NASA’s SUSAN Electrofan Aircraft: Investigating next-generation aircraft propulsion technologies.

What is it about?

The objective of this study is to investigate the design and performance of the Subsonic Single Aft Engine (SUSAN) Electrofan, a revolutionary hybrid-electric regional jet aircraft being developed by NASA, which, through its electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) system and other advanced technologies, aims to achieve significant reductions in aircraft energy usage and emissions. This aircraft combines an aft fuselage boundary-layer ingesting (BLI) turbofan engine with a novel distributed electric propulsion (DEP) system mounted on its wing. The overarching goal of this research is to assess and quantify how this hybrid electric propulsion system architecture can make aircraft more energy efficient. Presented in this paper is progress toward the development and assessment of a wing-mounted DEP system configuration, which also includes BLI. This work contributes to an ongoing trade space exploration that aims to determine the relative benefits of DEP with and without BLI, compared to a more conventional (non-DEP) aircraft configuration, to assess the potential benefits of these technologies individually. Utilizing advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that account for interactions between aerodynamics and propulsion, these investigations contribute to further understanding the design and integration of advanced propulsion technologies into next-generation commercial aircraft. Findings from this research identified key design features and challenges associated with the proposed design, while also emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach that considers both aerodynamics and propulsion when designing such integrated aircraft systems.

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Photo by Samuel’s Photos on Unsplash

Photo by Samuel’s Photos on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research contributes to ongoing efforts to explore the potential benefits of advanced propulsion technologies such as DEP and BLI, which can enhance aircraft efficiency and hence reduce energy consumption and emissions – key elements in the future of aviation as the industry pushes for greener aircraft solutions.