# US 11,444,295 B2 · Multi-stage turbocharging compressor for fuel cell systems

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- Number: US 11,444,295 B2
- Document ID: US11444295B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/798,281
- Filed: 2020-02-21
- Published: 2020-11-12
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-21
- Assignees: ZeroAvia, Inc.
- Applicants: ZeroAvia, Inc.
- Inventors: Valery Miftakhov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444295B2

## CPC

- F02C 6/20: Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for driving vehicles
- B64D 31/16: for electric power plants
- B64D 33/02: of combustion air intakes
- B64D 33/08: of power plant cooling systems
- F02C 1/02: the working fluid being an unheated pressurised gas
- F02C 6/18: using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants (using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10)
- F02C 6/206: {the vehicles being airscrew driven}
- F02C 7/36: Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H)
- H01M 8/04111: using a compressor turbine assembly
- H01M 8/04201: {Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes}
- B64D 2033/024: {comprising cooling means}
- B64D 2033/0266: {specially adapted for particular type of power plants}
- B64D 2041/005: {Fuel cells}
- F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
- F05D 2220/60: making use of surplus or waste energy
- F05D 2260/211: by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An aircraft power plant comprising novel air management features for high-power fuel cell applications, the features combine supercharging and turbocharging elements with air and hydrogen gas pathways, utilize novel airflow concepts and provide for much stronger integration of various fuel cell drive components.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of boosting power in an aircraft fuel cell system, comprising:
providing a first stage compressor and turbo assembly fed from ambient air at a pressure of less than one bar and excess oxygen from a fuel cell to produce an output of compressed air at a greater pressure than ambient air;
feeding the compressed air from the first stage and feeding oxygen from an oxygen supply into a second stage compressor and turbo assembly to produce a pure oxygen output and an output of compressed air at a pressure greater than the compressed air from the first stage;
feeding the compressed air from the second stage and feeding hydrogen from a hydrogen supply into a third stage compressor and turbo assembly to produce a pure hydrogen output and an output of compressed air at a pressure greater than the compressed air from the second stage;
combining the pure oxygen from the second stage compressor and turbo assembly and the output of compressed air from the third stage compressor and turbo assembly and feeding the combination into one side of the fuel cell; and
feeding the pure hydrogen from the third stage compressor and turbo assembly into an opposite side of the fuel cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the pressure of the pure hydrogen from the third stage is less than 10 bars.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the pressure of the hydrogen supply is about 700 bars.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the pressure of the oxygen supply is about 700 bars.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further comprising bleeding the pure oxygen output from the second stage compressor and turbo assembly prior to combining the pure oxygen with the compressed air output from the third stage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further comprising cooling the pure oxygen output from the second stage compressor and turbo assembly or the combination of pure oxygen from the second stage compressor and turbo assembly and compressed air from the third stage compressor and turbo assembly prior to feeding the one side of the fuel cell.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further comprising cooling the pure hydrogen output from the third stage compressor and turbo assembly prior to feeding the other side of the fuel cell.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further comprising regulating at least one of the turbos from the first, second or third stage compressor and turbo assemblies with a controller.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further comprising coupling a back pressure turbine to at least one of the first, second or third stage compressor and turbo assemblies to generate additional electricity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the output pressure of compressed air from the first stage compressor and turbo assembly is greater than 1 bar.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the output pressure of compressed air from the second stage compressor and turbo assembly is greater than 2 bars.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the output pressure of compressed air from the third stage compressor and turbo assembly is greater than 3 bars.