Power system for more electric aircraft

A method of providing power to one or more loads on an aircraft, the aircraft comprising power system, the power system comprising a first fuel cell configured to provide a base power, a second fuel cell configured to provide a peak power, and an energy storage device configured to provide a transient power, the peak power comprising a power exceeding the base power, the transient power comprising a power exceeding the peak power, the method comprising:

• determining, by one or more controllers, a power demand for the one or more loads on the aircraft;
• determining, by the one or more controllers, one or more selected power sources from the power system needed to meet the power demand;
• and
• controlling, by the one or more controllers, the one or more selected power sources to provide power to the one or more loads on the aircraft;
• wherein the first fuel cell comprises a solid oxide fuel cell or a molten carbonate fuel cell;
• wherein the second fuel cell comprises a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, an alkaline fuel cell, a phosphoric acid fuel cell, or a direct methanol fuel cell;
• and
• wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery, a capacitor, or a supercapacitor.

An aircraft, comprising:

• a fuselage;
• one or more wing assemblies;
• at least one engine configured for propulsion of the aircraft;
• a power system, comprising:
• a first fuel cell configured to provide base power to one or more loads on the aircraft, the first fuel cell comprising a solid oxide fuel cell or a molten carbonate fuel cell, the one or more loads comprising one or more high voltage, low voltage, or AC loads;
• a second fuel cell configured to provide peak power to the one or more loads on the aircraft, wherein the peak power comprises power exceeding the base power, the second fuel cell comprising a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, an alkaline fuel cell, a phosphoric acid fuel cell, or a direct methanol fuel cell;
• an energy storage device configured to provide transient power to the one or more loads on the aircraft, wherein the transient power comprises power exceeding the peak power, the energy storage device comprising a battery, a capacitor, or a supercapacitor;
• and
• a controller configured to control delivery of power from the first fuel cell, the second fuel cell, and the energy storage device to the one or more loads on the aircraft.