Feasibility analysis of a supersonic aeroengine with electric power transmission

The advancement of aircraft electrification offers new potential for enhancing future propulsion systems. Yet, constrained lightweight technology continues to limit its research and application in supersonic flight. Addressing the challenges of high thrust demand and significant mass penalties associated with integrating electrical power systems under supersonic operating conditions, this study proposes and evaluates a novel Electric-Decoupled Multimode Supersonic Hybrid Turbofan configuration. The investigation focuses on elucidating the mechanisms through which this distinct architecture can enhance propulsion performance and design feasibility in extreme flight regimes. The electrical subsystem is simplified into a power transmission module, and a lumped-parameter simulation model of the engine is developed accordingly. From a steady-state thermodynamic-cycle perspective, the model quantitatively analyzes the influence of shaft decoupling on flight-envelope expansion, baseline performance improvement, and the balance between system weight and efficiency. Results show that relaxing the rotational-speed coupling constraint enables the proposed engine to significantly extend its operable flight regime beyond Mach 3. Optimization based on a reference system indicates approximately 11.7% higher thrust during takeoff, a 7.3–8.2% improvement in fuel efficiency at supersonic cruise, and an electric power output of around 10 MW. These findings suggest that, with further advances in lightweight electrical machinery, the proposed architecture could provide a foundation for future investigation into next-generation supersonic transport systems.