WCRC ‘Supersonic’ Scientific Board Meeting Held at TsAGI
28 February 2023
Despite external sanction pressure, Russian aviation industry is gathering strength, focusing on advanced areas and launch of new programs—such as achievement of breakthrough flight performance, ecology and acoustics of new-generation supersonic transport by solving fundamental research-and-technology challenges related to supersonic flight. Coordinated by TsAGI (a part of NRC “Zhukovsky Institute”), the World-Class Research Center “Supersonic” is carrying out the activities. In January, the WCRC Scientific Board held its scheduled meeting at TsAGI.
The meeting had an expert review of 2022 achievements of the WCRC’s research laboratories. ‘Today, we are pursuing an important goal—to create the basis for further development of supersonic civil aviation. The WCRC “Supersonic” aims at high-quality results, including formation of domestic sonic-boom regulatory database, and a unique test bench base for world-class supersonic aviation,’ said Kirill Sypalo, Director General at TsAGI, Head at the WCRC “Supersonic”, Corresponding Member of the RAS.
Sergey Chernyshev, Academician of the RAS and Head of WCRC Laboratory for Aerodynamics and Concept Design of Low-Sonic Boom SST (TsAGI and MAI are involved in the Laboratory’s activities), reported on the achievements of his laboratory. Last year, it kept its concept design research into enhanced and best SST aerodynamic configuration, and continued improving methods of calculating sonic boom and, globally, aircraft aerodynamics. In 2022, a new mathematical model of turbulent ground layer was developed to model ground atmospheric parameters; a software was created to calculate sonic boom propagation in an inhomogeneous atmosphere, etc. Furthermore, sonic boom characteristics were calculated under SST flying from Moscow to New York or Beijing. The calculations determined the ground coverage zones both for primary and secondary sonic boom, and provided 3D zones of its audibility.
D. Sc. Viktor Kopyev, Head for Aeroacoustics Research at TsAGI and Head of Laboratory for Aeroacoustics and Vibrations (apart from TsAGI, the Laboratory includes Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics RAS and MSU) presented the next-stage achievements related to SST noise reduction, which is a major challenge in the project. The core tasks include the development of low-bypass engine jet noise calculation method, the approaches to creation of best non-circular air intake liners, simulation of SST high-lift wing streamline at landing, determination of mechanism of sonic boom transmission inside premises caused by SST acoustic load through displaced window frame, which should be fixed tighter to the aperture; etc. The Laboratory also considered the feasibility of optimizing different low-noise booster-propeller advanced SST concepts, and studied the relevant models of long nose-landing-gear struts. These innovative solutions are expected to boost SST environmental performance.
D. Sc. Valery Matveenko (Scientific Director of PFRC UB RAS, Academician of the RAS) presented the key results of the Laboratory for Strength and Smart Structures, which also involves TsAGI, MAI, and PFRC UB RAS. They include creation of non-linear models of airframe structural flight load analysis, development of optimization technology for the bionic structure of fuselage compartment, a method of simulating cumulative structural damage, an automatic research reporting software package, etc.
D. Sc. Alexander Lanshin, Advisor to Director General for Science at CIAM and Head of Laboratory for Gas Dynamics and Power Plant (the Laboratory also includes CIAM and MAI), presented results of methodological development and technical solutions aimed to provide design of new-SST advanced power plant. At this stage, the key activities were the study of input devices within airframe integration, noise attenuation methods, and enhancement of advanced power plant environmental performance. The specialists studied high-temperature ceramic composites, worked on technologies of manufacturing and testing the engine-hot-section parts, and researched into its best designs and layouts.
Achievements of the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Flight Safety, which united TsAGI, GosNIIAS, MAI and MSU, were reported by its head, D. Sc., Professor Aleksandr Yefremov, who also heads a Department at MAI. He showed the results of analysis, calculations and tests related to the development of highly-reliable single SST cockpit instrumentation based on AI, augmented reality and synthetic vision; highlighted noise-reducing SST route optimization; and spoke on development of reconfiguration and cybersecurity subsystems, and creation of advanced simulation and mobility system for hardware-in-the-loop tools. He also spoke on creation of smart system to support crew in complicated flight modes.
The amended list of WCRC ‘Supersonic’ Scientific Board was approved by the Minutes of WCRC ‘Supersonic’ General Meeting, No. 5, dated November 23, 2022. Its members include top aircraft engineering scientists representing the WCRC’s Russian and foreign participants. Scientific Board is chaired by Aleksandr Yefremov, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences and Head of MAI Department. The Consortium uses the announced achievements to solve a number of fundamental, research and applied issues aimed at breakthrough environmental and economic performance of the SST.