A dynamic model of a Hybrid Electric Propulsive System for degradation assessment

The present study proposes a model for the simulation of the steady-state and transient behaviors of a Hybrid Electric Propulsive System (HEPS), in presence of several forms and degrees of performance degradation. The power system, which is made of a turboshaft engine coupled with an electric power source is intended for urban air mobility applications. The proposed model encompasses the capability of modeling battery aging effects, and, consequently, updating the performance of the system with battery life. Moreover, the versatility of the proposed model makes it suitable for the analysis of the dynamic behavior of the system, for example in presence of small perturbations around predefined operational settings or following a known mission profile. In this investigation the model is applied to the test of the HEPS under different operating conditions with different degradation criteria, affecting both the thermal and the electric drive with different levels of severity. The application of the model allowed the generation of relevant information concerning the propulsive system state of health which will be processed with the employment of machine learning algorithms in an accompanying paper.