Design and Evaluation of an Aircraft Family With Diverse Energy Sources for Sustainable Aviation

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almarzooqi-et-al-2025-design-and-evaluation-of-an-aircraft-family-with-diverse-energy-sources-for-sustainable-aviation.pdf (749.97 KB)
Author(s)
Almarzooqi, Ranya
VonFeldt, Michela J.
Kallou, Evanthia
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Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
The Daniel Guggenheim School of Aeronautics was established in 1931, with a name change in 1962 to the School of Aerospace Engineering
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https://hdl.handle.net/1853/77541
Abstract
Aviation activities significantly contribute to global carbon dioxide emissions. To achieve the 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), alternative green energy sources are expected to be applied in future aircraft. This paper presents a design study of an aircraft family utilizing both sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and liquid hydrogen (LH2), aiming to demonstrate the potential of a versatile aircraft family in bridging the transition towards net-zero emissions and balancing immediate improvements with long-term sustainability goals. The study applies a modular, clean-sheet design approach with a focus on common-core engine principles, allowing shared high-pressure components between variants to reduce development complexity. Advanced simulation capabilities, including multi-design point (MDP) analysis, were used to develop six aircraft variants in the aircraft family, including one SAF vehicle and five LH2 vehicles. Trade-off studies between payload, range, and energy storage revealed that optimizing hydrogen storage significantly enhances range and energy efficiency, but comes at the expense of passenger capacity. Conversely, designs prioritizing capacity faced limitations in operational range. These trade-off studies revealed how modular designs can address diverse market demands, with SAF variants offering immediate emissions reductions and LH2 variants enabling long-term sustainability through significant improvements in range and energy efficiency. These findings emphasize the viability of a transitional approach to achieving net-zero in aviation by combining short and long-term transitional solutions.
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2025-01-03
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Paper
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