Battery-powered aircraft integration

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aircraft (10) comprising a fuselage (12), wings (14, 16), and a battery system comprising at least one battery pack (24), the battery pack (24) being disposed between an inner structural wall (20) defining an interior space (18) of the fuselage (12) and an outer fairing wall (22) of the fuselage. The present invention also relates to an aircraft (10) comprising a fuselage (12), wings (14, 16), and a battery system comprising at least one battery pack (24), each battery pack (24) comprising a number of individual battery modules (26), the fuselage (12) comprising a rack mounting mechanism (40) for the battery modules (26). The present invention also relates to an aircraft (10) having a fuselage (12), wings (14, 16), and a battery system including at least one battery pack (24) having a number of individual battery modules (26), each battery pack (24) being a virtual battery pack (24), the virtual battery pack (24) being obtained by electrically connecting a predetermined number of the battery modules (26).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an aircraft, and more particularly to an aircraft comprising a fuselage, at least one pair of wings, and a battery system that supplies electric power to the electrical system of the aircraft, wherein the battery system comprises at least one battery pack, each battery pack comprises a plurality of individual battery modules, and the battery modules are directly or indirectly connected to each other. [Background Art] Generally, a battery pack is composed of a plurality of battery modules, and each battery module is composed of a plurality of battery cells. When a battery system is installed in an aircraft for power supply, for example, the battery pack must have specific functions to protect the battery cells and / or modules from the operating environment, and to protect passengers from the battery cells and / or modules in the event of a presumed failure. These functions reduce the effective energy density of the system due to the nature of extra "dead mass". However, this extra mass should be reduced.

[0002] Battery systems have not been used for propulsion purposes in the aerospace industry until now. Accordingly, prior art related to this topic is scarce. However, International Publication No. 2019 / 232472 (A1) discloses an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and proposes a system consisting of six distributed battery packs, each pack has a sealed structure, and a plurality of battery modules are arranged inside each sealed pack structure. In International Publication No. 2019 / 232472 (A1), the battery packs are arranged below the passenger cabin / cockpit, but are mainly located inside the wings of the aircraft. This arrangement causes a problem that the resulting wing is a considerably thick wing with a relatively large vertical dimension of the wing cross section, which may adversely affect the aerodynamics of the aircraft.

[0003] In the slightly related field of automotive battery systems, prior art has addressed the battery placement challenge by typically packaging all battery modules in the center of a common structural enclosure (often referred to as a "skateboard") located beneath the vehicle.

[0004] However, grouping battery modules into a single pack is a redundant structural solution, resulting in increased mass due to the presence of multiple enclosures. Furthermore, tightly packing battery modules makes it difficult to prevent the propagation of thermal runaway between modules, thus requiring even more mass.

[0005] Furthermore, from a maintenance perspective, if one battery module fails, it would be necessary to remove and open the battery pack, replace the battery module, and then close and reinstall the battery pack, making replacement a considerably costly operation. The battery pack itself would be too heavy for workers to handle, requiring specialized equipment. In addition, placing batteries not only inside the wings but also under the passengers would be disadvantageous in the event of a fire caused by battery failure. This is because it could endanger passengers, and the areas under the cabin, cockpit, and inside the wings are not easily accessible. This also makes maintenance more difficult, for example, when replacing batteries. [Overview of the prefecture] In view of the above-mentioned background technology, the object of the present invention is to provide an aircraft having a battery system that overcomes the problems of the prior art and is as lightweight as possible while also possessing sufficient safety, performance, and ease of maintenance functions.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the object is achieved by an aircraft comprising a fuselage, at least one pair of wings, and a battery system for supplying power to the aircraft's electrical systems, wherein the battery system comprises at least one battery pack, each battery pack comprising numerous individual battery modules, the battery modules being directly or indirectly connected to one another, and at least one battery pack being positioned between an internal structural wall defining the internal space of the fuselage and an external fairing wall of the fuselage.

