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Main Authors: Kaushik, Harshal, Rad, Ali Mahboub, Adebajo, Korebami, Badakhshan, Sobhan, Cooper, Nathaniel, Downey, Austin, Zhang, Jie
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.23682
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author Kaushik, Harshal
Rad, Ali Mahboub
Adebajo, Korebami
Badakhshan, Sobhan
Cooper, Nathaniel
Downey, Austin
Zhang, Jie
author_facet Kaushik, Harshal
Rad, Ali Mahboub
Adebajo, Korebami
Badakhshan, Sobhan
Cooper, Nathaniel
Downey, Austin
Zhang, Jie
contents With the increasing demand for air travel and the urgency to reduce emissions, transitioning from fossil fuel-based propulsion systems is a critical step toward sustainable aviation. While batteries are widely used in urban air mobility, their long charging durations limit their feasibility for consecutive flights. Hybrid propulsion systems, which integrate fuel cells and batteries, offer a promising alternative due to their higher energy density and improved efficiency. This paper presents a novel hybrid powertrain architecture for regional aircraft, incorporating a hydrogen fuel cell, a lithium-ion battery, and an auxiliary aluminum-air battery. The proposed system is evaluated using real-world power demand data from a Cessna 208 aircraft. The hydrogen fuel cell acts as the primary power source, ensuring continuous operation, while the lithium-ion battery manages transient power fluctuations to enhance system stability. The aluminum-air battery is introduced as a high-energy emergency backup, providing extended endurance during critical situations. A mixed-integer optimization model is formulated for system sizing and power scheduling, ensuring optimal energy distribution among the power sources. Multiple operational scenarios are analyzed to evaluate system performance, particularly under emergency conditions, where power reliability is crucial. The results highlight the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed hybrid architecture in improving energy efficiency and flight safety for regional aircraft applications.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_23682
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Hybrid Powertrain Optimization for Regional Aircraft Integrating Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Aluminum Air Batteries
Kaushik, Harshal
Rad, Ali Mahboub
Adebajo, Korebami
Badakhshan, Sobhan
Cooper, Nathaniel
Downey, Austin
Zhang, Jie
Optimization and Control
With the increasing demand for air travel and the urgency to reduce emissions, transitioning from fossil fuel-based propulsion systems is a critical step toward sustainable aviation. While batteries are widely used in urban air mobility, their long charging durations limit their feasibility for consecutive flights. Hybrid propulsion systems, which integrate fuel cells and batteries, offer a promising alternative due to their higher energy density and improved efficiency. This paper presents a novel hybrid powertrain architecture for regional aircraft, incorporating a hydrogen fuel cell, a lithium-ion battery, and an auxiliary aluminum-air battery. The proposed system is evaluated using real-world power demand data from a Cessna 208 aircraft. The hydrogen fuel cell acts as the primary power source, ensuring continuous operation, while the lithium-ion battery manages transient power fluctuations to enhance system stability. The aluminum-air battery is introduced as a high-energy emergency backup, providing extended endurance during critical situations. A mixed-integer optimization model is formulated for system sizing and power scheduling, ensuring optimal energy distribution among the power sources. Multiple operational scenarios are analyzed to evaluate system performance, particularly under emergency conditions, where power reliability is crucial. The results highlight the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed hybrid architecture in improving energy efficiency and flight safety for regional aircraft applications.
title Hybrid Powertrain Optimization for Regional Aircraft Integrating Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Aluminum Air Batteries
topic Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.23682