Session: Student Poster Competition

Submission Number: 187151

Performance Modelling of a Hydrogen-Fuelled Aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit 

This poster presents the modelling and performance analysis of an aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) using hydrogen as fuel. The objective is to create a detailed thermodynamic model of an APU for numerical analysis and to evaluate the feasibility and performance of hydrogen as an aviation fuel in the context of the sector’s transition to more environmentally friendly technologies. Initially, a thermodynamic model of the Garrett GTCP36-28 engine is developed in the PROOSIS software using kerosene as fuel. This model is validated under both design point and off-design conditions for various values of electric power and bleed air mass flow, based on data available in the literature. After validating the reference model, the fuel is replaced with normal hydrogen, which is injected into the combustor in gaseous form. The operating conditions and limitations for the hydrogen model remain the same as those for kerosene fuel. Subsequently, an analysis is carried out over the entire operating range of the system, and the results obtained are compared with the corresponding ones for the kerosene case. The results of the reference model show very good agreement with the literature data, with a maximum error of approximately 6 %. Furthermore, the use of hydrogen reduces the specific fuel consumption by 64 %, while the thermal efficiency and turbine entry temperature remain unchanged. The most important finding of this study is a 0.9 % increase in the APU’s overall efficiency when using hydrogen fuel within the operating range examined.

Presenting Author: Nikolaos Satrazanis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Presenting Author Biography: Nikolaos Satrazanis holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research focuses on the performance modelling of a hydrogen-fuelled aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit.

Authors:

Nikolaos Satrazanis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Michail Psaropoulos Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Vasilis Gkoutzamanis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Anestis Kalfas Aristotle University of Thessaloniki