{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":90010,"title":"Continued Development of Environmentally Conscious \"ECO\" Transport Aircraft Concepts as Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion Research Platforms","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10556,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10547,"level":3,"code":"TX01.3.9","title":"Hybrid Electric Systems","definition":"Hybrid electric systems use a turbine driven generator combined with electrical energy storage as the power source.","exampleTechnologies":"Series/parallel partial hybrid","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":2,"currentTrl":3,"endTrl":3,"benefits":"This work will facilitate the conceptual design of hybrid/all-electric propulsion systems from transformational thin-haul to transport air vehicles. This application comes from the improvement in fidelity and integration of TeDP and HEDP power and propulsion systems into a moderate- to high- fidelity ECO reference vehicles sized using PANTHER with power systems from Rolls Royce and aero-propulsive knowledge from Helden. This work benefits multiple NRA projects, and other direct NASA projects like RVLT, AATT and TACP. Several nuances native to the turbo-electric or hybrid electric distributed propulsion are electric component weight and structure, power transmission networks, and thermal management systems. These new design hurdles have not been addressed in previous methods or efforts, but play a significant role in determining the feasibility of these aircraft, as one of the major benefits to a decoupled energy management system using distributed propulsion is the freedom in placing the propulsors virtually anywhere. With a potential decision by NASA to determine if these types of vehicles are feasible in the next few years, the results of this ECO effort will equip NASA with opportunities for independent technology assessment and comparison, system integration and challenges, potential partnership funding paths, and potential component or system commercialization opportunities to support \"vision vehicle\" configurations for internal NASA studies and public relations.
ESAero will use this work to guide aerospace primes toward the identification of feasible hybrid-electric architectures and support power system manufacturers interested in how their technology affects hybrid/all-electric designs. A robust PANTHER tool and high confidence vehicles will be available to advance the art and understand tradable system architecture parameters for future hybrid pursuits. Electric air vehicle design services for Aerospace companies (especially primes) are only becoming of greater demand. This has been shown by ESAero with other government entities and industry including Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics, Electricore, automotive manufacturers, etc. While these efforts have been specific to electric- or hybrid-electric distributed propulsion type of aircraft, limitless integration opportunities to support quick iteration conceptual design with little incoming knowledge of the system provides a relatively new service and capability. There is potential and interest to sell and/or otherwise make the resultant ECO configurations and PANTHER open source to industry partners to advance the technologies necessary. Having been told that ESAero is one of the only groups looking at tube-and-wing distributed propulsion and rotorcraft at this level for more conventional machines, there is limited competition, as the major airframers and universities are looking at hybrid, blended wing bodies and larger systems.","description":"ESAero's vast TeDP and HEDP-specific experience, Helden Aerospace's distributed propulsion airframe integration effects & CFD analysis experience, and Rolls-Royce's propulsion and power, thermal management, and fault tolerant microgrid systems design experience will be leveraged to develop the ECO-150 and ECO-80 concepts as Vision Vehicles which can become research platforms to investigate the potential merits of novel technologies and stand as well-defined and reputable reference vehicle benchmarks. The ECO concepts will represent rational approaches to incorporating multiple NASA technologies in a synergistic manner for the 2030-2040 timeframe, including distributed energy management, embedded fan split-wing configuration for powered lift and improved aerodynamic efficiency and structural rigidity, ducted radiator cooling systems, hybrid power supplementation, and tail reduction via propulsive aircraft control. Complete design iterations of the ECO-150 and ECO-80 concepts will incorporate lessons learned relating to the following objectives and cross-check them with the existing vehicle design, competing discipline requirements, and detailed component integration: (1) Advance the TeDP system design through non-superconducting, high power microgrid design and detailed motor/generator sensitivity analyses; (2) Advance the TMS design with a new TMS architecture for redundancy and by applying thermal capacitance to achieve transient performance targets; (3) Take credit for the propulsion system?s utility as an aircraft control mechanism and address any new design requirements this imposes on the aircraft; (4) Investigate hybrid power supplementation and establish a roadmap for the sizing and synthesis of HEDP architectures; (5) Continue the high-fidelity aero-propulsion CFD study to improve the high lift and cruise efficiency of the split-wing design, and use the CFD results to validate and calibrate ESAero?s analytical propulsion duct models.","startYear":2016,"startMonth":5,"endYear":2018,"endMonth":5,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":41204,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Benjamin","lastName":"Schiltgen","fullName":"Benjamin T Schiltgen","fullNameInverted":"Schiltgen, Benjamin T","middleInitial":"T","primaryEmail":"benjamin.schiltgen@esaero.