1303results about "Fuel systems for specific fuels" patented technology

An aircraft thermal management system comprising a high temperature loop and a low temperature loop. The high temperature loop is configured to manage a temperature of a fuel cell stack in a nacelle using a nacelle heat exchanger. The low temperature loop is configured to cool a number of heat loads in a nacelle using a heat capacity of liquid hydrogen.

The application provides an autonomous refueling vehicle for a hydrogen-electric aircraft, which includes two or more wings. The wings are provided with one or more removable electric propulsion pods. The autonomous refueling vehicle includes a hydrogen refueling module adapted to connect to the propulsion pods and to a hydrogen source. The autonomous refueling vehicle includes also includes a propulsion pod handling device, which is adapted to remove the propulsion pod from the wings and to position the propulsion pods on the hydrogen refueling module such that the propulsion pods are connected to the hydrogen refueling module. The autonomous refueling vehicle is also adapted to autonomously move itself to the hydrogen source to allow the hydrogen refueling module to removably connect to the hydrogen source for refueling of the propulsion pods.

A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a combustor having a combustion chamber and a plurality of fuel spray nozzles configured to inject fuel into the combustion chamber. The fuel spray nozzles have a first subset of fuel spray nozzles and a second subset of fuel spray nozzles. The combustor is operable in a condition in which the first subset of fuel spray nozzles are supplied with more fuel than the second subset of fuel spray nozzles. A ratio of the number of fuel spray nozzles in the first subset of fuel spray nozzles to the number of fuel spray nozzles in the second subset of fuel spray nozzles is in the range of 1:2 to 1:5. The method includes providing a fuel to the plurality of fuel spray nozzles having a calorific value of at least 43.5 MJ / kg. A gas turbine engine can be for an aircraft.

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods for leak detection and mitigation for hydrogen fueled aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes machine readable instructions, and programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to determine a hydrogen concentration threshold for a location within an undercowl of an engine of an aircraft, based on an engine condition of the aircraft, determine, based on an output of a hydrogen concentration sensor within the undercowl, a hydrogen concentration at the location, compare the hydrogen concentration to the hydrogen concentration threshold, and conduct a mitigation action in the hydrogen fuel distribution system based on the comparison of the hydrogen concentration and the hydrogen concentration threshold.

An aircraft comprises a fuselage; wings; engines connected to the wings; a set of liquid hydrogen tanks; a vent located on the tail on the fuselage; a conduit system connecting the liquid hydrogen tanks to the vent; and a controller. The controller is configured to control the conduit system to remove gaseous hydrogen in the set of liquid hydrogen tanks to travel through the conduit system and exit at the vent in response to pressure in the set of liquid hydrogen tanks being greater than a specified tolerance.

A fuel conditioning system configured to supply an aircraft turbomachine with fuel from a cryogenic tank. The conditioning system comprising a primary heat exchanger designed to heat the fuel flow to at least one primary temperature, and at least one secondary heat exchanger, mounted downstream of the primary heat exchanger, designed to heat the fuel flow to at least one secondary temperature higher than the primary-temperature, the primary heat exchanger being configured to extract calories in the fuel flow that is at least at the secondary temperature.

The present disclosure relates to hydrogen pumping systems for pumping hydrogen from a fuel tank (where the hydrogen is stored as liquid hydrogen LH2) to a power generation device at which the hydrogen is used as fuel. The pumping systems include features providing system redundancy, effective heat exchange for warming the hydrogen, gas turbine air bleed cooling, component cooling and removal of hydrogen gas.

An aircraft conditioning system including: a fuel inlet (2) to a fuel conduit (3), an engine (4), a first heat exchanger (6) connected to a power unit outlet (5) of the engine, a first portion (3.1) of the fuel conduit (3) connecting the fuel inlet (2) to a fuel inlet (6.3) of the first heat exchanger (6) and a second portion (3.2) connecting a fuel outlet (6.4) of the first heat exchanger (6) to an inlet (4.1) of the engine (4), a heater (7) converting liquid fuel in the fuel conduit (3) to a low temperature gas form, a bypass conduit (8) connecting the first and second portions (3.1, 3.2) wherein the first heat exchanger (6) transfers heat from exhaust gases of the power unit outlet (5) to fuel of the fuel conduit (3).

