Estimation of scheduled, routine maintenance implication for a battery-electric propulsion system

Abstract

High emissions, an increase of annual air travel and the requirement of a sustainable, zero emission aviation within the next few decades, sets major challenges to aircraft manufacturers and operators. Due to high technological maturity of conventional propulsion systems, no significant potential for optimization to achieve these ambitious climate targets can be expected. Thus, new propulsion concepts moving into focus, such as the battery driven electric propulsion system. However, currently there is no corresponding system design used in commercial aviation, which may be, among other more decisive reasons, caused by high uncertainties regarding the impact on maintenance. As the costs for maintaining an aircraft significantly contribute to the overall operating costs and the change depending on the conversion from a conventional propulsion system to an Electric Propulsion System (EPS) is not yet determined, it is an important aspect in the development of sustainable propulsion concepts. Within this work, an estimation regarding this change is addressed, whereby a first draft of upcoming maintenance is developed, assuming a complete replacement of the conventional kerosene-based system of an A320, by a battery-electrical one. From an initial system design layout, necessary maintenance implications are derived, using the MSG-3 analysis, examined and subsequently compared to those of the conventional system. The investigation of this work shows that operating an aircraft with a battery-based EPS, a reduction of the maintenance effort, compared to its conventional counterpart, by about 37% within an average utilization can be expected. This is mainly attributed to the amount of replaced systems and components of the conventional system, but as well to the increase of those maintenance tasks, that are intended to determine the condition and functionality of the system and its components, thus are consequently less elaborate. Results of this work can serve as a first approach on a more detailed design and development process of an electric drive system, considering maintenance implications in an early design stage. Further, the examined tendencies can be used as a solid base for future assessments regarding cost efficiency.