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US 12,759,724 B2Granted
Hydrogen fuel system for aircraft
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorSubrata Sarkar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft is configured to provide hydrogen fuel to the engines for propulsion. The fuel system also may provide hydrogen fuel to a fuel cell arrangement to generate electricity for use on the aircraft. The fuel cell arrangement may be selectively coupled to the feed lines for the engines. A ventilation system regulates the pressure within the one or more fuel tanks and the feed lines. The ventilation system can vent hydrogen vapor to atmosphere or can transfer hydrogen vapor between the fuel tanks and the fuel cell arrangement. A jet pump and accumulator may pull vapor from the feed lines as needed.
Claims21
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft, the hydrogen fuel system comprising:
- a fuel tank configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state;
- a boost pump arrangement disposed within the fuel tank;
- an engine feeder sub-system including a feed line connecting the boost pump arrangement to a high pressure pump disposed at an engine of the aircraft, the high pressure pump directing fuel from the feed line to a first heat exchanger and then to a fuel injector, the first heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a supercritical liquid state;
- a fuel cell sub-system including a fuel cell arrangement and a second heat exchanger upstream of the fuel cell arrangement, the second heat exchanger being coupled to the feed line of the engine feeder sub-system, the second heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a gaseous state;
- and
- wherein the fuel cell arrangement connects to the fuel tank via a fuel cell line of the fuel cell sub-system and a tank pressurization line separate from the feed line.
3 more elements
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft, the hydrogen fuel system comprising:
- a fuel tank configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state;
- a boost pump arrangement disposed within the fuel tank;
- an engine feeder sub-system including a feed line connecting the boost pump arrangement to a high pressure pump disposed at an engine of the aircraft, the high pressure pump directing fuel from the feed line to a first heat exchanger and then to a fuel injector, the first heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a supercritical liquid state;
- a fuel cell sub-system including a fuel cell arrangement and a second heat exchanger upstream of the fuel cell arrangement, the second heat exchanger being coupled to the feed line of the engine feeder sub-system, the second heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a gaseous state;
- and
- a jet pump having a first input connected to an accumulator, a second input connected to the feed line, and an output connected to the fuel cell sub-system, the jet pump configured to suck hydrogen vapor from the feed line and to direct the sucked hydrogen vapor to the fuel cell sub-system.
3 more elements
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft, the hydrogen fuel system comprising:
- a fuel tank configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state;
- a boost pump arrangement disposed within the fuel tank;
- an engine feeder sub-system including a feed line connecting the boost pump arrangement to a high pressure pump disposed at an engine of the aircraft, the high pressure pump directing fuel from the feed line to a first heat exchanger and then to a fuel injector, the first heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a supercritical liquid state;
- and
- a fuel cell sub-system including a fuel cell arrangement and a second heat exchanger upstream of the fuel cell arrangement, the second heat exchanger being coupled to the feed line of the engine feeder sub-system, the second heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a gaseous state;
- wherein the fuel tank is a first fuel tank, the boost pump arrangement is a first boost pump arrangement, the feed line is a first feed line, the high pressure pump is a first high pressure pump, and the engine is a first engine;
- wherein the hydrogen fuel system further comprises a second fuel tank, a second boost pump arrangement at the second fuel tank, and a second feed line extending from the second boost pump arrangement to a second high pressure tank at a second engine of the aircraft;
- and wherein the first and second feed lines are selectively isolated from each other at a crossfeed valve.
5 more elements
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft, the hydrogen fuel system comprising:
- a fuel tank configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state;
- a boost pump arrangement disposed within the fuel tank;
- an engine feeder sub-system including a feed line connecting the boost pump arrangement to a high pressure pump disposed at an engine of the aircraft, the high pressure pump directing fuel from the feed line to a first heat exchanger and then to a fuel injector, the first heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a supercritical liquid state;
- and
- a fuel cell sub-system including a fuel cell arrangement and a second heat exchanger upstream of the fuel cell arrangement, the second heat exchanger being coupled to the feed line of the engine feeder sub-system, the second heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a gaseous state;
- wherein the fuel tank is a first fuel tank, the boost pump arrangement is a first boost pump arrangement, the feed line is a first feed line, the high pressure pump is a first high pressure pump, and the engine is a first engine;
- wherein the hydrogen fuel system further comprises a second fuel tank, a second boost pump arrangement at the second fuel tank, and a second feed line extending from the second boost pump arrangement to a second high pressure tank at a second engine of the aircraft;
- and wherein the second heat exchanger of the fuel cell sub-system also being coupled to the second feed line.
5 more elements
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft, the hydrogen fuel system comprising:
- a first fuel tank configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state;
- a second fuel tank;
- a boost pump arrangement disposed within the first fuel tank;
- an engine feeder sub-system including a feed line connecting the boost pump arrangement to a high pressure pump disposed at an engine of the aircraft, the high pressure pump directing fuel from the feed line to a first heat exchanger and then to a fuel injector, the first heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a supercritical liquid state;
- a fuel cell sub-system including a fuel cell arrangement and a second heat exchanger upstream of the fuel cell arrangement, the second heat exchanger being coupled to the feed line of the engine feeder sub-system, the second heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a gaseous state;
- and
- a ventilation sub-system including a ventilation line, wherein the ventilation line extends between respective pressure regulators at the first and second fuel tanks and a port to atmosphere.
4 more elements
A hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft, the hydrogen fuel system comprising:
- a first fuel tank configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state;
- a second fuel tank;
- a boost pump arrangement disposed within the first fuel tank;
- an engine feeder sub-system including a feed line connecting the boost pump arrangement to a high pressure pump disposed at an engine of the aircraft, the high pressure pump directing fuel from the feed line to a first heat exchanger and then to a fuel injector, the first heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a supercritical liquid state;
- a fuel cell sub-system including a fuel cell arrangement and a second heat exchanger upstream of the fuel cell arrangement, the second heat exchanger being coupled to the feed line of the engine feeder sub-system, the second heat exchanger being configured to heat the hydrogen to a gaseous state;
- and
- a tank pressurization line extending between the first fuel tank and a fuel line of the fuel cell sub-system separate from the feed line, the tank pressurization line being in communication with hydrogen vapor within the fuel tank, the fuel line being disposed downstream of the second heat exchanger and upstream of the fuel cell arrangement,
- wherein a first shutoff valve selectively isolates the first fuel tank from the fuel line and a second shutoff valve selectively isolates the second fuel tank from the fuel line.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.