The Influence of a Hybrid Turboelectric Power Plant Energy System on the Performance and Emissions of A Passenger Aircraft

This study investigates how the architecture and key parameters of a hybrid turboelectric power plant (HTEPP) energy system influence the performance and environmental characteristics of a light regional passenger aircraft. Three HTEPP configurations are analyzed: (i) kerosene and liquid hydrogen supplied to both the combustion chamber and a fuel cell (FC), (ii) kerosene supplied to the combustion chamber with hydrogen supplied only to the FC, and (iii) kerosene supplied to the combustion chamber with hydrogen produced onboard via kerosene reforming for FC supply. A 20-seat aircraft concept derived from the L-410UVP-E family is developed and upgraded to accommodate the HTEPP, using the AI-450S-2 L-410UVP-E family is developed and upgraded to accommodate the HTEPP, using the AI-450S-2 turboprop engine and AI-P500V5 propellers. The study applies a semi-empirical aerodynamic method and a modular simulation framework (“Integration 2.2”) to estimate mission power demand, subsystem mass/volume characteristics, payload–range capability, and gross harmful emissions consistent with ICAO Annex 16 methodology. Results show that range gains from the HTEPP are modest due to mass penalties, whereas emissions reductions are more pronounced: approximately 21.1% for Scheme 1, 16.2% for Scheme 2, and 10.3% for Scheme 3. Turbine inlet gas temperature decreases by about 6–8% across all schemes, implying potential durability benefits. The findings highlight the central role of energy-management strategy and hybridization degree in determining feasible architectures and performance trade-offs for regional hybrid-electric aircraft.