Hybrid propulsion system for a gas turbine engine including a fuel cell
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorMohammed El Hacin Sennoun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aeronautical propulsion system including a turbine engine having a fan and an electric motor drivingly coupled to at least one of the fan or the turbine engine. The aeronautical propulsion system additionally includes a fuel cell for providing electrical energy to the electric motor, the fuel cell generating water as a byproduct. The aeronautical portion system directs the water generated by the fuel cell to the turbine engine during operation to improve an efficiency of the aeronautical propulsion system.
Claims20
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a core turbine engine including a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, wherein the compressor section includes a first compressor and a second compressor, the second compressor located downstream of the first compressor, and wherein the compressor section, the combustion section, and the turbine section together define at least in part a core air flowpath;
- a fan mechanically coupled via a fan gearbox to the core turbine engine;
- an electric motor mechanically coupled to at least one of the core turbine engine via a power gearbox and the fan via the fan gearbox, the fan gearbox located upstream of the power gearbox, and the power gearbox directly mechanically coupled to a core turbine engine shaft;
- and
- a fuel cell for providing electrical energy to the electric motor, the fuel cell generating water as a byproduct, the gas turbine engine directing the water generated by the fuel cell to the core air flowpath of the core turbine engine at a location between the first compressor and the second compressor.
An aeronautical propulsion system including a turbine engine, the turbine engine including a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section and defining a core air flowpath, the compressor section including a first compressor and a second compressor, the second compressor located downstream of the first compressor, the system comprising:
- a fan coupled to the turbine engine via a fan gearbox, the fan gearbox upstream of a power gearbox, and the power gearbox directly mechanically coupled to a turbine engine shaft;
- an electric motor drivingly coupled to said fan via the fan gearbox;
- and
- a fuel cell for providing electrical energy to said electric motor, said fuel cell generating water as a byproduct, the aeronautical propulsion system directing the water generated by said fuel cell to the core air flowpath of the turbine engine at a location between the first compressor and the second compressor.
A method of operating an aeronautical propulsion system including a fan, a turbine engine, an electric motor, and a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- providing mechanical power to at least one of the turbine engine or the fan with the electric motor coupled to the at least one of the turbine engine via a power gearbox or the fan via a fan gearbox, the fan gearbox upstream of the power gearbox, and the power gearbox directly mechanically coupled to a turbine engine shaft;
- providing electrical energy to the electric motor with the fuel cell;
- generating water with the fuel cell as a byproduct of producing electrical energy;
- and
- providing the water generated with the fuel cell to the turbine engine of the aeronautical propulsion system, wherein providing the water generated with the fuel cell to the turbine engine of the aeronautical propulsion system comprises providing the water generated with the fuel cell to a core air flowpath of the turbine engine at a location between a first compressor and a second compressor of a compressor section of the turbine engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.