[0007] In this configuration, only the outer wall of the aircraft exists between the worker and at least one battery pack, so at least one battery pack is accessible from the outside and therefore serviceable. Thus, the battery pack can be easily replaced without the need for large equipment. As a result of the improved maintainability of the system, the aircraft's downtime is reduced. In particular, the internal space of the fuselage may be the aircraft's passenger cabin and / or baggage compartment and / or cockpit.

[0008] Throughout the disclosure of this invention, a battery cell refers to the smallest possible packaging form of a single battery. A cell is suitable for storing energy and has at least two terminals in the form of a positive and a negative electrode. A battery module consists of several cells connected either in series or in parallel within a modular structure such as a housing or other enclosure. Typically, a cell stack is sealed within a housing. A battery pack is assembled by connecting modules to each other within a pack structure such as a frame or housing, and typically constitutes a closed unit or structure.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fuselage may comprise an outer fairing wall surrounding the fuselage and an internal space formed inside the fuselage, the internal space may be defined at the bottom by a bottom plate on which a plurality of aircraft seats are mounted, the bottom plate limiting the internal space of the fuselage downwards and defining a bottom surface substantially parallel to the aircraft's wing surfaces, and at the sides and top, it may be defined by internal structural walls limiting the internal space of the fuselage laterally and upwards, at least one battery pack is positioned at least partially, preferably completely, above the bottom plate in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface. Thus, the at least one battery pack is easily accessible from the outside through an opening only in the outer wall of the aircraft, further improving the maintainability of the aircraft, and in particular, the maintainability of its battery system. Furthermore, the at least one battery pack is positioned at a height above the ground in the vertical direction, which is a position that can be easily reached by a worker when replacing or maintaining the battery pack. Therefore, the battery packs can be easily replaced without the need for large-scale equipment, resulting in improved system maintainability and, consequently, shorter aircraft downtime.

[0010] Preferably, the battery system may comprise at least two battery packs, and at least one of the battery packs may be positioned between the inner structural wall and the outer fairing wall of the fuselage on each side of the fuselage with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Positioning the battery packs on each side of the fuselage allows for even distribution, particularly with respect to the aircraft's center of gravity.

[0011] In a beneficial embodiment of the present invention, the battery system may comprise multiple battery packs, which are divided into two sets of battery packs, with one of the two sets of battery packs positioned between the inner structural wall and the outer fairing wall of the fuselage on each side of the fuselage with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. This arrangement allows for even distribution with respect to the aircraft's center of gravity. Furthermore, dividing the battery packs into two groups reduces the complexity of the system compared to placing them under the aircraft's cabin and further inside the wings. For example, since the battery packs are divided into two groups, one on each side of the fuselage between the inner structural wall and the outer fairing wall, and positioned close to each other, the cable length of the cables connecting the battery modules and / or battery packs can be shortened. This reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, and consequently lowers the overall system cost.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the above object is achieved by an aircraft, particularly according to the first aspect, comprising a fuselage, at least one pair of wings, and a battery system for supplying power to the aircraft's electrical systems, wherein the battery system comprises at least one battery pack, each battery pack comprising a number of individual battery modules, the battery modules being directly or indirectly connected to one another, and the fuselage is provided with a rack mounting mechanism comprising a number of mounting brackets, each of which replaceably mounts one of the battery modules onto the aircraft.

