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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ACASIAS (Advanced Concepts for Aero-Structures with Integrated Antennas and Sensors)

Teaser

Summary

The overall objective of ACASIAS is to contribute to the reduction of energy consumption of future aircraft by improving aerodynamic performance and by facilitating the integration of novel efficient propulsion systems such as contra-rotating open rotor (CROR) engines.

Protruding antennas and radomes cause additional drag and turbulence, increasing fuel consumption and CO2 and NOx emissions. Thanks to the ACASIAS project, the drag will be reduced by the conformal and structural integration of antennas.

CROR propulsion systems are a promising concept to reach a resource efficient transport, able to realize up to 25% fuel and CO2 savings but the CROR engines have a main disadvantage: the radiation of annoying multi-harmonic noise leading to high sound pressure levels in the cabin. In the ACASIAS project a lining panel with an integrated Active Structural Acoustic Control (ASAC) system is being developed to reduce the noise levels in the cabin. The availability of this lining panel will facilitate the installation of CROR engines.

In addition, protruding structures, such as blade antennas or radomes can easily be damaged. Through structural integrated antennas, this risk will be reduced, and therefore the ACASIAS project will also contribute to reduction of maintenance costs and will minimise operational delays.

The ACASIAS project focuses on challenges posed by the development of aero- structures with multifunctional capabilities. The following concepts are considered:

A composite stiffened ortho-grid fuselage panel for integrating Ku-band SATCOM antenna tiles
A sandwich lining panel with integrated sensors and wiring for reduction of CROR cabin noise
A smart winglet with integrated VHF notch antenna
A Fibre Metal Laminate GLARE panel with integrated VHF communication slot antenna.

The 36 months action with a project cost of 5.8 Mâ‚¬ brings together 11 partners from 6 countries covering the three main disciplines required: composite structures, advanced antennas and miniaturized sensors in a multidisciplinary project.

Work performed

In WP1 the requirements and system specifications for the four ACASIAS innovative structures have been derived. Structural loads and RF characteristics of antennas as well as expected trade-offs were described in deliverable D1.1. WP1 was concluded after three months and provided input for the other WPs.

In WP2 an orthogrid stiffened fuselage panel with an integrated conformal Ku-band distributed antenna array is being developed. The structural concept of a full scale fuselage panel section has been designed. The cells of the orthogrid can embed Ku-band antenna tiles. In the first phase of the ACASIAS project these tiles have been adapted, and some breadboards were manufactured and tested. Furthermore, thermal solutions for cooling of active electronics have been investigated and evaluated.

WP3 concerns the development of a composite lining sandwich panel with integrated sensors to reduce the CROR noise in the cabin. A structural finite element model was developed with the aim to investigate the modal shapes below 500 Hz. Industrial manufacturing process was specified and the integration of actuators and sensors using inserts was investigated. The number and the type of actuators and sensors was defined. A final routing for the integrated wiring and the final dimensions of the lining and its layup are available.

WP4 concerns the integration of a VHF communication antenna in a composite winglet for an EV55 aircraft. An aerodynamically optimised winglet was developed in which a VHF notch antenna can be integrated that allows the use of lightweight structural CFRP materials. The geometry of the antenna was optimized for a centre frequency of 127 MHz, and adapted to the shape and size of the winglet. For the radiation of the notch antenna a permeable GFRP â€œwindowâ€ is being developed. The winglet itself is covered for protection against lightning strikes.

WP5 proposes to integrate a Very High Frequency (VHF) slot antenna and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna in a GLARE like fuselage panel. A compact VHF slot antenna with a resonator box was designed that requires only slight adaptations of the frames and stiffeners of a GLARE fuselage panel. Several concepts were considered to integrate the GNSS antenna. Furthermore, the electrical interface and lightning protection integration concepts were defined for each antenna.

WP6, the technological assessment of the ACASIAS innovative structures, has already started with CFD simulations to estimate the increase of drag of radomes of Ku-band SATCOM antennas.
The simulations show that these radomes will increase the drag by 0.1% up to 4%, depending on the size of the aircraft and the position of the radome. WP6 activities also concern the identification of structural and electromagnetic parameters for the assessment of the innovative ACASIAS systems.

WP7 concerns the overall management, dissemination and exploitation of ACASIAS. A website, leaflets and newsletters have been released and a workshop has been organised.

Final results

The expected results are:
The integration of Ku-band antenna tiles in the fuselage panel for enabling SATCOM on aircraft (up to TRL 5)
The integration of an Active Structural Acoustic Control system in a fuselage lining panel for reduction of CROR cabin noise with minimal impact on weight (up to TRL5)
The integration of a VHF communication antenna into a composite winglet (up to TRL 4)
The integration of VHF and GNSS antennas in a FML fuselage panel (up to TRL 4).

The progress beyond the state of the art is:
The manufacturing of an orthogrid stiffened fuselage panel with a hybrid skin, consisting of CFRP material with a GFRP window which enables the radiation of electromagnetic waves of the Ku-band antenna array
The integration of Ku-band antenna tiles in the square cells of an orthogrid of the fuselage panel
Technology for the cooling of active electronic components of the Ku-band antenna tiles, and concepts for heat transfer from the tiles to the outer aircraft skin
The integration of actuators, sensors and wiring of an ASAC system into a sandwich lining panel at the interior side of the fuselage
The manufacturing of the sandwich lining panel by applying fast and cost saving concept in an autoclave process
The integration of a VHF notch antenna in a composite light-weight winglet
Innovative manufacturing processes for composite aircraft parts with integrated heating resulting in lightweight but stiff tooling
Use of Glass Fibre laminates for the structural integration of VHF slot antenna and GNSS patch antenna into a GLARE fuselage panel.

The ACASIAS project will contribute to sustainable aircraft with fuel and CO2 savings thanks to the smart fuselage lining panels with integrated ASAC system, which will enable the installation of CROR engines of future aircraft, and thanks to the conformal and structural integration of antennas.