Design methodology for a PEM fuel cell power system in a more electrical aircraft

Results pointed out the advantages of the PEM fuel cell application in a more electric aircraft; as a matter of fact for assigned mission requirements, according to the specifications defined in the Long Endurance Demonstrator (LED) project promoted by CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Centre), the specific energy of the designed power system results to be equal to 0.51 kW h/kg. This value is very interesting if compared to the specific energy of commercial LiPo batteries characterized by 0.2 kW h/kg.