Common Cause Analysis of the Air Supply System of Fuel Cell-Powered Propulsion Systems in Electrified Aviation

Kurzfassung

By means of a Common Cause Analysis (CCA), potential safety challenges of the air supply system for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell systems (PEMFCSs) as the primary energy provider in electric aero engines are identified and mitigated. The design of an exemplary hydrogen-fuelled PEMFCS-powered aero engine is described, focusing on the air supply system. The safety assessment method CCA, consisting of a Zonal Safety Analysis (ZSA), a Particular Risk Analysis (PRA) and a Common Mode Analysis (CMA), is described and conducted on the PEMFCS aero engine’s air supply system. Failure modes and external events, which can have safety effects are identified, and potential design adaptations for mitigation are presented.