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

Oleksii Pushylin; Vasyl Loginov; Oleksandr Tsaglov

doi:10.2478/tar-2026-0004

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

Transactions on Aerospace Research

Volume 2026 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)

By: Oleksii Pushylin , Vasyl Loginov and Oleksandr Tsaglov

Open Access

|Mar 2026

Figures & Tables

Scheme of formation of parametric shape of HTEPP as part of A/C.

Scheme 1 of an HTEPP with a turboprop engine (using kerosene, liquid hydrogen for the combustion chamber and the FC): 1 – Propeller; 2 – Gearbox; 3 – Electric motor; 4 – Power control and distribution system; 5 – Battery; 6 – Power unit with FC; 7 – Hydrogen evaporator; 8 – Liquid hydrogen tank; 9 – Exhaust; 10 – Hydrocarbon fuel tank; 11 – Turbine; 12 – Combustion chamber; 13 – Engine shaft; 14 – Compressor; 15 – Air intake.

Scheme 2 of an HTEPP with a turboprop engine (using kerosene and liquid hydrogen supplied to the FCs): 1 – Propeller; 2 – Gearbox; 3 – Electric motor; 4 – Power control and distribution system; 5 – Battery; 6 – Power unit with FC; 7 – Hydrogen evaporator; 8 – Liquid hydrogen tank; 9 – Hydrocarbon fuel tank; 10 – Exhaust; 11 – Turbine; 12 – Combustion chamber; 13 – Engine shaft; 14 – Compressor; 15 – Air intake.

Scheme 3 of an HTEPP with a turboprop engine (with hydrogen conversion from kerosene for FC supply): 1 – Propeller; 2 – Gearbox; 3 – Electric motor; 4 – Power control and distribution system; 5 – Battery; 6 – Power unit with FC; 7 – Steam reforming plant; 8 – Soot trap; 9 – Hydrocarbon fuel tank; 10 – Exhaust; 11 – Turbine; 12 – Combustion chamber; 13 – Engine shaft; 14 – Compressor; 15 – Air intake.

Conceptual model of a new light passenger aircraft equipped with an HTEPP.

Dependence of the change in gross harmful emissions of the upgraded aircraft on the degree of hybridization.

Comparative evaluation of gross harmful emissions for HTEPP configurations using energy Scheme 1 (a), Scheme 2 (b), Scheme 3 (c).

Balance of fuel cell power consumption_

Electric power, kW, kW	Thermal losses in FC, kW	H2 flow rate through FC, kg/s	Vapor + heating required energy, kW	Available power, kW	Available H2 flow for engine, kg/s
400	140	0.0015	9.42	130.58	0.0251
500	175	0.0019	11.77	163.23	0.0313
600	210	0.0023	14.12	195.88	0.0376
700	245	0.0027	16.48	228.52	0.0439
800	280	0.0030	18.83	261.17	0.0501
900	315	0.0034	21.19	293.81	0.0564
1000	350	0.0038	23.54	326.46	0.0627
1100	385	0.0042	25.89	359.11	0.0690
1200	420	0.0045	28.25	391.75	0.0752
1300	455	0.0049	30.60	424.40	0.0815
1400	490	0.0053	32.96	457.04	0.0878
1500	525	0.0057	35.31	489.69	0.0940
1600	560	0.0061	37.67	522.33	0.1003

Preliminary calculation results of HTEPP energy system characteristics (Schemes 1 and 2)_

Energy system characteristic	Parameter value
Share of electric power at flight (hybridization degree), %	0.35	0.4	0.5	0.6
FC required electric power, kW	175.0	200.0	250.0	300.0
Total required battery charge during taxiing, takeoff and climb, kWh	287.17
Battery power at takeoff and climb, kW	10.81	21.62	43.24	64.86
Mass of battery, kg	13.3	26.7	53.3	80.0
Battery volume, l	6.7	13.3	26.7	40.0
FC PEMFC high temperature, 150°C
Module efficiency, %	0.65
Mass of FC stack, kg	60.34	68.97	86.21	103.45
Volume of FC stack, l	54.69	62.50	78.13	93.75
Mass of FC system, kg	372.34	425.53	531.91	638.30
Volume of FC system, l	500.00	571.43	714.29	857.14
Required hydrogen consumption, kg/h	6.825	7.800	9.749	11.699
Water consumption at FC outlet, kg/s	0.017	0.019	0.024	0.029
Required air consumption at fuel cell inlet, kg/s	0.065	0.075	0.093	0.112
Mass of required hydrogen, kg	16.29	18.62	23.28	27.93
Mass of liquid hydrogen tank, kg	108.63	124.14	155.18	186.21
Volume of liquid hydrogen tank, l	230.14	263.01	328.77	394.52
Number of electric motors, pcs.	2
Mass of electric motor, kg	8.75	10.00	12.50	15.00
Volume of electric motor control unit, l	8.75	10.00	12.50	15.00

