The proposed project is an academic-industry collaboration focused on achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions from commercial aviation by 2050. Avoidance of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and minimization of Nitric Oxide (NOx) emissions and contrails inspires novel hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion architectures. In particular, our approach considers hybrid electric power generation via a combination of turboelectric generators and fuel cells using hydrogen with either ambient air or concentrated oxygen. Minimization of NOx emission, efficiency augmentation, and the need to accommodate high-power mission segments drive consideration of Liquid Oxygen (LO2) storage for use during the takeoff and climb phases of flight. Cryogens enable strategic use of superconductors to increase the power density of the turboelectric generators and power distribution system, and the presence of multiple temperature zones from 20 to 400 K offers unprecedented opportunities to increase efficiency via novel thermal management strategies employing thermal flow control.
The project will establish design requirements for component technologies via system simulations using a realistic >100-passenger short-range aircraft with a 3000 nm mission profile as a scalable, hybrid wing-body distributed-propulsion platform. In particular, fuel cell, power electronics, motors, superconducting power transmission, cryogenic, and aircraft systems technologies will be advanced to meet the zero-emission target. A flexible testbed operating at liquid hydrogen temperatures will be constructed that leverages existing facilities in hardware-in-the-loop demonstrations to obtain validation data for system integration models, multi-disciplinary design analysis and optimization, and evaluation of trade-offs. The overall global warming potential of the entire fleet based on the scalable aircraft configuration will be evaluated. Ultimately, a refined understanding of viable pathways toward zero-emission for the aviation industry will emerge. University and industry experts in electric power, energy storage/conversion, propulsion, cryogenics, superconductivity, thermal management, motors, power electronics and distribution, and aircraft systems with an extensive collaborative history and unmatched capabilities and facilities are teamed in this effort.
More »The project goals and broader impacts can be summarized as:
The project tasks contemplate certain components or connection to components that have broader impact on the science of sustainable energy:
The project has already stimulated potential partnerships with companies associated with hydrogen hubs and other activities:
Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Florida State University (FSU) | Lead Organization | Academia | Tallahassee, Florida |
Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc. (AML) | Supporting Organization | Industry | Melbourne, Florida |
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) | Supporting Organization |
Academia
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
|
Tallahassee, Florida |
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (GA Tech) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Atlanta, Georgia |
Illinois Institute of Technology | Supporting Organization | Academia | Chicago, Illinois |
Raytheon Technologies Research Center | Supporting Organization | Industry | East Hartford |
SUNY Buffalo State | Supporting Organization | Academia | Buffalo, New York |
The Boeing Company (Boeing) | Supporting Organization | Industry | Chicago, Illinois |
University of Kentucky | Supporting Organization | Academia | Lexington, Kentucky |