel amount, panel area and battery size. The conceptualization of the power system, the selection of appropriate solar panels and the sizing of the batteries are also discussed. Finally, the results of the conceptual design procedure are presented and appropriate conclusions are drawn.

Framework of Conceptual Design Methodology for Hybrid Buoyant Aircraft

For economic and "green" transportation, the concept of hybrid buoyant aircraft has recently become a research focus in the aerospace community. In the present work, a methodology is proposed to aid in the conceptual design of such aircraft, powered by internal combustion engines with either liquid hydrogen or gasoline as a fuel. Special emphasis is given to the sequence of procedures to be adopted at the conceptual design level highlighting a step by step methodology for the achievement of system design targets with the help of a design example. The proposed design synthesis methodology has given a base line for further design work on such aircraft at a conceptual level. Moreover, it will assist to provide qualitative as well as quantitative data for other design concepts of such hybrid congurations being considered in the conceptual design phase.

Development of an Augmented Conceptual Design Tool for Aircraft Gas Turbine Combustors

Combustor design is the most unreliable and challenging portion in the design process of a gas turbine. To ensure the proper performance, many experimental tests must be performed on a combustor in the industry. The above mentioned design phase is costly and time consuming. This paper focused on an automated and augmented conceptual design methodology for conventional combustors. The design tool developed for this study employs empirical and semi-empirical models which include two main parts of the combustor, the reference diameter and area as well as the component design. The necessity of this work arose from an urgent need for comprehensive and fast generation data in the conceptual design phase of a combustion chamber. This automated and comprehensive tool, equipped with the capacity to provide many details, has a considerable impact on the reduction of further experimental effort. Also, the said tool is equipped with a geometrical model generation section that has application in the future design phases, e.g., detail design.

オントロジーと徹底した科学的アプローチを用いた概念設計手法

オントロジーと徹底した科学的アプローチを用いた概念設計手法

Background, Ideas, Principles and Directions of Environmental Reforms

Modern environmental regulation in Russia creates more contradictions in legislation and administrative barriers in the industry. In this case the Constitution right to a healthy environment is not provided, the state of environment is not controlled. There were presented a basis for a new environmental regulation and proposed the approach to environmental reform, designed using the methodology of conceptual analysis and design. This approach allows design, create and support the integrity of consistent system of environmental regulation.