Systems Engineering a Hydrogen Plane

In my Systems Engineering class, our final project presented the challenge of engineering a hydrogen-powered short-haul aircraft. Stepping into a leadership role, I led a team of 6 colleagues through the entire systems engineering process. Our journey took us from the initial Request for Quotation (RFQ) to the realization of a fully developed concept for the hydrogen-powered aircraft. 

Below is a comprehensive roadmap outlining the systematic process we diligently followed to achieve success in our project, engineering a hydrogen-powered short-haul aircraft. 

Mission Statement: The mission of this project is to design a system capable of transporting a payload using exclusively hydrogen as a fuel source to replace the high carbon emissions of fossil fuel powered airliners with low emission hydrogen transportation. 

Requirement Analysis: 

Our approach to requirement analysis involved a structured three-step plan, encompassing stakeholder identification, need analysis, and requirement analysis.

In the stakeholder identification stage, we pinpointed major stakeholders crucial to our project, including

• Hydrogen/ Hydrogen cell Suppliers

• Customers (airline industry)

• Airline Manufacturers (Competitors)

• Oil Companies

• Environment Representatives/ Environment itself. 

Moving to the need analysis phase, we delved into understanding the fundamental requirements that our design needed to address. The key needs identified were: 

• The system has hydrogen as the primary fuel source.

• The system can safely store the fuel.

• The system can be refueled quickly, simply and safely.

• The system has the capability to carry a payload, whether that be cargo or passengers.

• The system should be able to travel a set range in order to transport this payload. 

• The system needs to be airworthy.

• The system must meet sound and noise requirements.

In the concluding phase of the requirement analysis, we quantified these identified needs as follows:

• The system shall fly a 200 mile range in one trip using only hydrogen fuel on a standard atmospheric day. 

• The system shall refuel from empty to full in under 25 minutes 90% of the time (maximum of 60 minutes). 

• The system shall be capable of carrying 10,000 lb passengers/cargo for 200 miles. 

• The system shall pass FAA Airworthiness tests to fulfill our airworthiness and safety needs. 

• The system’s must achieve EASA noise certification for noise levels. 

Concept Generation: 

During this engineering phase, each team member worked individually to generate six distinct designs, each aiming to meet the outlined requirements. This approach was adopted to foster creativity and encourage out-of-the-box thinking, ensuring that the design process was not constrained by predefined parameters. 

Functional Analysis: 

Upon completion of the six individual designs, we conducted a thorough functional analysis to assess the suitability of each design for fulfilling specific requirements. Using a Pugh's matrix, we compared and evaluated the concepts against each other. Through multiple iterations of the Pugh's matrix, we systematically crafted a hybrid concept that integrated the most favorable characteristics from all six designs. This iterative process allowed us to refine and converge on a concept that optimally addressed the varied requirements identified in the earlier phases of our project. Finally, to wrap up the funtional analysis phase, we compared the new hybrid varient to the initial design to ensure that it was truely the best design. 

Concept Development: 

During the concept development phase, we conducted a comprehensive set of assessments to ensure the viability and effectiveness of our hybrid concept. These assessments included:

• Operational and Performance Compliance Test: Rigorous testing was carried out to evaluate how well the concept aligned with operational requirements and performance expectations.

• Cost Assessment: A thorough examination of the cost implications associated with the proposed concept was performed to ensure financial feasibility and efficiency.

• Risk Assessment: Utilizing a risk matrix, we systematically identified, analyzed, and prioritized potential risks associated with the concept.

With the completion of the concept development phase, our finalized design was translated into a detailed Computer-Aided Design (CAD), rendering it ready for the manufacturing stage. This crucial step marked the transition from theoretical ideation to a tangible blueprint that could be transformed into a physical prototype. 

Software skills: SolidWorks, MATLAB, Microsoft Office