[0013] Typically, battery modules are sealed within a pack-level structure, which is then mounted on an aircraft. Such battery packs are quite large and heavy, making them difficult to handle when maintenance or replacement is required. However, the arrangement according to a second aspect of the present invention is a "quickly replaceable" solution for individual battery modules. This allows the aircraft to spend more time operating and less time on maintenance. Furthermore, by discretizing the system into smaller modules, a single worker can handle / install / remove the battery modules without the use of special lifting equipment. The resulting system is lightweight because it does not have a nested structure, and it is a high-performance system because the cells are selectable and lightweight. The system is safe because faults are confined to individual modules and do not propagate throughout the system, and it is maintainable because individual battery modules can be replaced without the use of large equipment. Discretizing the pack into individual modules / units also allows for better fitment to the aircraft surface and better utilization of available volume. This reduces the aircraft's cross-sectional area, decreases air resistance, and improves performance. Overall, the improved maintainability of the system results in shorter aircraft downtime. The rack mounting mechanism may be any mechanism suitable for removably mounting battery modules on the aircraft. In this context, "removably mounted" means that the battery modules can be individually removed from the aircraft and then reattached, or replaced with other, particularly similar or identical, battery modules.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the battery system may further include a thermal management system for circulating a heat conduction fluid through the battery modules, and at least one, preferably all, of the battery modules may include at least one hollow bolt, the hollow bolt constituting an inlet or outlet via an internal flow path of the hollow bolt for the heat conduction fluid inside the corresponding battery module to or from the internal flow path of the corresponding battery module, and the thermal management system may include at least one hollow stud, the hollow stud configured to supply or receive the heat conduction fluid to or from the corresponding battery module via an internal flow path of the hollow stud, The internal flow path of the stud is configured to connect to the internal flow path of the hollow bolt, and the internal flow path of the hollow stud comprises a first flow path portion extending substantially in the direction of extension of the hollow stud, and a second flow path portion adjacent to the first flow path portion and extending in a direction different from the direction of extension of the hollow stud, preferably inclined at about 90° with respect to the direction of extension of the hollow stud and / or parallel to the direction of extension of the hollow bolt, and / or the internal flow path of the hollow bolt comprises a first flow path portion extending substantially in the direction of extension of the hollow bolt, and a second flow path portion adjacent to the first flow path portion and extending in a direction different from the direction of extension of the hollow bolt, preferably inclined at about 90° with respect to the direction of extension of the hollow bolt and / or parallel to the direction of extension of the hollow stud. Thus, a hollow stud is provided on the side of the body, where the direction of the fluid can already be rotated or changed toward the battery module. This shape allows the internal flow path of the hollow stud to be aligned with the internal flow path of the hollow bolt on the side of the battery module. This arrangement presents an extremely lightweight method for changing the direction of fluid with the fewest number of components. Alternatively, as mentioned above, the fluid may be reoriented within the internal flow path of a hollow bolt.

[0015] In particular, at least one, preferably all, of the battery modules may comprise first and second hollow bolts, each having a ring-shaped connector portion at an end facing away from the corresponding battery module, and via internal flow paths of the first and second hollow bolts, the first hollow bolt constitutes an inlet to the internal flow system of the corresponding battery module, and the second hollow bolt constitutes an outlet from the internal flow system of the corresponding battery module. The thermal management system may comprise first and second hollow studs, each having an internal flow path, the internal flow path comprising a first flow path portion extending substantially in the direction of extension of the hollow stud, and a second flow path portion adjacent to the first flow path portion and extending toward the battery module in a direction different from the direction of extension of the hollow stud, preferably at an angle of about 90° with respect to the direction of extension of the hollow stud, and the ends of the first and second hollow studs are respectively received within the ring-shaped connector portions of the first and second hollow bolts, and are configured to connect the internal flow paths of the first and second hollow studs to the internal flow paths of the first and second hollow bolts, respectively. This preferred arrangement allows for two functions to be performed. Firstly, the annular connector portion of the hollow bolt mechanically secures the battery module to the body by receiving the end of the hollow stud, thereby supplying the battery module with cooling or heat conduction fluid from the thermal management system. Secondly, during cooling, inlet and outlet connectors for the cooling fluid can be provided.

[0016] Preferably, the rack mounting mechanism may include at least one mounting frame attached to the fuselage, and at least one, preferably all, of the battery modules may further include at least one slider portion that slidably fits onto at least one complementary slider portion seat provided on the mounting frame of the rack mounting mechanism, thereby enabling the battery modules to slide along the extension direction of the mounting frame of the rack mounting mechanism. By having the slider portion on the battery module side slidably fit onto the complementary slider portion seat on the fuselage side, a simple method for mounting individual battery modules in a quickly replaceable manner is presented. Thus, aircraft maintenance can be further simplified and improved.

