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.
Claims21
An aircraft comprising:
- 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;
- wherein 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;
- and wherein the first and/or second end is moveable in the axial direction of the hydrogen fuel line.
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuel tank for storing liquid hydrogen;
- 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 the aircraft refuelling port;
- wherein the hydrogen fuel line comprises a first fuel pipe configured to convey liquid hydrogen from the aircraft refuelling port to the fuel tank, and a second fuel pipe surrounding the first fuel pipe and configured to convey gases from the fuel tank to the aircraft refuelling port.
An aircraft refuelling port for delivering liquid hydrogen to a hydrogen fuel tank and recovering gases expelled from the hydrogen fuel tank, the refuelling port configured to attach to a hydrogen refuelling hose on a first side and attach to a hydrogen fuel line on a second side,
- the refuelling 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.
A method of refuelling an aircraft, comprising:
- coupling a hydrogen refuelling hose to an aircraft refuelling port, the refuelling 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;
- 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.