Is hydrogen electric propulsion system the future of sustainable

propeller-powered aviation?

Michal Sura michsoora@gmail.com

The EU wants to be climate neutral by 2050 - a netzero greenhouse gas emission economy.
Climate neutrality can be achieved when greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are
equal to those removed from the atmosphere through the planet’s natural absorption. In the EU,
direct aviation emissions accounted for 3.8% of total CO2 emissions in 2017. The aviation
sector generates 13.9% of transport emissions, making it the second largest source of
greenhouse gases emissions in transport after road transport. Aviation is widely recognized as
one of the most carbon-intensive modes of transport and one of the most difficult to
decarbonize. There is considered that hydrogen electric propulsion system would be a suitable
candidate for a propeller-powered aircraft. The aim of this analysis is to find out whether it is
feasible.

The aviation industry is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, as there
is currently no low-carbon alternative fuels for a short or long-distance flights. The
sector is estimated to account for 915 million tons of CO2 emissions produced in 2019
(1). To achieve the net-zero emissions by 2050 will be not easy, but we should not give
up. There exist claims that hydrogen has the potential to decarbonize aviation.
According to many opinions that can be found on the Internet, hydrogen propulsion
systems using fuel cells present the most energy efficient, climate friendly, and
economic option for short/medium-range aircrafts. To find out if this type of hydrogen
propulsion would confirm these claims, we have chosen the Cessna 172 aircraft as the
model of the aircraft on which we will try to verify the “installation” of the hydrogen
electric propulsion system, that will power electric motor.
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is the most popular light aircraft and it is the
most-produced plane in aviation history. It is an American four-seat, single-engine, high
wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company. First flown in 1955.

Cessna has released at least 18 variants, or updated Cessna 172 models and for our
purposes we chose Cessna 172S (2) with the following parameters:
Maximum useful load 400.9 kg
Fuel capacity 213 litres
Range (on a full tank) 518 NM (959 km)
The basic empty weight 762 kg

So let's try to replace the energy of 213 liters of aviation fuel stored in Cessna 172 fuel
tanks with hydrogen and see how much hydrogen we do need to achieve the same
energy value.

The specific gravimetric energy density of hydrogen is 33.6 kWh/kg

The specific volumetric weight of hydrogen is 42 kg/m3 (20 °C, 70 MPa)

The engine of Cessna 172 is designed to run on 100-octane fuel (Avgas 100LL
aviation fuel)
The aviation fuel Avgas 100LL has following parameters (3):

The specific volumetric weight is 717 kg/m3

The specific gravimetric energy density is 43.7 MJ/kg
The specific volumetric energy density is 31.33 MJ/liter
The specific gravimetric energy density Avgas 100LL is 12.14 kWh/kg
The specific volumetric energy density Avgas 100LL is 8.7 kWh/liter

Our Cessna 172 model has the fuel tanks capacity of 213 liters

The energy stored in the fuel tanks is 1853 kWh

213l x 8.7 kWh/l = 1853 kWh

The weight of H2 with energy of 1853 kWh is 55.15 kg

1853 kWh / 33.6 kWh/kg = 55.15 kg

55.15 kg of H2 would need a gas storage of volume 1.313 m3 (20 °C, 70 MPa)

55.15 kg / 42 kg = 1.313 m3
We decided to use, in case of our calculation, Toyota Mirai’s hydrogen tank with a
three-layer structure made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. The tank has a capacity of
60 liters and weight of 44 kg. The tank store hydrogen at 70 MPa (4).
The weight of Toyota Mirai hydrogen tanks that are able to store 55.15 kg of hydrogen is
963 kg.

1313l x 44 kg/60l = 963 kg

The total weight of hydrogen thanks where is stored 55.15 kg of hydrogen is 1018.15
kg.

It is obvious that 1018.15 kg is pretty big weight because the basic empty weight
of Cessna 172 is 762 kg, but here we have overlooked one fact and that is the different
efficiency of the internal combustion engine propulsion and the efficiency of the
hydrogen electric propulsion.
Typical internal combustion engine (ICE) is about 24% energy efficient, it means
that only 24% of a chemical energy is converted to a mechanical energy. So based on
that internal combustion engine of Cessna 172 is able to convert full tank of fuel to
444.7 kWh of mechanical energy.

1853 kWh x 0.24 = 444.7 kWh

Hydrogen fuel cells are generally between 40-60% energy efficient, let suppose we do
have fuel cell 60% energy efficient and drivetrain (electric motor and power inverter) is
90% efficient. Overall efficiency of fuel cell and drivetrain is 54%

0.6 x 0.9 = 0.54

The energy of hydrogen needed to generate 444.7 kWh of mechanical energy is 823.5
kWh

1/0.54 x 444.7 = 823.5 kWh

To store 823.5 kWh energy, there is need 24.5 kg of hydrogen in pressure tanks

823.5/33.6 = 24.5 kg

24.5 kg of hydrogen takes up a volume of 0.58 m3

24.5 kg / 42 kg/m3 = 0.58 m3 (20 °C, 70 MPa)

Hydrogen tank of Toyota Mirai weights 44 kg and its volume is 60 liters (2.5 kg H2), so
the weight of hydrogen tanks is 425 kg.

580 x 44/60= 425 kg

Overall weight of hydrogen tanks plus stored hydrogen is 449.5 kg

425 kg + 24.5 kg = 449.5 kg

Ok, if we use hydrogen tanks, we will not need avgas fuel tanks with weight of 173 kg
(weight of fuel Avgas 100LL - 153 kg + weight of empty tanks - 23 kg) there in aircraft.

0.213 x 717 kg/m3 + 23 kg = 176 kg

But the overall weight of hydrogen fuel cell system (56 kg), lithium-ion battery
pack (50 kg), piping, valves, etc. would be approx. 176 kg (let’s suppose that there are
used these ones from Toyota Mirai) (4). So it is obvious that we can't subtract the weight
of the avgas fuel from the weight of fully refueled Cessna 172. Plus let’s assume that
the weight of an internal combustion engine of Cessna 172 is equal to the weight of the
electric motor, gearbox and power inverter.

We do know that the maximum useful load of Cessna 172 is 401 kg and the
weight of hydrogen tanks is 449.5 kg -10% more than max. useful load of this adorable
aircraft.
The result of our analysis is that Cessna 172 powered by hydrogen maybe would
take off, but definitely without a pilot and passengers.

1, https://www.atag.org/facts-figures.html
2, https://www.flugschule-dortmund.de/booklet_cpq.pdf
3,https://www.vivaenergy.com.au/ArticleDocuments/939/Viva%20Energy%20AVGAS%20100LL.pdf.aspx
4,https://insideevs.com/news/323973/toyota-mirai-fuel-cell-sedan-priced-at-57500-specs-videos/