Drive system for a water vehicle, method for operating a drive system, and water vehicle having the drive system
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorJoachim Hoffmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive system for a water vehicle, in particular for a submarine underwater vehicle or an unmanned underwater vehicle, includes a fuel cell system, at least one operating-gas container for supplying the fuel cell system with an operating gas, and a compressor arranged on a gas discharge line for compressing a residual gas from the fuel cell system, wherein a turbine arranged between the operating-gas container and the fuel cell system is provided for expanding the operating gas before the operating gas enters the fuel cell system, where the compressor is driven by the turbine such that the energy balance of the drive system is thereby improved.
Claims23
A drive system for an underwater vehicle, comprising:
- a fuel cell system;
- at least one operating gas container for supplying the fuel cell system with an operating gas;
- a turbine arranged between the operating gas container and the fuel cell system for depressurizing the operating gas before said operating gas enters the fuel cell system;
- and
- a compressor arranged at a gas outlet for compressing a residual gas from the fuel cell system;
- wherein the compressor and the turbine have a shared transmission system;
- and
- wherein the gas outlet opens to an exterior of the underwater vehicle.
A method for operating a drive system for an underwater vehicle, the method comprising:
- depressurizing an operating gas from at least one operating gas container in a turbine;
- introducing the depressurized operating gas into a fuel cell system for combustion;
- and
- discharging residual gas from the fuel cell system after combustion of the operating gas in the fuel cell system and compressing the residual gas via a compressor;
- wherein the compressor is driven by the turbine;
- and
- wherein the compressed residual gas is routed out of the underwater vehicle.
An underwater vehicle having a drive system, the drive system comprising:
- a fuel cell system;
- at least one operating gas container for supplying the fuel cell system with an operating gas;
- a turbine arranged between the operating gas container and the fuel cell system for depressurizing the operating gas before said operating gas enters the fuel cell system;
- and
- a compressor arranged at a gas outlet for compressing a residual gas from the fuel cell system;
- wherein the compressor and the turbine have a shared transmission system;
- and
- wherein the gas outlet opens to an exterior of the underwater vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.