Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System
With the rapid growth of air travel, reducing carbon emissions in aviation is imperative. Electric aircraft play a key role in achieving sustainable aviation, especially for large civil aircraft, where reducing emissions, improving the fuel efficiency, and enabling flexible power regulation are esse...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Aerospace |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/59 |
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| author | Jinghui Xu Xizhen Wang Zepeng Wang Kaiqiang Yang Xueshun Li Yongjun Zhao |
| author_facet | Jinghui Xu Xizhen Wang Zepeng Wang Kaiqiang Yang Xueshun Li Yongjun Zhao |
| author_sort | Jinghui Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the rapid growth of air travel, reducing carbon emissions in aviation is imperative. Electric aircraft play a key role in achieving sustainable aviation, especially for large civil aircraft, where reducing emissions, improving the fuel efficiency, and enabling flexible power regulation are essential. This study proposes a dual-shaft, separated-exhaust fuel cell hybrid aircraft propulsion system (HAPS), using a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to replace the conventional turbine-driven compressor. The independent speed control of the high- and low-pressure spools is realized via a power distribution system. A thermodynamic model is developed, and performance evaluations, including parametric, exergy, and sensitivity analyses, are conducted. At the design point, the system delivers 36.304 kN thrust, 16.775 g/(kN·s) specific fuel consumption, 15.931 MW SOFC power, and 54.759% SOFC efficiency. The exergy analysis highlights the optimization of components like the heat exchanger and fan to reduce energy losses. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the spool speeds and fuel utilization significantly impact the performance. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing control strategies and offer a novel, efficient, and low-carbon power solution for aviation, supporting the industry’s transition towards sustainability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9ee1d79a54d40ce9723f4722dc118ba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2226-4310 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerospace |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9ee1d79a54d40ce9723f4722dc118ba2025-01-24T13:15:40ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102025-01-011215910.3390/aerospace12010059Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion SystemJinghui Xu0Xizhen Wang1Zepeng Wang2Kaiqiang Yang3Xueshun Li4Yongjun Zhao5Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaWith the rapid growth of air travel, reducing carbon emissions in aviation is imperative. Electric aircraft play a key role in achieving sustainable aviation, especially for large civil aircraft, where reducing emissions, improving the fuel efficiency, and enabling flexible power regulation are essential. This study proposes a dual-shaft, separated-exhaust fuel cell hybrid aircraft propulsion system (HAPS), using a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to replace the conventional turbine-driven compressor. The independent speed control of the high- and low-pressure spools is realized via a power distribution system. A thermodynamic model is developed, and performance evaluations, including parametric, exergy, and sensitivity analyses, are conducted. At the design point, the system delivers 36.304 kN thrust, 16.775 g/(kN·s) specific fuel consumption, 15.931 MW SOFC power, and 54.759% SOFC efficiency. The exergy analysis highlights the optimization of components like the heat exchanger and fan to reduce energy losses. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the spool speeds and fuel utilization significantly impact the performance. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing control strategies and offer a novel, efficient, and low-carbon power solution for aviation, supporting the industry’s transition towards sustainability.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/59hybrid propulsion systemsolid oxide fuel cellturbine-less enginethermodynamic performance analysisexergy analysis |
| spellingShingle | Jinghui Xu Xizhen Wang Zepeng Wang Kaiqiang Yang Xueshun Li Yongjun Zhao Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System Aerospace hybrid propulsion system solid oxide fuel cell turbine-less engine thermodynamic performance analysis exergy analysis |
| title | Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System |
| title_full | Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System |
| title_fullStr | Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System |
| title_short | Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Novel Dual-Shaft Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Propulsion System |
| title_sort | comprehensive thermodynamic performance evaluation of a novel dual shaft solid oxide fuel cell hybrid propulsion system |
| topic | hybrid propulsion system solid oxide fuel cell turbine-less engine thermodynamic performance analysis exergy analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/59 |
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