IGF::OT::IGF FUEL COSTS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN THE LARGEST SINGLE COST ASSOCIATED WITH AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS;…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF FUEL COSTS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN THE LARGEST SINGLE COST ASSOCIATED WITH AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS; IMPROVED EFFICIENCY THEREFORE TRANSLATES DIRECTLY TO THE BOTTOM LINE. THE WORLDWIDE AVIATION INDUSTRY IS A SIGNIFICANT EMITTER OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND OTHER GREENHOUSE GASES; THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION PUTS IT AT 2% OF THE GLOBAL ANTHROPOGENIC TOTAL. THE IMPACT OF THESE EMISSIONS IS AMPLIFIED EVEN MORE, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THEY GO DIRECTLY INTO THE UPPER TROPOSPHERE. WE PROPOSE AN EFFICIENT PLASMA-BASED METHOD FOR DRAG REDUCTION WHICH, WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED WILL DIRECTLY TRANSLATE TO REDUCED FUEL CONSUMPTION AND REDUCED EMISSIONS. THE PROPOSED PHASE I EFFORT WILL INVOLVE A COMBINED EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION AIMED AT A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DRAGREDUCING TECHNOLOGY. IN FOLLOW-ON PHASE II WORK, THE ITAC-LED TEAM WILL WORK TO EXPAND THE FLIGHT ENVELOPE OVER WHICH THE PLASMA-BASED METHOD CAN BE APPLIED.