| Popis: |
The Boeing Company, under a contract award from NASA Glenn Research Center, studied and compared the potential performance of three different power system types for use in a notional high altitude, long endurance, remotely operated aircraft utilizing stored hydrogen as a fuel. Technology development feasible for each power system was identified based on a 2010 demonstrator vehicle operation. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), and internal combustion engine (ICE) power system configurations were included in the study. Three different SOFC manufacturers’, one PEMFC manufacturer, and a turbo-machinery supplier supported the power plant design and analysis, and system benefit analysis. Performance and weight parameters for the different power plants and the associated electrical and thermal management systems were analyzed in a vehicle endurance model. The SOFC-based power system showed the highest endurance results although it also has the lowest technology readiness level among the power plants considered. |
