Abstract
REDESIGNING THE
CONCORDE
Implementing aerodynamic and auxiliary improvements to the Concorde in an attempt to redesign the first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane.
About
The following abstract is about my exploration regarding the Concorde and how it could be improved. I conducted this exploration with the aim of improving the Concorde design using a wind-tunnel simulator. I chose to develop the technical aspects of the project thoroughly by implementing aerodynamic concepts that I had learned from online courses. The exploration lasted approximately 6 months. This included planning, preliminary research, designing the exploration, building the setup, collecting the results, and documenting my findings. The abstract for this exploration can be found below:
Introduction
Regarded by many as an aviation icon and an engineering marvel, the Concorde is a supersonic passenger aircraft manufactured by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) which could achieve a maximum speed of Mach 2.04 (694.19 ms-1). However, due to the noise and air pollution the Concorde caused, it was retired in 2003. This investigation attempts to redesign the Concorde to ameliorate the original design, primarily through aerodynamic improvements, along with a larger fuel capacity and a modernized engine, which would allow it to maintain the high velocities the original was known for while decreasing both noise and air pollution.
Method
The improvements made were predominantly aerodynamic. The primary aim of this project was to reduce the coefficient of drag (CD) of the vehicle, and hence increase the lift-to-drag ratio of the aircraft. First, basic sketches of the possible improvements were drawn by hand. The improvements that were planned and implemented were increasing wing tip length by ~10%, drooping leading edge on the wings, increasing fuel tank volume, and a modified engine. After that, a highly polygon count 3D model of the modified Concorde was created using Autodesk Inventor. The 3D model was then used in its wind-tunnel simulator to determine its average drag coefficient, and subsequently the lift-to-drag Ratio was calculated. The changes to the propulsion unit consisted of substituting the low-pressure compressor with a compressor with an increased radius and replacing the low-pressure turbine assembly with a two-stage turbine. Finally, the drag coefficients and lift-to-drag ratios of the original Concorde and the modified model were compared.
Results
Using Autodesk Flow Design, the simulation at Mach 1 (340.29 ms-1) yielded a drag coefficient of 1.5*10-3, which results in a lift-to-drag ratio of 13.3. In comparison, the original Concorde achieved a drag coefficient of 1.7*10-3 and a lift-to-drag ratio of 11.8. With a reduction in the drag coefficient and a 12.7% increase in the lift-to-drag, the modified model demonstrated an improved aerodynamic performance over the original.
Conclusion
There was an increase in aerodynamic performance due to the implemented changes made to the original Concorde design, which modernizes the retired airplane and revives the prospect of commercial supersonic aircraft.