[0017] Furthermore, the rack mounting mechanism may include at least one mounting frame attached to the fuselage, and may also include at least one concealed connector configured to secure at least one battery module in place within the rack mounting mechanism to at least one battery module. The at least one concealed connector may preferably be located on either side of the battery module and may be embodied in the form of a small pin or projection configured to mate into a complementary recess in the portion attached to the fuselage. The concealed connector, particularly together with a slider, presents another effective "quick-change" solution for reusable battery module mounting. Thus, aircraft maintenance can be further simplified and improved.

[0018] The aircraft fuselage is provided with a rack mounting mechanism that allows battery modules to be mounted on the aircraft in an interchangeable manner. The battery system may also include a thermal management system that circulates a thermal conductive fluid through the battery modules. At least several, preferably all, battery modules may have fluid inlet and outlet connectors, which are configured to connect to the internal flow system of the corresponding battery module for the thermal conductive fluid inside the corresponding battery module, and to the thermal management system. At least several, preferably all, mounting brackets may each have mating connectors for the fluid inlet and outlet of the corresponding battery module. Thus, the battery system can be automatically connected to the aircraft's thermal management system, particularly by utilizing the rapid connection using the rack mounting mechanism. This eliminates unnecessary structural overhead (incidental costs) by incorporating protective measures, such as cooling, at the battery module level. This can lead to increased safety against thermal runaway.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the object described above is an aircraft, particularly according to the first and / or second aspects, comprising a fuselage, at least one pair of wings, and a battery system for supplying power to the electrical systems of the aircraft, wherein the battery system comprises at least one battery pack, each of which comprises a number of individual battery modules, the battery modules being directly or indirectly connected to one another, and each of which is a virtual battery pack, the virtual battery pack being obtained by electrically connecting a predetermined number of battery modules.

[0020] In other words, according to a third aspect of the present invention, the battery modules are not sealed within a pack-level structure such as a housing. Thus, a distributed network of battery packs is provided, where individual battery packs are not sealed within a structure but are distributed throughout the aircraft, particularly on both sides. The battery packs exist only virtually, that is, they exist by electrically connecting the battery modules together. This virtual pack network eliminates unnecessary structural overhead by incorporating all protective measures at the battery module level. Also, because the modules are mechanically isolated from each other, protection against the propagation of faults between modules is easier. The virtual pack network is a "quickly replaceable" solution for the entire pack, and even for individual battery modules. This allows the aircraft to spend more time running and less time on maintenance. Furthermore, by discretizing the system into smaller modules, a single worker can handle / install / remove the battery modules without the use of special lifting equipment. Discretizing the packs into individual units also allows for better conformity to the aircraft surface and better utilization of available volume. This reduces the aircraft's cross-sectional area, decreasing air resistance and improving performance. The resulting system is lightweight because it does not have a nested structure, and its selectable, lightweight cells make it a high-performance system. The system is safe because faults are confined to individual modules and do not propagate throughout the system, and it is maintainable because individual battery modules or battery packs can be replaced without the use of large-scale equipment.

[0021] According to the first, second, and / or third aspects of the present invention, each battery module of the battery pack may be electrically connected in series by busbars, particularly facing outwards from the aircraft. This arrangement facilitates maintenance. Furthermore, the battery modules may be identical or at least similar. In this case, the modules may be rotated upside down before installation, thereby enabling all modules to be electrically connected in series with their terminals facing outwards on each side of the aircraft. This allows for a less complex system, fewer components to be used, for example, a significant reduction in the length of cables connecting the modules, resulting in a lighter and more cost-effective overall system.

[0022] In a beneficial embodiment of the present invention, each battery module may be individually fixed to the aircraft fuselage at a specific mounting position. In particular, a rack mounting mechanism with quick connection may be used.

[0023] In this case, the fuselage is provided with numerous mounting positions, each for interchangeably holding one of the battery modules, and the number of mounting positions is greater than the number of battery modules, such that at least one mounting position remains empty when all battery modules are installed.