An aircraft cooling system comprises an evaporator, condenser, an accumulator, and a pump system. The evaporator is configured to cool a set of heat loads in an aircraft using a liquid. The liquid forms a vapor in response to cooling the set of heat loads. The condenser is configured to receive the vapor from the evaporator and cool the vapor in which cooling the vapor forms the liquid. The accumulator is configured to receive the liquid from the condenser and store the liquid. The pump system is configured to pump the liquid stored in the accumulator to the evaporator.

The invention discloses a hydrogen fuel cell unmanned aerial vehicle hydrogen cylinder positioning device which comprises a front fixing plate, a rear fixing plate is installed on the rear portion of the front fixing plate through a connecting rod, a tightening sliding groove is formed in the surface of the front fixing plate, and a tightening sliding bolt is embedded in the tightening sliding groove. A tightening supporting rod is installed below the tightening sliding bolt through a bolt, a tightening sliding plate is slightly attached to the outer side of the tightening supporting rod, a tightening sliding plate is installed on the inner surface of the rear fixing plate through a tightening supporting block, a tightening protection plate is welded to one end of the tightening supporting rod, and a tightening wheel is installed in the tightening protection plate through a bearing; an adjusting sliding groove is formed in the surface of the front fixing plate, and an adjusting moving bolt is embedded in the adjusting sliding groove. By means of the supporting legs, the hydrogen cylinder support, the gas guide structure and the downward pressing top seat, the problems that according to an existing hydrogen fuel cell unmanned aerial vehicle hydrogen cylinder positioning device, the hydrogen cylinder is still installed at the upper position, the flight stability of an unmanned aerial vehicle is likely to be affected, the hydrogen cylinder is unstable after being installed and likely to shake in the flight process, and the unmanned aerial vehicle cannot work easily are solved. And rapid mounting and dismounting are not convenient.

Heat exchangers for cryogenic fuel distribution systems and related methods are disclosed herein. An example aircraft disclosed herein includes a cryogenic fuel system including a cryogenic fuel, a hydraulic system including a hydraulic fluid, a gas turbine engine fluidly coupled to the cryogenic fuel system, and a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the cryogenic fuel system, the heat exchanger is used to exchange heat between the cryogenic fuel and at least one of (1) hydraulic fluid or (2) working fluid thermally coupled to the hydraulic system.

A hydrogen supply assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a storage housing, a hydrogen supply component, and a leak detection system. The storage housing surrounds and forms a storage plenum. The hydrogen supply component is disposed within the storage housing coincident with the storage plenum. The leak detection system includes an interior pressure sensor, an exterior pressure sensor, and a controller. The interior pressure sensor is connected in fluid communication with the storage plenum. The exterior pressure sensor is connected in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere outside the storage housing. The controller is configured to determine a differential pressure between the storage plenum and the ambient atmosphere with the interior pressure sensor and the exterior pressure sensor and identify a presence or an absence of hydrogen leakage from the hydrogen supply component to the storage plenum by comparing the determined differential pressure to a first differential pressure threshold.

A fuel cell system configured to provide electrical power to an electrical motor producing propulsive thrust for an aircraft includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks radially arranged about a central cavity. Fuel cell plates within each of the fuel cell stacks are oriented such that major surfaces of the fuel cell plates are parallel to an airflow created by the aircraft as it moves through the air. The fuel cell system further includes a plurality of cooling devices disposed in radial cavities located between at least two fuel cell stacks in the plurality of fuel cell stacks.

The invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen energy aviation, and discloses a hydrogen energy aviation fuel storage-supply system and method based on solid hydrogen storage, and the hydrogen energy aviation fuel storage-supply system and method based on solid hydrogen storage are characterized in that the hydrogen release amount adjusting range of a hydrogen storage material is matched with the hydrogen fuel demand adjusting range of a power device by adjusting the hydrogen release catalytic reaction environment temperature of the solid hydrogen storage material; by adopting the pressure stabilizing device, the problem of flow and pressure fluctuation caused by hysteresis of hydrogen release adjustment is solved, and hydrogen release flow adjustment and engine throttling control can be carried out through the thrust rod.

An aircraft power plant, has: an air mover for propelling an aircraft; an electric motor drivingly engaged with the air mover; a gas turbine engine having a compressor for pressurizing air, a combustor in which the pressurised air is mixed with fuel and ignited for generating combustion gases, and a turbine for extracting energy from the combustion gases; and a hydrogen fuel cell operatively connected to the electric motor for powering the electric motor with electricity generated by the hydrogen fuel cell, the hydrogen fuel cell operable to generate electricity using the air from the compressor and hydrogen from a source of hydrogen.

