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US 11,845,562 B1Granted
Auxiliary power generation and cooling systems on liquid hydrogen fueled aircraft
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsViktor Kilchyk, Debabrata Pal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power system includes a liquid hydrogen fuel source including a fuel tank containing a volume of hydrogen fuel. The fuel tank includes two or more vacuum insulation layers, and a liquid insulation material positioned between the two or more vacuum insulation layers. A first power generator located fluidly downstream of the hydrogen fuel source. The first power generator utilizes a flow of hydrogen fuel from the volume of hydrogen fuel to generate electrical or mechanical power.
Claims15
A power system, comprising:
- a liquid hydrogen fuel source including a fuel tank containing a volume of hydrogen fuel, the fuel tank including:
- two or more vacuum insulation layers;
- and
- a liquid insulation material interposed between the two or more vacuum insulation layers;
- and
- a first power generator disposed fluidly downstream of the hydrogen fuel source, the first power generator utilizing a flow of hydrogen fuel from the volume of hydrogen fuel to generate electrical or mechanical power;
- a thermal engine configured to expand the liquid insulation material into gaseous form via interaction between a heated first portion of the liquid insulation material and a second portion of the liquid insulation material;
- a heat exchanger disposed between the liquid hydrogen source and the thermal engine, the heat exchanger configured to heat the first portion of the liquid insulation material via thermal energy exchange with a relatively warm fluid;
- and
- a second power generator disposed fluidly downstream of the thermal engine, the second power generator utilizing exhaust from the thermal engine to generate electrical or mechanical power.
7 more elements
A method of operating a hydrogen fueled power system, comprising:
- providing a liquid hydrogen fuel source including a fuel tank containing a volume of hydrogen fuel, the fuel tank including:
- two or more vacuum insulation layers;
- and
- a liquid insulation material interposed between the two or more vacuum insulation layers;
- and
- flowing the hydrogen fuel from the volume of hydrogen fuel to a first power generator disposed fluidly downstream of the hydrogen fuel source;
- utilizing the flow of hydrogen fuel from the volume of hydrogen fuel to generate electrical or mechanical power;
- flowing a first portion of liquid insulation material to a heat exchanger;
- warming the first portion of liquid insulation material via thermal energy exchange with a relatively warm fluid at the heat exchanger;
- directing the warmed first portion of liquid insulation material through a thermal engine;
- injecting a second portion of liquid insulation material, cooler than the first portion, into the thermal engine;
- exhausting gaseous liquid insulation material from the thermal engine via operation of the thermal engine;
- and
- directing the exhaust gaseous liquid insulation material to a second power generator disposed fluidly downstream of the thermal engine, the second power generator utilizing the gaseous hydrogen to generate electrical or mechanical power.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.