Aircraft
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorNebojsa Sakota
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft is disclosed including a fuel tank for storing liquid hydrogen, an aircraft power plant and/or an aircraft refuelling port, and a hydrogen fuel line extending from a first end to a second end, the first end at the fuel tank and the second end at one of the aircraft power plant and the aircraft refuelling port. The hydrogen fuel line is rigidly continuous and substantially unconstrained along an axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line between the first end and the second end. The first and/or second end is moveable in the axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line.
Claims20
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuel tank for storing liquid hydrogen;
- an aircraft power plant and/or an aircraft refueling port;
- and
- a hydrogen fuel line extending from a first end to a second end, the first end at the fuel tank and the second end at one of the aircraft power plant and the aircraft refueling port, wherein the hydrogen fuel line is coupled near the first end to the fuel tank, and wherein hydrogen fuel line is coupled near the second end to one of the aircraft power plant and the aircraft refueling port;
- wherein the hydrogen fuel line is rigidly continuous and substantially unconstrained along an axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line along a full length of the hydrogen fuel line between the first end and the second end;
- and
- wherein the first and/or second end of the hydrogen fuel line is configured to move in the axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line.
A method of refueling an aircraft, comprising:
- coupling a hydrogen refueling hose to an aircraft refueling port, the refueling port comprising a first fuel port section configured to convey liquid hydrogen towards a hydrogen fuel tank, and a second fuel port section surrounding the first fuel port section and configured to convey gases away from the hydrogen fuel tank, wherein a first and/or second end of the hydrogen fuel line is configured to move in the axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line;
- delivering liquid hydrogen fuel through the first fuel port section to a hydrogen fuel tank of the aircraft;
- and
- recovering gases expelled from the hydrogen fuel tank through the second fuel port section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.