Hybrid-electric powertrains in aviation: modeling and simulating component dynamics

Abstract

This study aims to visualize the power distribution and performance efficiency of the components in the power transmission system of a general aviation aircraft equipped with a next-generation hybrid electric propulsion system during hybrid operation. Using the developed digital model, the aircraft’s power requirements during climb and cruise were analyzed based on different performance parameters. The model validated using data from 10 different PT6A turboprop engines, and the error rate remained below 10 %, indicating that the simulation closely resembled the actual engine data. Validated model used for simulation for Climb and Cruise flight phases. The system was simulated under different Degree of Hybridization (DoH) values: 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6. The simulation results show that starting with the initial value of 100 %, the battery SOC value decreases significantly as the electric motor power increases. When the total fuel consumption was examined, the same amount of fuel remained in the tank in all scenarios. The additional thrust provided by the electric motor to the system increased the total range. Besides the results analyzed in this research, this research demonstrated that digital models could serve as a play a foundational framework for the exploration and verification of intricate control algorithms.