Clean and Sustainable Hydrogen-Electric Propulsion

Abstract

For future hypersonic and supersonic flight, clean, sustainable and energy-efficient propulsion should be addressed in the general background of the sensational clean electric transition of aircraft. This chapter is to draw the attention of the research communities on the possible feasibilities and challenges of hydrogen-electric propulsion in hypersonic and supersonic flight. This chapter is structured with the following aspects, (1) general design and hybridisation concepts of hydrogen-electric propulsion for general aircraft and their hypersonic and supersonic considerations; (2) merits of hydrogen-electric propulsion on thermofluids process integrations; (3) potential merits of hydrogen-electric propulsion projected through thermofluids structural engineering and re-engineering; (4) storage options and their challenges in design and operation; and (5) reliability considerations.