Conceptual Design, Sizing and Performance Analysis of a Cryo-Electric
Propulsion System for a Next-Generation Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft
Abstract
In this paper, we present a comprehensive sizing and performance
analysis framework for a disruptive cryo-electric propulsion system
intended for a hydrogen-powered regional aircraft. The main innovation
lies in the systematic treatment of all the electrical and thermal
components to model the overall system performance. One of the main
objectives is to study the feasibility of using the liquid hydrogen
(LH\textsubscript{2}) fuel to provide cryogenic cooling
to the electric propulsion system, and thereby enable ultra-compact
designs. Another aim has been to identify the optimal working point of
the fuel cell to minimize the overall propulsion system’s mass. The full
mission profile is evaluated to make the analysis as realistic as
possible. Analyses are done for three different 2035 scenarios, where
available data from the literature are projected to a baseline,
conservative, and optimistic scenario. The analysis shows that the total
propulsion system’s power density can be as high as 1.63 kW/kg in the
optimistic scenario and 0.79 kW/kg in the baseline scenario. In the
optimistic scenario, there is also sufficient cryogenic cooling capacity
in the hydrogen to secure proper conditions for all components, whereas
the DC/DC converter falls outside the defined limit of 110 K in the
baseline scenario.