System analysis and requirements derivation of a hydrogen-electric aircraft powertrain

Abstract

In contrast to sustainable aviation fuels for use in conventional combustion engines, hydrogen-electric powertrains constitute a fundamentally novel approach that requires extensive effort from various engineering disciplines. A transient system analysis has been applied to a 500 kW shaft-power-class powertrain. The model was fed with high-level system requirements to gain a fundamental understanding of the interaction between sub-systems and components. Transient effects, such as delays in pressure build up, heat transfer and valve operation, substantially impact the safe and continuous operation of the propulsion system throughout a typical mission profile, which is based on the Daher TBM850. The lumped-parameters network solver provides results quickly, which are used to derive requirements for subsystems and components, which support their in-depth future development. E.g. heat exchanger transfer rates and pressure drop of the motor's novel hydrogen cooling system are established. Furthermore, improvements to the system architecture, such as a compartmentalization of the tank, are identified.