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US 9,871,260 B2Granted
Hybrid emergency power unit system
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsLubomir A. Ribarov, Leo J. Veilleux, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated hybrid emergency power system having various features is disclosed. A hybrid emergency power system may have an auxiliary power unit and an emergency power unit. The emergency power unit may have a fuel cell. The auxiliary power unit may have an engine. The emergency power unit may be connected to the auxiliary power unit by an emergency power unit efficiency improvement apparatus. In this manner, the operating efficiency of the emergency power unit may be enhanced.
Claims15
An integrated energy conversion system comprising:
- an emergency power unit comprising a fuel cell having an electrical power output and a water waste output, wherein the electrical power output of the fuel cell is in electronic communication with an aircraft electrical bus;
- and
- an emergency power unit efficiency improvement apparatus comprising a heat exchanger, a first tubing adapted to permit water to be conveyed from the fuel cell to an auxiliary power unit, and a bypass valve, the heat exchanger in fluidic communication with the emergency power unit,
- wherein a water waste output is configured to release the water from the fuel cell, the water waste output is in fluidic communication with the first tubing, a fluidic interconnection between the water waste output of the emergency power unit and the auxiliary power unit, wherein the fluidic interconnection is configured to inject the water into an inlet of a compressor of an engine of the auxiliary power unit;
- wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat compressed air and supply the compressed air to an inlet of the emergency power unit, wherein the compressed air is uncombusted, wherein the bypass valve is configured to selectively bypass the heat exchanger and connect directly to an oxygen input of the emergency power unit.
2 more elements
An integrated energy conversion system comprising:
- an emergency power unit comprising a fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell comprises an electrical power output, an oxygen input, and a water waste output, wherein the electrical power output of the fuel cell is in electronic communication with an aircraft electrical bus;
- an auxiliary power unit comprising an engine and a generator, wherein the engine is configured to drive the generator to produce electrical power, wherein the engine comprises a bleed air output for pressurized air, wherein a water input of the auxiliary power unit is in fluid communication with the water waste output of the fuel cell, wherein an electrical power output of the auxiliary power unit is in electronic communication with the aircraft electrical bus;
- and
- an emergency power unit efficiency improvement apparatus comprising a heat exchanger and a bypass valve, the heat exchanger in fluidic communication with the emergency power unit and the auxiliary power unit, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to conduct an exhaust stream leaving the engine from a waste output of the engine to an exhaust sink and warm the pressurized air entering the oxygen input of the fuel cell from the bleed air output of the engine, wherein the pressurized air is uncombusted,
- wherein the bypass valve is configured to selectively bypass the heat exchanger and connect directly to the oxygen input;
- wherein the emergency power unit efficiency improvement apparatus comprises a first tubing configured to convey water from the fuel cell to the engine, wherein the water waste output is in fluidic communication with the first tubing of the emergency power unit efficiency improvement apparatus, and wherein the first tubing is configured to convey the water from the emergency power unit to the auxiliary power unit and inject the water into an inlet of a compressor of the auxiliary power unit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.