TY - JOUR

T1 - Multifunctional fuel cell system for civil aircraft

T2 - Study of the cathode exhaust gas dehumidification

AU - Cruz Champion, H.

AU - Kabelac, S.

N1 - Funding Information: This study is part of the research project ”FUel Cell and Hydrogen Systems (FUCHS)” and was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) under the research grant 20Y1105F . Special thanks to the Airbus Fuel Cell Team for their assistance understanding aircraft architecture and requirements. In particular, the authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Lüdders (Airbus) for initiating and supporting the work on the presented exhaust gas dehumidification concept. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC Copyright: Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2017/12/7

Y1 - 2017/12/7

N2 - Integration of a multifunctional fuel cell into civil aircraft as on-board power generating system is a promising opportunity to improve energy efficiency while reducing emissions. In this approach, a PEMFC would provide electrical energy during on-ground operations and emergency situations, while by-products water vapour and oxygen depleted air (ODA) would be used during flight for water generation and inerting (provision of non-inflammable atmosphere). This study presents a novel cathode exhaust gas dehumidification system based on an air cycle machine (compressor, heat exchanger, cyclone, turbine) which supplies liquid water and dry ODA for the aforementioned functions. First, feasibility of the multifunctional approach, quality of the generated water and necessary level of dehumidification are discussed. Next, real fluid property data and the system thermodynamic model are presented. Feasibility of the novel system is demonstrated with a parametric study on the effect of stoichiometry, compressor pressure ratio and turbine outlet pressure. Computed results show that: the target average O2 concentration of 10.5% (vol.) is maintained at stoichiometries below λO2≤1.8; for maximum humidity ratio xmax=0.002kgH2O/kgODA there is not risk of ice formation on condenser when compressor pressure ratio is above π ≥ 2.8. Finally, an estimation of added and potentially removed weight is given, also possible system configurations are derived.

AB - Integration of a multifunctional fuel cell into civil aircraft as on-board power generating system is a promising opportunity to improve energy efficiency while reducing emissions. In this approach, a PEMFC would provide electrical energy during on-ground operations and emergency situations, while by-products water vapour and oxygen depleted air (ODA) would be used during flight for water generation and inerting (provision of non-inflammable atmosphere). This study presents a novel cathode exhaust gas dehumidification system based on an air cycle machine (compressor, heat exchanger, cyclone, turbine) which supplies liquid water and dry ODA for the aforementioned functions. First, feasibility of the multifunctional approach, quality of the generated water and necessary level of dehumidification are discussed. Next, real fluid property data and the system thermodynamic model are presented. Feasibility of the novel system is demonstrated with a parametric study on the effect of stoichiometry, compressor pressure ratio and turbine outlet pressure. Computed results show that: the target average O2 concentration of 10.5% (vol.) is maintained at stoichiometries below λO2≤1.8; for maximum humidity ratio xmax=0.002kgH2O/kgODA there is not risk of ice formation on condenser when compressor pressure ratio is above π ≥ 2.8. Finally, an estimation of added and potentially removed weight is given, also possible system configurations are derived.

KW - Civil aviation

KW - Dehumidification

KW - Multifunctional fuel cell

KW - Tank inerting

KW - Water generation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85032736088&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.175

DO - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.175

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85032736088

VL - 42

SP - 29518

EP - 29531

JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

JF - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

SN - 0360-3199

IS - 49

ER -