Date of Award

6-2025

Degree Name

MS in Aerospace Engineering

Department/Program

Aerospace Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Aaron Drake

Advisor Department

Aerospace Engineering

Advisor College

College of Engineering

Abstract

As global climate change accelerates, the reduction of carbon emissions has become a critical objective across multiple industries. The aviation sector, however, has lagged behind other transportation domains in implementing sustainable alternatives, despite growing demand for air travel. Recent research and emerging technologies have proposed several decarbonization pathways, including hydrogen fuel, sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), and hybrid or fully electric propulsion systems. Among these, series hybrid-electric propulsion has received comparatively limited attention, particularly for application in transport-class aircraft. This study investigates the feasibility and emissions-reduction potential of a series hybrid-electric propulsion architecture applied to a representative narrow-body platform. A Python-based mission simulation framework was developed to model fuel consumption across four representative mission distances, incorporating detailed propulsion system parameters and energy management logic. Key variables—battery specific energy and turboshaft thermal efficiency—were evaluated across a range of values corresponding to relevant Technology Readiness Levels. Results indicate that with a battery specific energy of 500 Whkg-1 and thermal efficiency 30%, series hybrid-electric configurations could achieve up to 30% reductions in mission-level fuel consumption on short and medium-range routes, with diminishing returns observed at longer distances. Comparisons between fixed and mission optimized battery mass strategies revealed that mission-specific battery sizing can yield up to 7% additional reduction in fuel consumption. However, required battery specific power levels exceeding 3,000 Wkg-1 remain well beyond the capabilities of current or even some future battery chemistries. This constraint represents a significant barrier to implementation and underscores the importance of continued battery development, or even a shift in aircraft operations. These findings suggest that while series hybrid-electric propulsion offers promising reductions in emissions, particularly for short- and medium-range applications, its practical deployment will depend on further advancements in high-power battery technology and the adoption of mission-specific aircraft design strategies.

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