A Case Study in Improvements to the Aerodynamic Efficiency of the Boeing 777-300 Empennage
Disciplines
Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics | Aeronautical Vehicles
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Background: In aircraft design considerable weight is placed on aircraft efficiency. The aerodynamic efficiency of an aircraft can increase aircraft range and fuel efficiency while reducing environmental aircraft. A large focus on aircraft efficiency has focused on the aircraft wings, resulting in aircraft tail efficiency less researched than other parts of aircraft efficiency. The Boeing 777-300 is a high-capacity transonic commercial aircraft. The purpose of this case study will demonstrate the impact of geometric changes on a transonic commercial aircraft’s empennage by modifying the geometry of the Boeing 777-300’s empennage and testing how the modifications impacted empennage efficiency. Methods: A baseline model of the Boeing 777-300’s airframe will be reverse engineered from available data on the aircraft. The geometry of the aircraft’s tail will then be modified to create alternative models. The models will then be tested using Computational Flow Dynamics. The results of this analysis will be compared to the baseline model and the percent change in control authority, stability, and efficiency will be calculated. Results: The results will include the modification and its effect in percent change relative to the baseline model. This data will be compiled and presented in order to disseminate the results of the case study. The conclusions of the study will include how and to what degree certain geometric modifications of the aircraft empennage impact the ability and efficiency of the empennage. As such in early stages of airframe design the results can be used to determine to what degree to modify empennage geometry to achieve necessary design specifications.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Mechanical Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Adeel Khalid
A Case Study in Improvements to the Aerodynamic Efficiency of the Boeing 777-300 Empennage
Background: In aircraft design considerable weight is placed on aircraft efficiency. The aerodynamic efficiency of an aircraft can increase aircraft range and fuel efficiency while reducing environmental aircraft. A large focus on aircraft efficiency has focused on the aircraft wings, resulting in aircraft tail efficiency less researched than other parts of aircraft efficiency. The Boeing 777-300 is a high-capacity transonic commercial aircraft. The purpose of this case study will demonstrate the impact of geometric changes on a transonic commercial aircraft’s empennage by modifying the geometry of the Boeing 777-300’s empennage and testing how the modifications impacted empennage efficiency. Methods: A baseline model of the Boeing 777-300’s airframe will be reverse engineered from available data on the aircraft. The geometry of the aircraft’s tail will then be modified to create alternative models. The models will then be tested using Computational Flow Dynamics. The results of this analysis will be compared to the baseline model and the percent change in control authority, stability, and efficiency will be calculated. Results: The results will include the modification and its effect in percent change relative to the baseline model. This data will be compiled and presented in order to disseminate the results of the case study. The conclusions of the study will include how and to what degree certain geometric modifications of the aircraft empennage impact the ability and efficiency of the empennage. As such in early stages of airframe design the results can be used to determine to what degree to modify empennage geometry to achieve necessary design specifications.