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":183940,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Hyun","lastName":"Kim","fullName":"Hyun D Kim","fullNameInverted":"Kim, Hyun D","middleInitial":"D","primaryEmail":"hyun.d.kim@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":461333,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Theresa","lastName":"Stanley","fullName":"Theresa M Stanley","fullNameInverted":"Stanley, Theresa M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"theresa.m.stanley@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[{"file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":302642,"fileName":"SBIR_2015_2_BC_A1.03-9122","fileSize":66629,"objectId":299187,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":889,"code":"LIBRARY_ITEMS","description":"Library Items","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"objectTypeId":889,"fileSizeString":"65.1 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":302642,"fileName":"SBIR_2015_2_BC_A1.03-9122","fileSize":66629,"objectId":299187,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":889,"code":"LIBRARY_ITEMS","description":"Library Items","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"objectTypeId":889,"fileSizeString":"65.1 KB"}],"id":299187,"title":"Briefing Chart","description":"Continued Development of Environmentally COnscious \"ECO\" Transport Aircraft Concepts as Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion Research Platforms, Phase II Briefing Chart","libraryItemTypeId":1222,"projectId":90010,"primary":false,"publishedDateString":"","contentType":{"lkuCodeId":1222,"code":"DOCUMENT","description":"Document","lkuCodeTypeId":341,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"LIBRARY_ITEM_TYPE","description":"Library Item Type"}}},{"caption":"Continued Development of Environmentally COnscious \"ECO\" Transport Aircraft Concepts as Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion Research Platforms, Phase II","file":{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":299391,"fileName":"SBIR_2015_2_BC_A1.03-9122","fileSize":53371,"objectId":295929,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":889,"code":"LIBRARY_ITEMS","description":"Library Items","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"objectTypeId":889,"fileSizeString":"52.1 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":299391,"fileName":"SBIR_2015_2_BC_A1.03-9122","fileSize":53371,"objectId":295929,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":889,"code":"LIBRARY_ITEMS","description":"Library Items","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"objectTypeId":889,"fileSizeString":"52.1 KB"}],"id":295929,"title":"Briefing Chart Image","description":"Continued Development of Environmentally COnscious \"ECO\" Transport Aircraft Concepts as Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion Research Platforms, Phase II","libraryItemTypeId":1095,"projectId":90010,"primary":true,"publishedDateString":"","contentType":{"lkuCodeId":1095,"code":"IMAGE","description":"Image","lkuCodeTypeId":341,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"LIBRARY_ITEM_TYPE","description":"Library Item Type"}}}],"transitions":[{"transitionId":67376,"projectId":90010,"partner":"Other","transitionDate":"2016-05-01","path":"Advanced From","relatedProjectId":33966,"relatedProject":{"acronym":"","projectId":33966,"title":"Cryogenic and Non-Cryogenic Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion with Integration of Airframe and Thermal Systems to Analyze Technology Influence","startTrl":2,"currentTrl":3,"endTrl":3,"benefits":"The ECO-150R configurations, with all the solicited NASA, Industry, and AFRL involvement, will have high visibility. This has unquantifiable benefits to commercialization, exposure, and business growth. ESAero's objective is to create a \"poster child\" for tube and wing TeDP/HEDP for themselves, but it is possible that this vehicle could be adopted by NASA. By updating the ECO-150 to the level of other concepts such as the N3-X, which has fostered immense research and development from all sides of the industry, ESAero will secure itself as a vital partner for follow-on research. Many aspects of the synergistic concept still wait to be investigated and introduced to the conceptual design process, including performance requirement relaxation opportunities and propulsion-aided control algorithms (PACA). The design effort will also promote ESAero's design tools, particularly PANTHER, both in publicity and reputability. The conceptual design roadmap and component technology requirements will impart immediate and recurring value.
