Optimization Design of SOFC-GT Hybrid Power System for Aviation Application

Zhaoyi Chen, Fengli Liang (), Junkui Mao, Zaixing Wang and Xinyong Jiang
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Zhaoyi Chen: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Fengli Liang: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Junkui Mao: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Zaixing Wang: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Xinyong Jiang: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: Developing high-efficiency and low-carbon propulsion systems is a pressing concern within the aviation field. This paper studies a hybrid power system that combines a solid oxide fuel cell and a gas turbine (SOFC-GT) with propane as fuel, which is easy to store and has a high energy density. The analysis focuses on key parameters such as compressor pressure ratio, fuel utilization rate, and fuel distribution. And a balance between system efficiency and the power-to-weight ratio has been achieved through multi-objective optimization. The conclusions indicate that system efficiency and system weight in the hybrid power system are optimized in opposite directions. Within the design parameters, the hybrid power system’s efficiency achieves 0.621, the specific fuel consumption is 115.2 g/kWh, and the power-to-weight ratio is 0.569 kW/kg. Further discussion on the application of this hybrid system in long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles shows an efficiency of 0.651 during the cruise phase, indicating a promising application prospect of a propane-fueled SOFC-GT hybrid system in the aviation field.

Keywords: SOFC; hybrid power system; power-to-weight ratio; multi-objective optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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