Hydrogen Fuel Cell Based Emergency Power System Design for More Electric Aircraft Applications

The increasing emphasis on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in aviation has led to the development of concepts such as More Electric Aircraft (MEA), Hybrid Electric Aircraft (HEA), and All Electric Aircraft (AEA). A fundamental characteristic of these solutions is the increased utilization of electrical energy. While batteries are among the primary solutions, their low energy density has driven to the exploration of alternative energy sources. Therefore, hydrogen fuel cells have emerged as a feasible solution. In scope of this study, the examination evaluates the integration of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell instead of Ram Air Turbine (RAT) generator in the emergency power architecture of the Global 6000 aircraft. The study evaluates the impact of system weight and proposes a control algorithm for a hybrid battery-fuel cell system.