Fuel Cell systems in hybrid-electric aircraft

Meindl M, Forster F, Eckardt B, März M (2025)

Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2025

Publisher: Zenodo

Conference Proceedings Title: European Electrolyser & Fuel Cell Forum (EFCF)

Event location: Luzern

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17476245

Abstract

With their actual power densities, fuel cell systems are too heavy for aviation. The power density of a fuel cell system can be increased by further developing the subcomponents. Intelligent integration of individual components in the aircraft could be a solution. For this purpose, the aircraft dimensions and simulations of 200 nmi and 600 nmi range from an EU project are used. A more granularly divided series connection of fuel cell systems is considered to integrate these systems in the aircraft more intelligently. A smart way is to equip each fuel cell system with a 640 V (323 kW) system voltage and specially integrated DC-DC boost converters. This choice of system voltage and the use of DC-DC boost converters allow for thinner cross-section cables, easier integration of DC-DC converters into the FC systems housing, and increased system redundancy. The overall control of the fuel cell systems can be carried out via low-weight CAN bus low-voltage signal cables, which hardly contribute to the aircraft's weight.

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How to cite

APA:

Meindl, M., Forster, F., Eckardt, B., & März, M. (2025). Fuel Cell systems in hybrid-electric aircraft. In European Electrolyser & Fuel Cell Forum (EFCF). Luzern, CH: Zenodo.

MLA:

Meindl, Markus, et al. "Fuel Cell systems in hybrid-electric aircraft." Proceedings of the European Electrolyser & Fuel Cell Forum (EFCF), Luzern Zenodo, 2025.

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