ESAero will leverage the resulting configurations and the applied design process and tools to support conceptual design groups in their research and development of HEDP aircraft. This effort will demonstrate the utility of ESAero's latest tool development endeavors, which contribute to a more efficient conceptual design process with consideration of PATI factors. The tools and design process can guide aerospace primes and AFRL toward the identification of feasible HEDP configurations and support component manufacturers interested in how their technology would affect the leading edge in HEDP design and performance. AFRL would benefit as they are conducting in-house studies and supporting ESAero in other related areas. IARPA and the FAA will also benefit, as the lessons learned will be distributed within the government FOUO. ESAero has indentified the government and industry partners to develop this type of technology near term (Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed Martin) and longer (NASA, AFRL, IARPA etc).","description":"A design iteration of ESAero's ECO-150 split wing turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) concept is proposed to incorporate recent lessons learned in synergistic configuration opportunities, propulsion and thermal management system research and tool development, and aeropropulsive benefits reported by Lockheed Martin. Non-cryogenic and cryogenic/superconducting components will be included in three separate propulsion system architectures: one cooled via conventional \"warm\" coolant, one cryogenically cooled with a cryocooler system, and one cryogenically cooled with a liquid hydrogen blow-down system. The effort will begin with an interagency collaborative \"Brainernet\" brainstorming session to identify and assess technology and concept drivers and opportunities. Detailed configuration, aerodynamics, performance, and mission analysis will complement the effort, culminating in three flagship TeDP or hybrid electric distributed propulsion (HEDP) concepts which embody the propulsion-airframe-thermal integration (PATI) paradigm. A 2D and 3D CFD evaluation of the integrated propulsor will validate the physics-based aerodynamics and propulsor analysis tools. The lessons learned from the effort will establish a conceptual design roadmap for HEDP aircraft that are sensitive to PATI factors while also identifying path-critical technologies and design driving parameters for the propulsion and thermal management systems.","startYear":2015,"startMonth":6,"endYear":2015,"endMonth":12,"statusDescription":"Completed","website":"","program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
","programId":73,"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36648,"title":"Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer"},"lastUpdated":"2024-1-10","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":91,"endDateString":"Dec 2015","startDateString":"Jun 2015"},"infoText":"Advanced from another project within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (Cryogenic and Non-Cryogenic Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion with Integration of Airframe and Thermal Systems to Analyze Technology Influence)","dateText":"May 2016"}],"primaryImage":{"file":{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":299391,"fileSizeString":"0 Byte"},"id":295929,"description":"Continued Development of Environmentally COnscious \"ECO\" Transport Aircraft Concepts as Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion Research Platforms, Phase II","projectId":90010,"publishedDateString":""},"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
","programId":73,"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36648,"title":"Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer"},"leadOrganization":{"acronym":"ESAero","canUserEdit":false,"city":"Pismo Beach","congressionalDistrict":"California 24","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":true,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4840,"organizationName":"Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc.","organizationType":"Industry","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"CA","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"California","stateTerritoryId":59},"stateTerritoryId":59,"ein":"272813222 ","dunsNumber":"149341534","uei":"MFCTLU3MRXC8","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"Industry"},"supportingOrganizations":[{"acronym":"AFRC","canUserEdit":false,"city":"Edwards","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4893,"organizationName":"Armstrong Flight Research Center","organizationType":"NASA_Center","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"CA","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"California","stateTerritoryId":59},"stateTerritoryId":59,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"}],"statesWithWork":[{"abbreviation":"CA","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"California","stateTerritoryId":59}],"lastUpdated":"2024-1-10","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":95,"endDateString":"May 2018","startDateString":"May 2016"}}