The flight range estimation of commercial aircraft – Boeing 737 max 800 considering the transition from internal combustion to SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) engines

Abstract

The range of the aircraft is the primary concern when operating commercial airliners. In transitioning from conventional-engine commercial airliners to carbonless ones, the flight range has been investigated in this paper to provide design modification metrics for future electrified aircraft designs and processes. The total weight of both cases is fixed to compare the performance of two different engines directly. Due to the use of ammonia for fuel cell systems, such as SOFC with a turbogenerator (TG), the engines are heavier and have a lower fuel capacity than jet engines. The lower range associated with SOFC-TG propulsion highlights the need to significantly enhance aerodynamic efficiency to achieve parity or improve operational capabilities. Given the pivotal role of aerodynamic design in mitigating drag forces and optimizing fuel efficiency, innovative strategies and advancements in airframe design have become imperative. By prioritizing aerodynamic enhancements tailored to the unique requirements of SOFC-TG propulsion systems, such as optimizing weight distribution and minimizing drag coefficients, it is conceivable to bridge the range disparity between conventional and alternative fuel-powered aircraft variants. This paper presents a critical parameterization analysis for considering a conversion of an existing commercial aircraft. With fixed operational conditions and weight and volumetric specifications, a crucial aerodynamic performance, flight range, is revealed as a function of the adopted propulsion system. This effort will extend to any “conversion” or design and operation modification studies for future aircraft.