[0024] Large-capacity battery assemblies are not typically constructed as a single unit, but rather comprise numerous individual battery modules. In the aircraft configuration according to the present invention, the battery modules may be positioned according to different mounting locations within a mounting assembly located inside the aircraft's fuselage in order to adjust the aircraft's center of gravity. While it is generally desirable to maximize the battery capacity within an aircraft, in the aircraft according to the present invention, empty mounting locations and / or displacement assemblies add virtually no additional weight to the aircraft. Therefore, the advantage of being able to adjust the aircraft's center of gravity by rearranging the battery modules, and, where applicable, indirectly by empty mounting locations within the mounting assembly, can be achieved without significant drawbacks. In this case, the mass per unit of electrical capacity of the mounting assembly and battery modules combined is essentially the same as that of a smaller mounting assembly without empty mounting locations or displacement assemblies.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aircraft may be electrically propelled. In an electrically propelled aircraft, the mass of the battery may be about one-third of the total mass of the aircraft. Therefore, lightweight systems such as those provided by the present invention are highly applicable to electrically propelled aircraft.

[0026] In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aircraft may be an electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft. Since electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft are intended to operate as frequently as possible, the battery packs / modules will age more quickly and require more replacement than those in standard battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Furthermore, while standard BEVs do not suffer catastrophic failures even if the power supply is limited, EVTOL aircraft will be unable to land if they lose power due to a malfunction, so the safety critical point for the battery module is much stricter. Therefore, the present invention is very effectively applicable to EVTOL aircraft. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the aircraft of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a side view of the aircraft of Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a battery module of a battery system included in an aircraft according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rack attachment mechanism provided in a fuselage of an aircraft according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a battery module of a battery system included in an aircraft according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is another perspective view of the battery module of Figure 7. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a hollow stud of a thermal management system of a battery system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] In Figure 1, an aircraft according to a first embodiment of the present invention is broadly indicated by reference numeral 10 and comprises a fuselage 12, a first wing pair 14, and a second wing pair 16. Multiple engines may be mounted on each wing. The aircraft 10 may further have other components known in conventional aircraft, such as elevators and landing gear (not shown). The fuselage 12 is surrounded by an outer fairing wall 22, forming an interior space 18 inside the fuselage 12 that accommodates at least one person, such as a pilot and / or one or more passengers. In particular, the interior space 18 may be partitioned into a cockpit 18a, a passenger cabin 18b, and a luggage compartment 18c. The interior space 18 is surrounded by an inner structural wall 20.

[0029] The longitudinal direction of the fuselage 12 defines the nose direction X of the aircraft 10. The wingspan direction, or Y direction, is perpendicular to the nose direction X and parallel to the wing surface. In the case of a VTOL aircraft, the vertical axis, which is the setting direction, is defined to be perpendicular to the X and Y directions, that is, perpendicular to the wing surface. The wing surface, or XY plane, is the drawing plane in Figure 2, and the XZ plane is the drawing plane in Figure 3.

[0030] The aircraft 10 further includes a battery system that supplies power to the aircraft 10's electrical system. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aircraft 10 is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft in which the battery system can be configured to supply electrical output for the propulsion of the aircraft 10.

[0031] The battery system comprises at least one battery pack 24, each battery pack 24 comprising numerous individual battery modules 26, the battery modules 26 being particularly connected in series (see, for example, Figure 3).

[0032] As can be seen better in Figure 2, the battery system comprises multiple battery packs 24. In this invention, the battery packs 24 are in particular virtual battery packs 24, meaning that a single pack exists only by electrically connecting several battery modules 26 to each other. Such virtual battery packs 24 do not have any housing or pack structure to enclose the individual modules 26. The individual battery modules 26 are mounted on the aircraft 10, as will be described below with reference to Figure 4.

