Hybrid-Electric Helicopter Propulsion System Safety Analysis

As industries are trying to decrease their carbon footprint, new technologies are being implemented. This is also the case for the helicopter industry. Similarly to the automotive industry, the helicopter industry is looking to implement hybrid-electric propulsion. To support this, a lot of research has been conducted into the performance of the...

Battery Pack Thermal Modeling for Electric Aircraft: A Case Study

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions in aviation, innovative propulsion systems such as battery-powered electric aviation are essential. These systems are carbon neutral when powered by 100% green electricity. However, widespread adoption requires overcoming challenges including improving energy density, lowering costs, and maintaining safe...

Developing a Framework for the Design of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Supply Architectures

One of the solutions for reducing emissions from the aviation industry is the implementation of electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems in the aircraft. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Electrified Aero Engines is investigating the feasibility of using fuel cells in hybrid-electric propulsion systems to power regional...

Aircraft Integration of Air-Based Thermal Management Systems for Propulsive Fuel Cell Systems

Hydrogen is seen as a potential energy carrier for the next generation of aircraft that will be more climate-friendly than the previous generation of kerosene-powered aircraft. Two types of hydrogen-based propulsion systems are currently foreseen for such aircraft: hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cell. In addition to producing useful...

Conceptual Design of Fuel Cell Commuter Aircraft: A study into the performance and viability of CS-23 category transport aircraft utilising hydrogen fuel cell propulsion

This research project investigated the potential benefits of using hybrid hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains in commuter aircraft certified under the EASA CS-23 category to reduce the aviation industry's environmental impact. The study used an in-house aircraft design synthesis software to model conventional and fuel cell aircraft, including a...

Optimal Control And Energy Management For Hybrid Aircraft

Interest grows rapidly in electric and hybrid electric aircraft. To determine the optimal performance and energy management required with such novel powertrain configurations, a knowledge-based aircraft and powertrain performance model is developed. The model is then used to set up an optimal control problem, which is transcribed to a non-linear...

Preliminary Propulsion System Sizing Methods for PEM Fuel Cell Aircraft

Fuel cells are one of the promising technical solutions for the first generation of sustainable aircraft. Currently, there are several shortcomings in the literature related to the conceptual and preliminary sizing of the propulsion systems of such aircraft: not only is there a lack of general methods, but also, much less effort is put into the...

An Investigation of Electric Propulsion in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles through a Variable-Fidelity Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation Approach

The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) plays a key role in both military and civilian applications around the world. However, in a world where electric UAVs are increasingly becoming the norm, the MALE UAV is still primarily powered by hydrocarbon fuels and its design is very much constrained by existing general...

Conceptual Design of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Aircraft: Flying on hydrogen for a more sustainable future

The demand for air travel is increasing as more people gain access to commercial aviation. As the current generation of aircraft makes use of fossil fuel combustion, this growth results in an increase in the global emissions. This is at odds with the worldwide efforts of reducing the adverse effects of climate change. Therefore, advanced...

Development and application of a Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation sizing platform for the conceptual design of hypersonic long-range transport aircraft

With the global increase in passenger traffic and growing popularity of long-haul routes over the Asia Pacific region and Atlantic Ocean, the possibility for hypersonic transport could become an attractive option to reduce flight time over long distance from 16-20 hours down to around 4-5 hours. In this thesis, a Multi-Disciplinary Optimisation...

Analysis of optimum flight path for a general aviation hybrid electric airplane

Redesign of a Hybrid Electric General Aviation Aircraft: A case study

The aviation sector and its associated activities contribute to climate change, damage to the environment, community noise, and local air pollution. As a consequence it affects the health and quality of life of citizens that live close to airports, and through climate change every person on earth. To reduce the impact of air travel and thereby...

Semi-Analytical Closed-Wing Weight Estimation during Conceptual Design

One of the novel configurations that could revolutionize the aviation industry is the PrandtlPlane. The closed-wing design features a low front wing and a high rear wing, connected by a lateral surface. In this research, the rear wings of the configuration are attached to a set of fins. Previous conceptual closed-wing design studies have failed...