Modeling and Performance Analysis of a Hybrid-Electric Open fan Engine for Sustainable Aviation

With the increasing demand for more efficient and environmentally friendly propulsion systems in aviation, the development of hybrid-electric open rotor engines has become crucial. This study employs a component-level modeling approach to construct a simulation model for a hybrid-electric open-rotor engine. The model incorporates the following innovative features: simplifying the open rotor as a propeller structure, obtaining efficiency and power coefficients from characteristic maps based on advance ratio and pitch angle parameters; utilizing an electric motor to achieve decoupled power regulation on the low-pressure spool; and decoupling the rotational speeds of the fan and low-pressure compressor through a gearbox. Simulation results demonstrate that under typical cruise conditions, adjusting the pitch angle and motor power can significantly reduce the engine’s specific fuel consumption while optimizing the operating point on the compressor characteristic map, effectively mitigating the risk of surge. The research confirms that the proposed hybrid-electric open fan engine architecture exhibits strong technical feasibility and promising application prospects.