Assessing the drag implications of hydrogen fuel utilization in small aircraft: a preliminary numerical analysis

TL;DR

This study uses CFD simulations to evaluate how adopting hydrogen fuel affects the aerodynamics of small aircraft, revealing significant increases in drag and fuel volume requirements, which pose challenges for sustainable aviation.

Contribution

It provides a preliminary numerical analysis of hydrogen fuel's aerodynamic implications in small aircraft, highlighting volume and drag challenges for future design considerations.

Findings

Hydrogen fuel increases aircraft drag by up to 67%.

Hydrogen fuel volume needs are 263% to 896% higher than gasoline.

Hydrogen offers a 64% reduction in fuel weight.

Abstract

The urgent need for cleaner, sustainable aviation fuels has driven interest in the use of hydrogen as a potential replacement for traditional hydrocarbon fuels in aviation. However, transitioning to hydrogen presents significant challenges due to its lower volumetric energy density which requires a larger fuel volume for equivalent energy. This study uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, utilizing the ANSYS Fluent 2022 R1 solver, to conduct a preliminary investigation on the aerodynamic implications of adopting hydrogen fuel in small aircraft, specifically the Bonanza G36. Three different types of hydrogen fuel - gaseous hydrogen at 350 bar, gaseous hydrogen at 700 bar, and liquid hydrogen - were considered. Despite a promising 64% reduction in fuel weight in comparison to gasoline, the volume required for hydrogen fuel was found to increase significantly, with values ranging from 263% to 896% compared to the base case. The aerodynamic impact was quantified in terms of drag, with the study revealing increases of 67.32%, 48.42%, and 27.05% for gaseous hydrogen at 350 bar, gaseous hydrogen at 700 bar, and liquid hydrogen respectively. While the findings present a challenge, they also set a platform for exploring innovative fuel tank designs and drag reduction technologies to mitigate these effects. This study underscores the complexities involved in transitioning to hydrogen fuel in aviation, contributing valuable insights to guide further research towards sustainable aviation.