Synergistic Airframe-Propulsion Interactions and Integrations

Abstract

Interactions and Integrations (SnAPII). It is well known that favorable Propulsion Airframe Integration (PAD is not only possible but Mach number dependent-- with the largest (currently utilized) benefit occurring at hypersonic speeds. At the higher speeds the lower surface of the airframe actually serves as an external precompression surface for the inlet flow. At the lower supersonic Mach numbers and for the bulk of the commercial civil transport fleet, the benefits of SnAPII have not been as extensively explored. This is due primarily to the separateness of the design process for airframes and propulsion systems, with only unfavorable interactions addressed. The question 'How to design these two systems in such a way that the airframe needs the propulsion and the propulsion needs the airframe? ' is the fun-damental issue addressed in this paper. Successful solutions to this issue depend on appropriate tech-nology ideas. In order for a technology (idea) to be applicable it must successfully pass through the two filters of technical and technological. The technical filter addresses the questions: Does it violate any fundamen-tal laws?, Does it work as envisioned?, Can it successfully be demonstrated?; whereas, the technological filter addresses the question: Does it make any sense in the real world? This paper first details ten technologies which have yet to make it to commercial products (with