[0033] Multiple battery packs 24 may be divided into two sets of battery packs 24l and 24r. With respect to the longitudinal axis L of the aircraft 10, which is parallel to the X direction, one of the two sets of battery packs 24l and 24r is positioned on each side of the fuselage 12 between the inner structural wall 20 of the fuselage 12 and the outer fairing wall 22 of the fuselage 12.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each set 24l,24r comprises six battery packs 24. The first to fourth battery packs 24 are located alongside the passenger cabin 18b, while the fifth and sixth battery packs 24 are located alongside the luggage compartment 18c, preferably below the wing pair 14 (see Figure 1 or Figure 3) to ensure easy access from the outside for maintenance. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sets 24l,24r of battery packs 24 are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis L on each side of the fuselage 12. In the illustrated example, the first pack is located above the second pack in the Z direction. The first and second packs are located forward in the nose direction, i.e., the X direction. The third pack is located above the fourth pack in the Z direction, and the third and fourth packs are located further aft in the X direction. Adjacent to these, the fifth and sixth packs are located side by side in the X direction, with the sixth pack in a rearward position in the X direction. In this example, each virtual battery pack 24 may have six battery modules 26 arranged in a 2x3 array.

[0035] Figure 3 is a side view of the aircraft 10, and in particular shows the electrical connections of the battery pack 24 and module 26 arrangement of one set 24l (left side in the nose direction) of battery packs. As described above, the other set 24r (right side) may be symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis L, except that the battery module 26 may be mounted upside down so that identical modules with terminals facing outward can be used for easier maintenance and / or replacement. In Figure 3, the positive pack connector is represented by a plus sign, and the negative pack connector is represented by a minus sign enclosed in a circle. The location of the pyrofuse and battery management master is represented by a pyrofuse symbol. As can be seen from the figure, the distributed power distribution unit 28 is located below the wing 14 and the rear battery pack 24l in the Z direction, and next to the cargo compartment 18c in the Y direction.

[0036] The fuselage 12 is surrounded by an outer fairing wall 22, and the interior space 18 is formed inside the fuselage 12. A bottom plate 60 may be placed at the bottom of the interior space 18, which defines a bottom surface P extending substantially parallel to the wing surfaces XY of the aircraft 10 and limits the interior space 18 downwards in the Z direction. Multiple aircraft seats 70, for example, one or two pilot seats 70 in the cockpit 18a and numerous passenger seats 70 in the cabin 18b, may be mounted on the bottom plate 60 of the interior space 18. On the sides and top of the interior space 18, the inner structural walls 20 limit the interior space 18 of the fuselage 12 laterally in the Y direction and upwards in the Z direction.

[0037] As can be seen from Figure 3, at least one battery pack 24 is positioned at a height above the bottom plate 60 in the Z direction perpendicular to the bottom surface P, at least partially, and in this preferred embodiment, completely, so that maintenance of the battery system of the aircraft 10 can be made easier, for example, in terms of the replaceability of the battery pack 24.

[0038] Figure 4 illustrates one of the battery modules 26 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The battery module 26 comprises a housing formed from a tubular housing 30, and a front end plate 30a and a rear end plate 30b, the two end plates closing the front and rear openings of the housing 30, respectively. A cell stack may be housed inside the housing.

[0039] An internal fluid flow system can be provided within the housing 30 of the battery module 26 for cooling and / or heating. The internal fluid flow system may be connected at both ends to a fluid connector structure that connects the battery module 26 to an external thermal management system. Two fluid lines are embedded in the front plate 30a, connecting the internal fluid flow system to a fluid inlet connector 34 and a fluid outlet connector 36 of the fluid connector structure.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, in order to position and secure the battery module 26 on the aircraft 10, guide rails (not shown) for the cylindrical mounting pins 50 of the mounting bracket 42 of the aircraft 10 can be provided on the front end plate 30a, for example, at its lower part. Similarly, a guide rail 32 for the mounting plate 51 of another mounting bracket 48 can be provided on the rear end plate 30b, for example, at its upper part.

[0041] The mounting brackets 42, 48 may be equipped with fastening plates 52 having holes 52o, and each mounting bracket 42, 48 can be fixed to a corresponding mounting structure (not shown) provided on the aircraft fuselage by passing a suitable fastener through the holes 52o. To fix the mounting plate 51 to the rear end plate 30b, for example, a simple R-pin (not shown) can be passed through a hole 199 provided at the distal end of the mounting plate 51, which is inserted into the guide rail 32 and protrudes beyond the guide rail 32.

