Abstract

Intelligent Energy has unveiled a breakthrough in aviation fuel cell technology, launching it’s cutting-edge high-temperature IE-FLIGHT™ fuel cell system, based on IE’s unique patented cooling technology.

This white paper evaluates the potential of the new IE-FLIGHT PEM fuel cell systems to address the challenge of zero emission flight, and specifically the requirement for large and heavy thermal management systems that are needed to dissipate the heat generated by fuel cells.  This issue is emerging as a major constraint for fuel cell-powered aircraft, with large heat exchangers causing weight and drag penalties, and therefore a critical area for the industry to address.

Fuel cells for aerospace applications

This new IE-FLIGHT fuel cell system reduces the size of onboard heat exchangers and reduces aerodynamic drag, whilst maintaining high gravimetric power density and leveraging the proven benefits of high-current density PEM fuel cells. The results from the initial modelling conducted within this white paper show that for a 9 PAX aircraft the block fuel can be reduced by up to 5% based on a IE-FLIGHT fuel cell system with high temperature architecture, compared to conventional fuel cell systems, by reducing propulsion drag. In future aircraft designs, where propulsion drag is predicted to be a greater proportion of the overall aerodynamic drag, that fuel saving would increase.

With this breakthrough, hydrogen fuel cell powertrains become a much more attractive option for future zero-emission aircraft serving eVTOL, sub-regional and regional markets, as well as hydrogen fuel cell powered APUs within future hydrogen combustion powered wide body aircraft. This patented high-temperature architecture is the cornerstone of Intelligent Energy’s IE-FLIGHT aviation fuel cell system products, marking a new era in sustainable aviation technology.