Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T17:02:00.510Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A methodology for optimisation design and analysis of stratosphere airship

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

Q. Wang
Affiliation:
Institute of Aerospace Science & Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
J. Chen
Affiliation:
Institute of Aerospace Science & Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
G. Fu
Affiliation:
Institute of Aerospace Science & Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
D. Duan
Affiliation:
Institute of Aerospace Science & Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
H. Zhao
Affiliation:
Institute of Aerospace Science & Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for studying the feasibility of stratosphere airship for high altitude long endurance missions and arriving at the baseline specifications of conventional configuration of stratosphere airship, given the performance and operational requirements. Based on this methodology, the AODAP platform (Airship Optimisation Design and Analysis Platform) was developed. Some innovative concepts used in AODAP that are different from previous methods and codes are presented. The shape optimisation of airship was introduced into the design process, and several optimum objectives can be selected including minimum drag, minimum weight and composite objective based on MDO (Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation). The methodology was validated for other design concepts previously developed for similar missions and also was compared to a low altitude vehicle. The baseline specifications of stratosphere airships designed for various shapes using this methodology are presented. The results of sensitivity analyses for a specified airship are discussed, and the sensitivity of airship length with some critical parameters including area density of envelope fabric, area density of solar cell, efficiency of solar cell and efficiency of fuel cell for the specified shape is also provided.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2009 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Colozza, A. and Dolce, J.L., High-altitude, long-endurance airships for coastal surveillance, 2005, NASAPTM-2005-213427.Google Scholar
2. Ozoroski, T.A., Mas, K.G. and Hahn, A.S., A PC-based design and analysis system for lighter-than-air unmanned vehicles, 2003, 2nd AIAA ‘Unmanned Unlimited’ System, Technologies, and Operation-Aerospace’, San Diego, California.Google Scholar
3. Pant, R.S., A methodology for determination of baseline specifications of a non-rigid airship, 2003, AIAA’s 3rd Annual Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operation (ATIO) Tech, Denver, Colorado.Google Scholar
4. Engineering Science Data, October, 1977, 77021, Properties of a Standard Atmosphere.Google Scholar
5. Khoury, G.A. and Gillett, J.D., Airship Technology, 1999, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
6. Natio, H., Eguchi, K. and Hohsino, T. ET AL. Design concept and analysis of solar power subsystem for SPF airship operation, 1999, AIAA 99-3913.Google Scholar
7. Ingber, L., Adaptive simulated annealing (ASA), 1993, Global optimisation C-code, www.ingber.com/#ASA?CODE, Caltech Alumni Association, Pasadena, California.Google Scholar
8. Deb, K., Pratap, A., Agarwal, S. and Meyarivan, T., A Fast and elitist multi-objective genetic algorithm: NSGA-II, IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, 2002, 6, (2), pp 182197.Google Scholar
9. Schittkowski, K., NLPQL: A Fortran subroutine for solving constrained nonlinear programming problems, Annals of Operations Research, 1985/86, 5, pp 485500.Google Scholar
10. HALE Specifications. www.lindstrand.co.uk.Google Scholar
11. HI-SPOT Conceptual Design Study Final Report, Lockheed Missiles and Space, N62269-81-C-0276, March 1982.Google Scholar
12. Goodyear Blimp Technical Statistics, www.goodyearblimp.com.Google Scholar