Performance Comparison of Conventional, Hybrid-Electric, and All-Electric Powertrains for Small Aircraft

Strathoff, Philipp; Savic, Henry Andrej; Stumpf, Eike

doi:10.2514/6.2020-3252

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The results showed that hybrid electric propulsion systems are much heavier when compared to the conventional baseline, especially for high cruise ranges. Strathoff et al [31] conducted a similar study, reaching the same conclusion. In this study, however, the propulsion system was modeled in more detail, including operating characteristics of the propulsion system components.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…For the hybrid electric propulsion system, the parallel hybrid was chosen. In contrast to the series hybrid propulsion system, the parallel hybrid propulsion system does not require the consideration of aerodynamic integration effects (which are out of scope for this paper) to yield advantages over the conventional propulsion system assuming current technology [31]. The investigated propulsion system concepts are compared to a conventional reference propulsion system with respect to two sets of thrust requirements in order to highlight the advantages and drawbacks of each propulsion system respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conceptual design and comparison of hybrid electric propulsion systems for small aircraft

Kohler

Jeschke

2021

CEAS Aeronaut J

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This paper presents a novel conceptual design method for electric and hybrid electric propulsion systems in small aircraft. The effects of key design parameters on the propulsion system performance are analyzed and the advantages and drawbacks of the investigated propulsion systems are discussed on the basis of two sets of thrust requirements. First, the general conceptual design algorithm is outlined. This is followed by a description of the three propulsion systems investigated: the fully electric; the parallel hybrid; and the conventional internal combustion engine. Scalable models of all required propulsion system components are presented, including weight estimation and operating characteristics. Afterwards, the conceptual design algorithm is exemplified for a reference two-seater motorized glider with a cruising speed of 140 kt and a maximum take-off mass of 1000 kg. Key design parameters are identified and their impact on propulsion system mass and cruise efficiency discussed. This study suggests that the parallel hybrid propulsion system is advantageous for high power ratios between take-off and cruise. For a power ratio of 4.5, either a relative cruise efficiency advantage of 12% or a maximum system mass advantage of 10% can be expected, depending on the propeller design. For the chosen cruise range of 300 km, the system mass of the fully electric propulsion system is at least 2.37 times higher when compared to the conventional propulsion system. In summary, a design method for hybrid electric propulsion systems is presented here which may be used for conceptual design. Furthermore, the suitability of the propulsion systems under investigation for different sets of thrust requirements is assessed, which may be helpful for aircraft designers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual design and comparison of hybrid electric propulsion systems for small aircraft

Kohler

Jeschke

2021

CEAS Aeronaut J

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“…Subsequently, various post processing tools can be used to analyze and evaluate the results. Further information on the functionalities of MICADO for small aircraft can be found in [5,6]. Both air taxis are based on a previous designed Cirrus SR22T with a conventional powertrain.…”

Section: Aircraft Reference Designsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A method to determine the availability and performance of air taxis in real weather conditions

Wortmann,

Hagemann,

Stumpf

2024

Preprint

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The success of an on-demand air taxi transportation system depends, in part, on its availability during daily operations. To further analyze such a system, this paper introduces a method for determining the availability and performance of air taxis under real weather conditions. Therefore, the integration of weather data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) and real trajectories into the mission analysis tool of the aircraft preliminary design software Multidisciplinary Integrated Conceptual Aircraft Design and Optimization Environment (MICADO) for small aircraft is carried out for the first time. This allows the estimation of the performance of air taxis under real weather and operating conditions already at the aircraft preliminary design stage and potential technical deficits can be identified at an early design stage. Two single engine, fixed-wing air taxi designs, one with a hybrid-electric powertrain and one with an all-electric powertrain, are investigated in this paper. The results show that the availability is strongly limited by the visual meteorological conditions minima (VMC minima). The maximum availability of the short reference flight route between Nuernberg and Egelsbach is 41.78 % and the maximum availability of the long reference flight route between Augsburg and Moenchengladbach is 20.48 %. The availability of the hybrid-electric air taxi is not limited, as all investigated flights under sufficient VMC can be performed with this aircraft while complying with the required reserves. However, the availability of the all-electric air taxis is limited due to its performance. Because of adverse wind conditions, not all flights investigated under sufficient VMC can be performed with the all-electric air taxi while complying with the required reserves, as the energy demand is too high. For the all-electric air taxi, a 13.2 % increase in gravimetric battery energy density (GBED) is needed to ensure sufficient performance. The findings indicate the necessity of considering the real operating conditions in the preliminary design of small aircraft. The methodology outlined in this paper assists in enhancing the robustness of preliminary aircraft designs.

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“…Electric powertrains are more energyefficient than conventional jet engines, which have significant energy losses. With electric drivetrains, efficiency targets exceed 90 % [3]. Electric aircraft also produce fewer harmful non-CO 2 emissions like N O x and CO and improve air quality around airports [4].…”

Section: Qbatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are currently a myriad of challenges to be addressed to mature electric aviation technology. Among them are the need to develop lightweight, fault-tolerant, and reliable electri- 2 Temporarily paused due to immature battery technology, 3 Heart Aerospace dropped their ES-19 project to instead focus on the larger 30-passenger hybrid-electric ES-30.…”

Section: Qbatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of Battery-Powered Propulsion Systems for All-Electric Short-Haul Commuter Aircraft

Anker¹,

Hartmann²,

Nøland³

2023

Preprint

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<p>All-electric battery-powered aircraft have, over the last couple of years, had a clear path toward commercialization by the end of this decade. However, the development of smaller all-electric commuter aircraft has recently stagnated due to inherent technical limitations. To gain deeper insights into these challenges, this paper provides a detailed powertrain analysis of 9- and 19-seat all-electric commuter aircraft. Real-world mission profile data, obtained from 1500 flights in the Norwegian short-haul commuter network, are used as inputs. Regression analysis reveals that the cruising power needed is only about \SI{43}{\%} of the power needed for takeoff and climb. This work presents a comprehensive component-level weight distribution analysis of the all-electric powertrains investigated, and the required weight is shown to exceed the manufacturers' reported maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of the two reference aircraft studied. However, small improvements in component performances could make electrification of the short-haul commuter network feasible, which is highlighted in a sensitivity study of the most critical electrical components. Additionally, our study highlights that the shortest missions are actually dimensioned by power rating rather than energy storage, adding an extra constraint on battery sizing for the shortest trips. </p>

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Performance Comparison of Conventional, Hybrid-Electric, and All-Electric Powertrains for Small Aircraft

Cited by 3 publications

References 4 publications

Conceptual design and comparison of hybrid electric propulsion systems for small aircraft

Conceptual design and comparison of hybrid electric propulsion systems for small aircraft

A method to determine the availability and performance of air taxis in real weather conditions

Feasibility of Battery-Powered Propulsion Systems for All-Electric Short-Haul Commuter Aircraft

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