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US 2025/0206451 A1Published application
High-Efficiency, Zero-Emission Aluminum-Based Power Generation System and Method for Vehicle
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsLu Yang, Charles Aguilar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Highly efficient apparatuses and systems comprise power generation systems including energy derived from an aluminum/water reactor in line with fuel cell electricity generation, with hydrogen and water produced at system stages and recirculated and re-used through the system in combination with waste heat reclamation increasing system efficiency and sustainability for powering vehicle propulsion needs.
Claims27
A system for zero-emission propulsion for a vehicle, said system comprising:
- an aluminum/water reaction assembly, said aluminum/water reaction assembly comprising:
- an aluminum/water reactor configured to react an aluminum-containing reactant from an aluminum-containing reactant source with a water reactant from a water reactant source to form an aluminum-containing reaction product, and a hydrogen-containing gas mixture;
- an aluminum-containing reaction product collector;
- a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with at least one of the aluminum/water reactor and the aluminum-containing reaction product collector;
- a mechanical assembly in communication with the hydrogen-containing gas mixture;
- a fuel cell assembly in communication with the aluminum/water reactor, said fuel cell assembly comprising:
- a fuel cell configured to react an amount of hydrogen-containing gas mixture from the aluminum/water reactor with an amount of oxygen directed to the fuel cell to form electricity and a water byproduct;
- a second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fuel cell;
- and
- an electrically-powered motor in communication with the fuel cell.
7 more elements
A method for powering a vehicle via onboard-generated electricity from a zero-emission power generation system, the method comprising:
- reacting in an aluminum/water reactor an amount of aluminum-containing reactant from an aluminum-containing reactant source with an amount of water reactant from at least one of an initial water source and recirculated water to form a hydrogen-containing gas mixture and an aluminum-containing reaction product;
- directing the hydrogen-containing gas mixture from the aluminum/water reactor at a temperature ranging from about 350° C. to about 700° C. and at a pressure ranging from about 300 psi to about 3000 psi to a mechanical assembly;
- directing hydrogen from the mechanical assembly to a fuel cell, said fuel cell comprising at least one fuel cell inlet and at least one fuel cell outlet;
- reacting in the fuel cell at least one of hydrogen from the mechanical assembly and recirculated hydrogen with atmospheric air in a fuel cell reaction to generate water and electricity from the zero-emission power generation system;
- directing electricity from the fuel cell to power a motor, said motor in electrical communication with the fuel cell;
- directing water produced in the fuel cell from the fuel cell as the recirculated water to the aluminum/water reactor;
- harvesting waste heat from the aluminum/water reaction in a first heat exchanger, said first heat exchanger in communication with at least one of the aluminum/water reactor and the aluminum-containing reaction product collector, said first heat exchanger configured to heat the water reactant directed to the aluminum/water reactor;
- and
- harvesting waste heat from heated air produced from the fuel cell reaction in a second heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger in communication with the fuel cell.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.