Modeling and Characterization of a Novel Propulsion System for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Aircraft

Hydrogenfuel cells show promise as a sustainable alternative to turbofan systems for aircraft power production, emitting zero greenhouse gases in-flight. However, hydrogen fuel cells require air handling and thermal management systems to produce electrical power, and an electrically driven propulsor to convert this power to thrust. These additional systems pose significant challenges, and new opportunities, for the integration of fuel cell powerplants into the aircraft architecture. Previous analyses have primarily configured and sized these systems independently of one another, resulting in penalties related to efficiency, weight, and integration complexity. This paper introduces a fully electric aircraft powerplant that integrates the auxiliary systems of hydrogen fuel cells with propulsion components, aiming to achieve higher overall efficiencies than modern turbofan systems. Models for characterizing the integrated system and its components are presented, and key design parameters are discussed. An aircraft design case study demonstrates that regional aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells consume less energy in-flight than those powered by kerosene, provided that the aircraft design requirements are tailored to match the thrust lapse characteristics of the fuel cell propulsion system.