Supersonic Aircraft Wing-Mounted Engine Inlet Noise Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current supersonic aircraft designs face challenges in meeting stringent community noise requirements while minimizing maximum takeoff gross weight and ensuring easy engine maintenance, as they often result in heavy propulsion systems with poor aerodynamic efficiency and excessive drag.
Innovation Solution
The design features wing-mounted engines with inlets located above the wing, embedded within the wing structure, and a variable sweep wing, which reduces fan noise, minimizes frontal area, and improves lift-to-drag ratio, allowing for a lower bypass ratio engine and easier maintenance access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If engines are placed above the wing to reduce community noise, then noise is reduced, but aerodynamic drag increases and maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet is positioned on the upper surface of the wing, utilizing the vertical dimension to shield noise propagation downward toward the ground while maintaining aerodynamic efficiency through proper integration with the wing surface
2Object-generated harmful factors
If engines are placed above the wing to reduce community noise, then noise is reduced, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The engine is positioned partially above and partially below the wing, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve noise shielding while maintaining accessibility from the ground for routine maintenance operations
3Object-generated harmful factors
If engine bypass ratio is increased to reduce jet velocity and community noise, then noise is reduced, but propulsion system weight increases and aerodynamic efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet is positioned on the upper wing surface to enable more efficient air intake, allowing the engine to operate at lower bypass ratios while still meeting noise requirements, thereby reducing propulsion system weight
4Object-generated harmful factors
If engine bypass ratio is increased to reduce jet velocity and community noise, then noise is reduced, but aerodynamic efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The upper surface inlet configuration optimizes airflow parameters to reduce drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, allowing the use of lower bypass ratio engines that maintain better aerodynamic performance
Data Source
AI summary
A supersonic aircraft is disclosed herein. The supersonic aircraft comprises one or more fuselages, one or more wings, at least one wing-mounted engine, at least one inlet mounted on the upper surface of or above the wing, an upper wing surface propulsion system fairing, and a lower wing surface propulsion system fairing or lower wing surface modification to account for the presence of the engine.