Characteristics of HTEPP power at aircraft flight profile stages_

Aircraft version with HTEPP	Start, warm-up, taxiing	Run-up, takeoff to circuit altitude	Climb to flight level	Cruise flight	Descent to circuit altitude	Landing approach	Taxiing into the parking lot	Total flight hours
Equivalent power Ne, stage average, kW	170	1060	840	500	150	200	170
Stage duration t, min	8	1.5	17	107.25	8	1.5	8	151.25
N_e×t, kWh	22.67	26.50	238.00	893.75	20.00	5.00	22.67

Mass balance of the aircraft design for different energy schemes (hybridization degree = 0_4)_

Energy system scheme	Take-off mass, kg	Airframe mass, kg	PP mass (engine, propellers, systems), kg	Mass of the energy system and battery, kg	Crew mass, kg	Fuel mass, kg	Commercial load mass, kg
base model	6600	2920	700	0	180	1000	1800
Scheme 1	7380	2870	660	1410	180	460	1800
Scheme 2	7415	2870	660	1360	180	545	1800
Scheme 3	7160	2870	660	1110	180	540	1800

Preliminary calculation results of HTEPP energy system characteristics (scheme 3)_

Energy system characteristic	Parameter value
Share of electric power in flight (hybridization degree), %	0.35	0.4	0.5	0.6
Required electric power of FC, kW	175.0	200.0	250.0	300.0
Total battery charge required for taxiing, takeoff and climbing, kWh	287.17
Mass of battery, kg	13.3	26.7	53.3	80.0
FC SOFC high temperature, 900°C
Module efficiency, %	0.65
Mass of FC stack, kg	175.00	200.00	250.00	300.00
Volume of FC stack, l	583.33	666.67	833.33	1000.00
Mass of FC system, kg	250.00	285.71	357.14	428.57
Released thermal power of FC system, kW	61.25	70	87.5	105
Required hydrogen consumption, kg/h	6.82	7.80	9.75	11.70
Required kerosene consumption, kg/h	20.77	23.74	29.67	35.61
Mass of required kerosene, kg	49.59	56.67	70.84	85.01
Water consumption at FC outlet, kg/s	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.03
Required water consumption at cracking reactor inlet, kg/s	0.011	0.013	0.016	0.019
Available water remainder, kg/s	0.006	0.007	0.008	0.010
Mass of cracking reactor, kg	6.71	7.67	9.59	11.50
Volume of cracking reactor, l	11.11	12.69	15.87	19.04
Number of electric motors, pcs	2
Mass of electric motor, kg	8.75	10.00	12.50	15.00
Mass of electric motor control unit + DC/DC converter, kg	7.29	8.33	10.42	12.50

Comparison of calculated results and experimental data for the L-410UVP-E20 aircraft_

Performance parameter	Experimental data	Calculated data	Relative error, %
Takeoff length, m	390	389	0.25
Take-off distance, m	560	558	0.35
Fuel consumption per kilometer, kg/km	0.76	0.785	3.29
Hourly fuel consumption, kg/h	249	244	2.0

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/tar-2026-0004 | Journal eISSN: 2545-2835

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Language: English

Page range: 76 - 106

Submitted on: Aug 24, 2025

Accepted on: Feb 18, 2026

Published on: Mar 18, 2026

Published by: ŁUKASIEWICZ RESEARCH NETWORK – INSTITUTE OF AVIATION

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

hydrogen technologies,

energy system,

design method,

parametric shape,

hybrid-electric technology,

emissions

Related subjects:

Engineering,

Introductions and overviews,

Materials sciences, other,

Physics,

Physics, other

© 2026 Oleksii Pushylin, Vasyl Loginov, Oleksandr Tsaglov, published by ŁUKASIEWICZ RESEARCH NETWORK – INSTITUTE OF AVIATION
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 2026 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)

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

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Balance of fuel cell power consumption_

Preliminary calculation results of HTEPP energy system characteristics (Schemes 1 and 2)_

Characteristics of HTEPP power at aircraft flight profile stages_

Mass balance of the aircraft design for different energy schemes (hybridization degree = 0_4)_

Preliminary calculation results of HTEPP energy system characteristics (scheme 3)_

Comparison of calculated results and experimental data for the L-410UVP-E20 aircraft_

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