Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft
The development of commercial aviation is being driven by the need to improve efficiency and thereby lower emissions. <i>All-electric aircraft</i> present a route to eliminating direct fuel burning emissions, but their development is stifled by the limitations of current battery energy a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/19/6006 |
| _version_ | 1827680896504823808 |
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| author | Elitza Karadotcheva Sang N. Nguyen Emile S. Greenhalgh Milo S. P. Shaffer Anthony R. J. Kucernak Peter Linde |
| author_facet | Elitza Karadotcheva Sang N. Nguyen Emile S. Greenhalgh Milo S. P. Shaffer Anthony R. J. Kucernak Peter Linde |
| author_sort | Elitza Karadotcheva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of commercial aviation is being driven by the need to improve efficiency and thereby lower emissions. <i>All-electric aircraft</i> present a route to eliminating direct fuel burning emissions, but their development is stifled by the limitations of current battery energy and power densities. Multifunctional structural power composites, which combine load-bearing and energy-storing functions, offer an alternative to higher-energy-density batteries and will potentially enable lighter and safer electric aircraft. This study investigated the feasibility of integrating structural power composites into future electric aircraft and assessed the impact on emissions. Using the Airbus A320 as a platform, three different electric aircraft configurations were designed conceptually, incorporating structural power composites, slender wings and distributed propulsion. The specific energy and power required for the structural power composites were estimated by determining the aircraft mission performance requirements and weight. Compared to a conventional A320, a parallel hybrid-electric A320 with structural power composites >200 Wh/kg could potentially increase fuel efficiency by 15% for a 1500 km mission. For an all-electric A320, structural power composites >400 Wh/kg could halve the specific energy or mass of batteries needed to power a 1000 km flight. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:03:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-74b3804c09fa466d821862e53476e924 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:03:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-74b3804c09fa466d821862e53476e9242023-11-22T15:57:54ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-09-011419600610.3390/en14196006Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric AircraftElitza Karadotcheva0Sang N. Nguyen1Emile S. Greenhalgh2Milo S. P. Shaffer3Anthony R. J. Kucernak4Peter Linde5Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UKDepartment of Aeronautics, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UKDepartment of Aeronautics, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UKDepartment of Chemistry, White City Campus, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UKDepartment of Chemistry, White City Campus, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UKGerman Aerospace Center (DLR), Königswinterer Straße 522-524, Oberkassel, D-53227 Bonn, GermanyThe development of commercial aviation is being driven by the need to improve efficiency and thereby lower emissions. <i>All-electric aircraft</i> present a route to eliminating direct fuel burning emissions, but their development is stifled by the limitations of current battery energy and power densities. Multifunctional structural power composites, which combine load-bearing and energy-storing functions, offer an alternative to higher-energy-density batteries and will potentially enable lighter and safer electric aircraft. This study investigated the feasibility of integrating structural power composites into future electric aircraft and assessed the impact on emissions. Using the Airbus A320 as a platform, three different electric aircraft configurations were designed conceptually, incorporating structural power composites, slender wings and distributed propulsion. The specific energy and power required for the structural power composites were estimated by determining the aircraft mission performance requirements and weight. Compared to a conventional A320, a parallel hybrid-electric A320 with structural power composites >200 Wh/kg could potentially increase fuel efficiency by 15% for a 1500 km mission. For an all-electric A320, structural power composites >400 Wh/kg could halve the specific energy or mass of batteries needed to power a 1000 km flight.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/19/6006multifunctionalstructuralpowercompositeselectricaircraft |
| spellingShingle | Elitza Karadotcheva Sang N. Nguyen Emile S. Greenhalgh Milo S. P. Shaffer Anthony R. J. Kucernak Peter Linde Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft Energies multifunctional structural power composites electric aircraft |
| title | Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft |
| title_full | Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft |
| title_fullStr | Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft |
| title_short | Structural Power Performance Targets for Future Electric Aircraft |
| title_sort | structural power performance targets for future electric aircraft |
| topic | multifunctional structural power composites electric aircraft |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/19/6006 |
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