A fuel system for a hydrogen fueled gas turbine engine comprises a main hydrogen fuel storage unit configured to store liquid hydrogen. The main fuel storage unit comprises an ullage space configured to store ullage fluid comprising gaseous or supercritical hydrogen. The system further comprises a liquid hydrogen drain line configured to provide liquid hydrogen from the main hydrogen fuel storage unit to a fuel conduit, the fuel conduit being configured to supply hydrogen fuel to a combustor of the gas turbine engine. A priming line is provided, which is configured to provide ullage fluid to the fuel conduit, and a priming valve is configured to selectively control flow through the priming line.

System and associated methods relate to detecting and responding to hydrogen leakage in an aircraft. The system includes a hydrogen tank and a fuel pipeline surrounded by an enclosed chamber. The system further includes one or more vacuum pumps fluidly coupled to the enclosed chamber to create the control volume vacuum. The system further includes vacuum sensors mounted within the control volume vacuum, configured to sense a vacuum pressure value. The system further includes hydrogen detectors fluidly connected downstream of the one or more vacuum pumps, configured to sense the hydrogen concentration of the exhaust from the one or more vacuum pumps. The system further includes a controller and an emergency vacuum. The controller is configured to evaluate whether an emergency hydrogen leak condition exists based upon the vacuum pressure value and the hydrogen concentration. The controller can then open a valve to operate emergency vacuum if necessary.

Disclosed is an aircraft 1 which comprises a fuselage 20 and, installed therein, at least one fuel tank 10. The fuel tank 10 has a tank wall comprising a spherical zone or a cylindrical portion 10c, and a first cap portion 10t and a second cap portion 10g enclosing the spherical zone or the cylindrical portion 10c, respectively. The first cap portion 10t of the at least one fuel tank 10 installed in the fuselage 20 faces a roof portion 20r of the fuselage, and its second cap portion 10g faces a bottom portion 20b of the fuselage. In particular, the aircraft 1 thus comprises an upright arrangement of the at least one fuel tank 10. Support elements 41, 42 may serve to support the at least one fuel tank 10 against a shell 22 and / or against at least one frame component 21, 21' of the fuselage 20.

An aircraft electrical power supply system includes a fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU) that supplies auxiliary electrical power to an aircraft, a fuel cell power plant that supplies primary electrical power to the aircraft, and a hydrogen storage unit that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell APU and the fuel cell power plant.

A fuel conditioning system configured to supply a turbomachine with fuel from a cryogenic tank, the conditioning system comprising a fuel circuit connected at the inlet to the cryogenic tank and at the outlet to the turbomachine, a pump, a fuel cell configured to provide electricity to an electrical network of the aircraft, at least a first heat exchanger belonging to the fuel circuit and configured to transmit calories from the fuel cell to the fuel flow in order to heat it, and at least one second heat mounted downstream of the first heat exchanger in the fuel circuit and configured to transmit calories from the turbomachine to the fuel flow in order to heat it.

A gas turbine engine for an aircraft, including: staged combustion system having pilot fuel injectors and main fuel injectors, staged combustion system being operable in pilot-only range of operation and pilot-and-main range of operation; and fuel delivery regulator arranged to control delivery of fuel to pilot and main fuel injectors. Fuel delivery regulator arranged to receive fuel from a first fuel source containing a first fuel having a first fuel characteristic and a second fuel source containing a second fuel having a different second fuel characteristic. The fuel delivery regulator is arranged to deliver fuel to the pilot fuel injectors during at least part of the pilot-only range of operation having a different fuel characteristic from fuel delivered to one or both of the pilot and main fuel injectors during at least part of the pilot-and-main range of operation. A method of operating a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

There is provided a segmented vacuum jacketed tank system. The system includes a segmented structurally integrated vacuum tank having a vacuum tank main portion between vacuum tank end portions. The vacuum tank main portion includes a vacuum tank skin having an outer surface and an inner surface, vacuum tank skin segments, and a longitudinal cross section with a profile geometry configured for buckling prevention for the vacuum tank skin under external pressure loads. The vacuum tank main portion includes multipurpose stiffener member(s) configured to carry one or more of system transport line(s), a liquid fuel, or a nitrogen gas in an interior. The system includes a pressure tank within the segmented structurally integrated vacuum tank. The pressure tank is configured to store a cryogenic fluid and includes a pressure tank main portion between pressure tank end portions. The system further includes a vacuum cavity.