[0042] Furthermore, the mounting bracket 42 is equipped with self-sealing, preferably drip-free, push-connect type mating connectors 44, 46, which are configured to connect to fluid connectors 34, 36 provided on the battery module 26. The inlet and outlet 44h, 46h lead to the thermal management system of the aircraft 10.

[0043] Since the guide rails and push-connect type fluid connectors 34 and 36 are parallel to each other, the battery module 26 can be slid onto the corresponding mounting bracket along this orientation, thereby simultaneously mounting the battery module 26 to the aircraft and connecting it to the thermal management system.

[0044] The cylindrical mounting pins 50 are extremely precise, allowing for accurate connection between the fluid connectors 34 and 36 and their corresponding mating connectors 44 and 46. Therefore, the cumulative total tolerance is compensated by the play between the mounting plate 51 and the corresponding guide rail 32 on the back side of the battery module 26. Furthermore, the mating connectors 44 and 46 provided on the mounting bracket 42 can compensate for tolerances by having a floating function.

[0045] Furthermore, the rotational degrees of freedom between the cylindrical mounting pin 50 and the corresponding guide rail provided on the front end plate 30a, and the play between the mounting plate 51 and the guide rail 32, serve to detach the module from the bending mode of the fuselage when subjected to flight loads, in this case bending and shearing deformations of the fuselage structure.

[0046] Figures 5-8 illustrate a rack mounting mechanism 140 and a battery module 126, or at least a component thereof, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] In the following, another (second) embodiment will be described in detail, mainly focusing only on the extent that it differs from the first embodiment. For cases similar to the first embodiment, please refer to the description of the first embodiment above. Also, note that in Figures 1-3, the battery module 126 according to the second embodiment may be replaced with the battery module according to the first embodiment, indicated by reference numeral 26.

[0048] Figure 5 illustrates a rack mounting mechanism 140 provided on the fuselage 12 of an aircraft 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The rack mounting mechanism 140 preferably comprises two opposing mounting frames 140a and 140b, each of which has mounting rails and mounting brackets to accommodate a plurality of battery modules 126. As an example, one of the battery modules 126 is shown mounted on the mounting frames 140a and 140b.

[0049] Figure 6 illustrates one of the battery modules 126 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The battery module 126 also comprises a housing formed from a tubular housing 130, and a front end plate 130a and a rear end plate 130b, the two end plates closing the front and rear openings of the housing 130, respectively. A cell stack may be housed inside the housing.

[0050] An internal flow system may be provided within the battery module 126 located inside the housing 130 for cooling and / or heating. The internal flow system may be connected to an external thermal management system of the battery system. Such a connection may be realized by a first hollow bolt 134 and a second hollow bolt 136, which may be located on the front end plate 130a of the battery module 126. The first hollow bolt 134 may have an internal flow path 135 that serves as an inlet to the internal flow system of the battery module 126, and the second hollow bolt 136 may have an internal flow path that serves as an outlet from the internal flow system of the battery module 126. Thus, the thermal management system can supply thermal conductive fluid to the internal flow system of the battery module 126 via the internal flow path 135 of the first hollow bolt 134, while the thermal conductive fluid can be discharged via the internal flow path of the second hollow bolt 136, and vice versa.

[0051] In particular, the heat conduction fluid may flow from the thermal management system through the internal flow path of the first hollow bolt into the internal flow path of the upper cooling plate (not shown) located at the top of the battery module 126, then through the bypass line 138 into the internal flow path of the lower cooling plate (not shown) located at the bottom of the battery module 126, and then out of the battery module 126 through the internal flow path of the second hollow bolt and return to the thermal management system.

[0052] As can be seen from Figure 7, the battery module 126 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further include a slider portion 151, preferably in the shape of a sliding tab 151, that protrudes from the rear end plate 130b of the housing 130 of the battery module 126. The tab 151 may be slidably fitted onto a complementary slider portion seat provided on one of the mounting frames 140a of the rack mounting mechanism 140, thereby enabling the battery module 126 to slide along the extension direction of the mounting frame 140a.

