Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion System As a Future Replacement for Turbofan Engines

The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the possibility of standard turbofan engine replacement by the turboelectric distributed propulsion system, in future commercial aviation. Paper describes how the distributed propulsion allows to reach significantly greater propulsive efficiency than state-of-the-art high bypass turbofan engines, and presents turboelectric system as the only practical method of distributed propulsion implementation. However, since extra weight of the electric components that would be added can overcome the high propulsive efficiency benefit, a detailed analysis is needed to verify the feasibility of such system. This article shows results of such analysis that was conducted for 90 PAX class regional jet. Thermodynamic cycle calculations, performed for both, turbofan engine and turboelectric distributed propulsion are presented. They prove that distributed propulsion is able to provide great reduction in fuel consumption of uninstalled propulsion system, while performed mission analysis depicts the penalty of extra mass of electric appliances, showing actual profits that are achievable. On this example, advantages and disadvantages of the turboelectric distributed propulsion system in comparison with modern turbofan engines are discuss, taking into account the potential technological development of turbofan engine and additional non-propulsive benefits that turboelectric system is able to provide. Finally, this document also presents mass estimations for different scenarios of electric appliances evolution, which highlight the technology levels that need to be achieved before the system can be introduced in commercial service.