Title: Exergetic sustainability assessment of a HALE UAV using dodecene fuel

Authors: Nevzet Kaya; Onder Turan; Adnan Midilli; T. Hikmet Karakoc

Addresses: Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Anadolu University, TR-26470 Eskisehir, Turkey ' Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Anadolu University, TR-26470 Eskisehir, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering, Advanced Energy Technologies, Energy Division, Mechanical Engineering Department, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, 53000, Turkey ' Faculty of Aeronautics and Aerospace Sciences, Anadolu University, TR-26470 Eskisehir, Turkey

Abstract: Exergetic sustainability performances of a high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), having a single turbofan engine and using dodecene as its fuel were investigated all along its flight profile, taking place in between 0-16 km altitudes. The maximum instant exergy efficiency was obtained as ∼31.30% at the beginning of level flight; the maximum cumulative exergy efficiency was obtained as ∼27.58% at ∼30.5 h of flight; the maximum instant environmental effect factor was obtained as 138.12 at the beginning of take-off run; the minimum cumulative environmental effect factor was obtained between ∼25 h and ∼32 h as 1.17; the maximum instant exergetic sustainability index was obtained at the beginning of level flight as 1.015 and the maximum cumulative exergetic sustainability index was obtained as ∼0.855 in between ∼25 h and ∼27 h of flight.

Keywords: UAVs; unmanned aerial vehicles; turbofan engines; HALE; high altitude long endurance; exergy efficiency; propulsion; aviation; sustainability assessment; dodecene fuel; environmental effect; exergy analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2016.078514

International Journal of Exergy, 2016 Vol.21 No.1, pp.87 - 109

Received: 11 Jul 2015
Accepted: 16 Jan 2016
Published online: 22 Aug 2016 *

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