In order to improve liquid hydrogen storage on aircraft, a liquid hydrogen tank is integrated into the fuselage of the aircraft. At least one portion of the tank wall is formed by specially adapted tank skin panels and / or a pressure bulkhead. The parts forming the tank wall are strengthened to contain a tank pressure of about 3 bar.

An electrical power (EP) generation system (100) for an aircraft comprising a fuel cell (3), a cryogenic tank (1), a conditioning circuit (C1) configured to heat a liquid fuel stream (LH2) to a tank pressure (P2) to supply a gaseous fuel stream (GH2) to the fuel cell (3), a pressurization circuit (C2) to increase the gas pressure (P1) of the gaseous phase (PHL) in said cryogenic tank (1), the pressurization circuit (C2) comprising at least one flow control device (4), a gas pressure (P1) sensor (10) for measuring the gas pressure (P1) of the gaseous phase (PHG), and a computer (5) configured to control the flow control device (4) based on at least said gas pressure (P1) to control the tank pressure (P2). Abstract figure: Figure 1

A hydrogen aircraft includes: an airframe including a fuselage and a wing; at least one propulsion system fixed to the airframe; a pressurized chamber disposed inside the fuselage; a pressure bulkhead that is disposed at a rear part of the pressurized chamber and has strength to withstand pressurization of the pressurized chamber; a hydrogen tank that is disposed in an accommodation section and stores liquid hydrogen, the accommodation section being installed behind the pressure bulkhead, outside the pressurized chamber, and inside the fuselage; and a supply line that supplies the liquid hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank to the propulsion system.

A support for coaxial flanges of a double-coaxial coupling includes a circular support structure providing a primary mounting zone for attaching a primary flange for connecting a primary outer tube, and a secondary mounting zone for attaching a secondary flange for connecting a coaxial secondary inner tube. The primary and the secondary mounting zones are spaced apart from each other in a radial direction for centering the primary and the secondary flanges in a radially spaced coaxial manner. The primary mounting zone provides an outer circumferential connection region with at least three mounting points for attaching the primary flange. The secondary mounting zone provides an inner circumferential connection region with at least three mounting points for attaching the secondary flange. A thermal path within the circular support structure between the mounting points of the primary and secondary mounting zones is longer than the distance between the two points.

An aircraft pipework assembly is disclosed including an aircraft structure; pipework; a fixture arrangement between the pipework and the aircraft structure; a tie rod connecting the pipework to the aircraft structure; a first tie rod bearing which connects the tie rod to the pipework; and a second tie rod bearing which connects the tie rod to the aircraft structure. The fixture arrangement includes a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing comprising a ball mounted to the pipework, and a housing coupled to the aircraft structure. The ball includes a convex spherical bearing surface; and the housing comprises a concave spherical bearing surface which mates with the convex spherical bearing surface of the ball. The fixture arrangement is configured to enable the pipework to translate relative to the ball in an axial direction aligned with a longitudinal axis of the pipework.

An aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing connected to the fuselage, an engine connected to the wing, and a liquid hydrogen tank. Each of the engines includes a nacelle, an electric motor within the nacelle, a fuel cell stack within the nacelle, and a nacelle heat exchanger within the nacelle that receives air flowing through a nacelle inlet. The liquid hydrogen tank is configured to store liquid hydrogen, wherein the liquid hydrogen tank extends along an exterior of the fuselage and above the wings and below a window in the fuselage.

An aircraft (10) comprising a first swept wing (14A) and a second swept wing (14B), each swept wing having an inner wing section (26A, 26B) comprising an integrated payload fuselage and an outer wing section (30A, 30B) for extending the wingspan, in which each outer wing section has a thickness less than a thickness of the corresponding inner wing section, a central region (12) where the first swept wing meets the second swept wing, a first transition region (23A) where the first inner wing meets the first outer wing section, a second transition region (23B) where the second inner wing meets the second outer wing section, in which at least one extension (44) having an internal volume is provided behind the trailing edge of the wings, the at least one extension being disposed in the central region.

The present application discloses a method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel suitable for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the gas turbine engine having a combustor supplied with fuel from a fuel system, the method comprising: determining a mass of the fuel being supplied to the combustor; determining a corresponding volume of the fuel being supplied to the combustor; and determining one or more fuel characteristics based on the determined mass and volume. Also disclosed is a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.