Integration Strategies for a Fuel-Driven Range Extender on a 19-Seater Battery-Electric Aircraft

Kurzfassung

In the government funded LuFo-project TELEM, a battery-electric concept with a fuel-driven range extender has been selected as the most promising aircraft configuration to improve the energy efficiency while aiming to minimize the additional cost brought about by the hybrid-electric power train. Different installation options for the range-extender, such as the nose and the aft section of the fuselage as well as on top behind the wing and in a nacelle, are discussed. The installation in the front and aft section of the fuselage stand out to be two good options and are therefore compared on a quantitative level. Conceptual aircraft design models are created for the hybrid-electric concepts as well as a conventional reference aircraft model based on the Do228 commuter aircraft employing an adapted version of the tool openAD. Furthermore, a fleet-level energy consumption assessment against the reference aircraft is carried out and results in a quasi-parity between the front- and aft-integrated range extenders. A technology scenario with an entry-into-service in 2035 was selected for the electric components. In this scenario large double-digit reductions in energy and fuel consumption compared to the reference aircraft are achieved. This excludes structural or aerodynamic improvements of the airframe and is only driven by the integration of the hybrid-electric concept.