Conceptual Design Methodology to size a Supersonic Passengers Aircraft Using LH2

The thesis work aims are: the development of a Methodology for the design of new Prototype of Supersonic Aircraft and the analysis of a specific case study, belonging to the same category, which uses LH2 as propellant. The conceived methodology starts from some already existing and adopted formulations concerning the design of conventional aircraft, with some specialization, properly done, to meet supersonic aircraft design and LH2 implementation needs. The formulations and procedures are implemented in a MATLAB® code that represents a 'tool' in which the user enters all the inputs required for the design in order to provide numerical and graphical output to evaluate the viability of the project. The methodology is artciluated in an iterative process based on the convergence of one of the most important mass parameters for the preliminary analysis of the aircraft: the Maximum Take Of Weigth. The aircraft Conceptual Design starts from the statistical analysis and the definition of the mission profile;it then proceedes with the convergence loop, which embraces the aerodynamic analysis, the estimate of necessary fuel for the entire mission, the estimate of the Operative Empty Weight , the Requirements Verification in terms of wing loading and thrust to weight ratio, and it finally ends with the determination of the MTOW. The methodology spezialization for LH2 implementation is represented by a proper process that performs the tanks sizing, in terms of geometrical dimensions with respect to the available volume, and estimates the layers thickness of structural and insulation material. The tank sizing changes the entire geometry of the aircraft, which implies a modification of the aerodynamics and, as a conseguence, of all the other project phases. This methodology guides the user in the Aircraft Conceptual design development and leads him to be aware of the aircraft in its entirety, even if it is still at high-level design stage.It is also possible, for the user, to evaluate the impact of the new propellants since this 'tool' allows to analyze both conventional and 'innovative' concepts, giving the possibility to compare, with the same initial requirements, aircraft that uses hydrocarbon propellants with those that adopt LH2.