Environmental control system with liquid hydrogen fuel vaporization for a combustion engine

An environmental control system for an aircraft with a combustion engine that burns hydrogen fuel, the system comprising:

• a fuel storage tank for holding liquid hydrogen fuel;
• a heat exchanger comprising:
• a cold side flow path through the heat exchanger downstream from the fuel storage tank;
• a first heat exchanger compartment in an upstream portion of the cold side flow path and including a first hot side flow path, wherein exhaust gas extracted from the engine moves through the first hot side flow path to heat the hydrogen fuel in the cold side flow path;
• a second heat exchanger compartment directly downstream from the first heat exchanger compartment in the cold side flow path and including a second hot side flow path;
• and
• a third heat exchanger compartment directly downstream from the second heat exchanger compartment in the cold side flow path and including a third hot side flow path;
• a first rotary machine comprising:
• a first compressor section upstream from the third hot side flow path through the heat exchanger, the first compressor section including a first compressor impeller;
• a first shaft mechanically tied to the first compressor impeller;
• and
• a first motor connected to the first shaft to rotate the first compressor impeller;
• a first turbine section including a first turbine impeller connected to the first shaft, wherein the first turbine impeller is downstream from the cold side flow path through the heat exchanger and captures energy from the gaseous hydrogen fuel to drive rotation of the first compressor section;
• wherein hot compressed air from the first compressor section moves through the third hot side flow path in the heat exchanger, and wherein heat from the compressed air is transferred to the hydrogen fuel in the cold side flow path of the heat exchanger;
• and
• a second rotary machine comprising:
• a second compressor section downstream from the first compressor section and upstream from the second hot side flow path through the heat exchanger, the second compressor section including a second compressor impeller;
• a second shaft connected to the second compressor impeller;
• and
• a second motor connected to the second shaft to rotate the second compressor impeller;
• wherein hot compressed air from the second compressor section moves through the second hot side flow path in the heat exchanger, and wherein heat from the compressed air is transferred to the hydrogen fuel in the cold side flow path of the heat exchanger, and further wherein the hydrogen fuel exits the cold side flow path through the heat exchanger as a gas.

An environmental control system for an aircraft with a combustion engine that burns hydrogen fuel, the system comprising:

• a fuel storage tank for holding liquid hydrogen fuel;
• a heat exchanger comprising:
• a cold side flow path through the heat exchanger downstream from the fuel storage tank;
• a first heat exchanger compartment in an upstream portion of the cold side flow path and including a first hot side flow path, wherein exhaust gas extracted from the engine moves through the first hot side flow path to heat the hydrogen fuel in the cold side flow path;
• a second heat exchanger compartment directly downstream from the first heat exchanger compartment in the cold side flow path and including a second hot side flow path;
• and
• a third heat exchanger compartment directly downstream from the second heat exchanger compartment in the cold side flow path and including a third hot side flow path;
• a first rotary machine comprising:
• a first compressor section upstream from the third hot side flow path through the heat exchanger, the first compressor section including a first compressor impeller;
• a first shaft mechanically tied to the first compressor impeller;
• and
• a first motor connected to the first shaft to rotate the first compressor impeller;
• wherein hot compressed air from the first compressor section moves through the third hot side flow path in the heat exchanger, and wherein heat from the compressed air is transferred to the hydrogen fuel in the cold side flow path of the heat exchanger, and
• a second rotary machine comprising:
• a second compressor section downstream from the first compressor section and upstream from the second hot side flow path through the heat exchanger, the second compressor section including a second compressor impeller;
• a second shaft connected to the second compressor impeller;
• and
• a second motor connected to the second shaft to rotate the second compressor impeller;
• a second turbine section including a second turbine impeller connected to the second shaft, wherein the second turbine impeller is downstream from a pressurized aircraft cabin, and wherein the second turbine impeller captures energy from pressurized air exiting the pressurized space to drive rotation of the second shaft and the second compressor impeller;
• and
• wherein hot compressed air from the second compressor section moves through the second hot side flow path in the heat exchanger, and wherein heat from the compressed air is transferred to the hydrogen fuel in the cold side flow path of the heat exchanger.