Development of a CFD model and methodology for the internal flow simulation in a hydrogen-powered UAV

Sammanfattning: In the context of an aviation industry whose top priority is to face the sustainability challenge, the growing civil UAV branch is not an exception. Hydrogen-powered UAVs equipped with PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) fuel cells are more and more frequently identified as the most convincing and promising technology, particularly for long-endurance mission requirements. However, the onboard carriage of a hydrogen fuel cell leads to unexplored internal flow characteristics, including the introduction of water vapour. The purpose of this master thesis is to develop a valid CFD model and methodology for the internal flow simulation of hydrogen-powered UAVs. Given the strict environmental operational requirements of PEM fuel cells, the intended application of the model is to effectively assess the evolution of the internal bay flow temperature and humidity fields. An explicit-time fourth-order Runge-Kutta projection method is tested successfully on a sample 2D case setup. The case geometry and flow conditions are inspired by the Green Raven UAV project conceived by the Department of Aeronautical and Vehicle Engineering at KTH.