Electrically Powered Fan Units For Hydrogen Fueled Aircraft And System Using Same
AssigneeJoby Aero, Inc.
InventorsGregor Veble Mikic, JoeBen Bevirt, Robert Gulliver Lynn, Alex Stoll
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Abstract
A thrust unit for an aircraft with a hydrogen fuel system. The aircraft may utilize compressors to compress air to a sufficiently high pressure for the fuel cell. Liquid hydrogen is compressed and then utilized in heat exchangers to cool the compressed air, maintaining the air at a temperature low enough for the fuel cell. The thrust unit may be an electrically powered fan unit with a fan within a fan tube. The fan tube may include air inlets for the fuel cell system, as well as outlets for exhaust from the fuel cell system. The fan tube may contain heat exchangers which are part of the fuel cell thermodynamic system.
Claims20
A hydrogen fueled aircraft, said aircraft comprising:
- a hydrogen powered fuel cell system;
- an electrically powered fan unit, said electrically powered fan unit electrically coupled to said hydrogen powered fuel cell system, said electrically powered fan unit comprising:
- a fan tube, said fan tube defining an airflow passage, said fan tube having a forward end and a rearward end;
- a fan, said fan within said fan tube;
- and
- an electric motor, said electric motor coupled to said fan.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.