Investigating the green performance limits of a cargo aircraft engine during flight: a thermo-environmental evaluation

ABSTRACT

The environmental impact of flight operations is related to aircraft-engine pairing and various engine efficiency factors. In this paper, the thermo-environmental calculations of a cargo aircraft equipped with a turboprop engine are taken for a given flight path and mission profile. The aircraft’s flight path is outlined with taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent and landing, and missions profile covering a series of velocities and altitudes. Functions (ecological, thermo-environmental, ecologic-based thermo-environmental, and ecologic-environmental) are subject to study as thermo-ecological evaluation criteria. In addition, finite-time exergo-environmental criteria are assessed during the flight path and mission profile. Outcomes show that the exergy efficiency of the cargo aircraft’s engine is found to be in the range of 29–32%, and that it is inversely proportional to power specific fuel consumption. Furthermore, it has been noted that the ecological function is directly proportional to the engine power and the exergy efficiency of the engine. It is recommended that the thermo-ecological criteria should be used for comparison of cargo aircraft equipped with different engines with the same flight route and mission structure or of different cargo aircraft in terms of environmental sensitivity.

KEYWORDS:

• Aircraft
• turboprop
• thermodynamics
• environment
• ecological function

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

NOMENCLATURE

Table

Data availability statement

All data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yasin Şöhret

Yasin Sohret is currently an Associate Professor at Department of Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance of Suleyman Demirel University. He graduated from Mechanical Engineering Department of Eskisehir Osmangazi University in 2010. He received his PhD degree from Aircraft Maintenance Department of Anadolu University in 2017. Dr. Sohret has published numerous books, and papers in prestigious journals. He also serves many high ranked journals as editorial board member or associate editor as well as guest editor. Dr. Sohret mainly studies on gas turbine engine measurements, combustion and fuels, gas turbine performance, propulsion system design and analysis, environmental impact of aviation, and sustainability.

Selcuk Ekici

Selcuk Ekici is an Associate Professor at the Aviation Department of Iğdır University, Turkey. He has authored/co-authored books and book chapters, many journal and conference papers and numerous technical reports. He is an active member of various international scientific organizations and societies and serves as the Associate Editor and Editorial Board member of various prestigious international journals. He has been an active researcher and supervisor. His research areas include thermodynamics, gas turbine engine performance and alternative/renewable energy sources.

Ali Dinc

Ali Dinc was born in 1970. He graduated from the Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Middle East Technical University (METU), Turkey in 1992. He earned his MSc degree in 1995 within the scope of a research project between METU and Tusas Engine Ind. Inc. (TEI). Then, he worked for TEI in different positions of design engineering and department manager levels in the aircraft engine components design area. In this context, he has worked for TEI and also in the design offices of General Electric-USA and ITP-Spain for the development of the T38/J85 engine exhaust module design and A400M/TP400 turboprop engine development projects, respectively. He also worked for aircraft landing gear design and performance simulations. In parallel to his industrial career, he received his Ph.D. degree in 2010 and subsequently worked as Lecturer and later as Associate Professor to support local education. His key competencies are aircraft engine performance and gas turbine cycles, unmanned air vehicle sizing, and performance, optimization, emissions, mechanical design, coding, and testing. He currently works as a faculty member in the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East, Kuwait.