Alternative Propulsion System For Helicopter And Co2 Emissions

Abstract

The aviation sector is now facing one of its biggest challenges as it aims to reduce its carbon emissions close to zero and decarbonization of air mobility requires to lower the carbon intensity of its energy. Several technologies are potential candidates both at aircraft level, including configurations and at propulsion system level, including architectures and energy sources. Biofuels will, of course, play an important role, but other low carbon energy carriers based on electricity will be also considered. This study focuses on small helicopter aircraft and on propulsion system by looking at the six main propulsion systems known as conventional turboshaft engine with either standard jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel or electro fuel issued from hydrogen or direct hydrogen combustion, full electric supplied by batteries and full electric supplied by fuel cell and hydrogen. Each energy has its own conversion steps and losses and its own integration effects. Hence, the aircraft will be sized for a given mission, depending on the propulsion system weight and efficiency and each solution will be compared with respects to energy consumption. Then the different energy will expressed in CO2 emissions using the Well To Wake methodology that will lead to significant differences in greenhouse gas emissions and electricity needs. We will focused how the electricity carbon intensity will affects the CO2 emissions of an air mobility mission.