Design of an Open Rotor, Braced-Wing Electric Transport

A notional, 19-passenger, battery-powered, fully electric airplane is investigated in this study. It is
designed to serve the regional aviation market of the near future. Three strategies are used to reduce
energy demands placed on its batteries: 1) a high aspect ratio, braced wing, 2) two efficient open rotor propellers, and 3) flying at comparatively low cruise speeds. It has an otherwise conventional airframe
architecture. Parametric system weight, aerodynamic, propeller, and mission performance models are
developed. Single-rotation and contra-rotation propellers are studied. Implementation of a novel selective noise reduction system is also investigated. During sizing and optimization of its design variables, battery cell specific energy is treated as a technology parameter that is varied to determine its influence on mission range. To achieve a minimum range success criterion of 250 nmi with reserves, it is found that battery cell specific energy must be at least 600 W-h/kg, more than twice the capability of today’s lithium-ion cells.