[0053] Furthermore, the battery module 126 may further include at least one hidden connector 152, or two hidden connectors 152 in the embodiments described herein, which are located on the back side of the housing 130 of the battery module 126 and configured to secure the battery module 126 in a predetermined position on the rack mounting mechanism 140. The hidden connector 152 may preferably be embodied in the form of a small pin or projection 152 configured to complementarily engage with a recess provided on the side of the body, particularly on one or both of the mounting frames 140a, 140b, or on other elements of the rack mounting mechanism 140.

[0054] Referring to Figure 8, the connection between the thermal management system and the battery module 126, particularly the connection to the hollow bolts 134 and 136 provided on the battery module 126, will be explained. Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the hollow stud 144 connected to the hollow bolt 134. The heat conduction fluid is supplied into the internal flow path 145 of the hollow stud 144 through a hose 160 connected from the thermal management system.

[0055] The internal flow path 145 may include a first flow path portion 145a adjacent to the hose 160 and extending approximately in the extension direction S of the hollow stud 144. A second flow path portion 145b may be provided adjacent to the first flow path portion 145a, and the second flow path portion 145b extends toward the battery module 126 in the extension direction B of the hollow bolt 134. In particular, the extension direction B of the hollow stud bolt may be inclined at approximately 90° with respect to the extension direction of the hollow stud 144, along with the extension direction of the second flow path portion 145b.

[0056] Therefore, the rotation of the heat-conducting fluid toward the battery module 126 may already be occurring within the hollow stud 144, particularly at the transition between the first flow path portion 145a and the second flow path portion 145b of the internal flow path 145. Thus, the inclination of the internal flow path 145 of the stud 144 makes it possible to align the hole in the stud with the hole in the bolt 134 of the battery module 126.

[0057] Alternatively, instead of the internal flow path 145 of the hollow stud 144, the internal flow path 135 of the hollow bolts 134, 136 may have two flow path portions with different directions of extension, and in particular, the two flow path portions may be inclined relative to each other to deflect or rotate the direction of the fluid within the internal flow path 135 of the hollow bolts 134, 136. However, it is preferable that the rotation of the fluid is already occurring inside the hollow stud 144.

[0058] Returning to Figure 6, the first and second hollow bolts 134 and 136 of the battery module 126 may each have ring-shaped connector portions 134a and 136a at their protruding ends 134e and 136e, respectively. These ring-shaped connector portions 134a and 136a may be configured to receive the respective ends 144e of the first and second hollow studs 144. Although only the first hollow stud 144 is shown, note that the structure of the second hollow stud may be the same as that of the first hollow stud 144.

[0059] In this way, the hollow stud 144 that supplies heat conduction fluid from the thermal management system can be connected to the annular connector portions 134a and 136a of the battery module 126, particularly the hollow bolts 134 and 136. Furthermore, the internal flow path 145 of the first hollow stud 144, particularly the inclined second flow path portion 145b, can be connected to the internal flow path 135 of the first hollow bolt 134, and the internal flow path of the second hollow stud can be connected to the internal flow path 135 of the second hollow bolt 136.

[0060] Therefore, the connection between the thermal management system and the battery module 126 used according to the second embodiment of the present invention first serves to mechanically fix the battery module 126 to the fuselage 12, and further serves as an inlet and outlet for the heat conduction fluid during cooling.

Claims

1. An aircraft (10) comprising a fuselage (12), at least one pair of wings (14, 16), and a battery system that supplies power to the electrical system of the aircraft (10), The battery system comprises at least one battery pack (24), Each battery pack (24) comprises numerous individual battery modules (26), and these battery modules (26) are directly or indirectly connected to one another. The at least one battery pack (24) is positioned between an inner structural wall (20) that defines and surrounds the internal space (18) of the fuselage (12) and an outer fairing wall (22) of the fuselage (12). An aircraft (10) wherein the outer fairing wall (22) surrounds the fuselage (12), and the internal space (18) is formed inside the fuselage (12) to accommodate at least one person.

2. The fuselage (12) comprises the outer fairing wall (22) surrounding the fuselage (12) and the internal space (18) formed inside the fuselage (12), The aforementioned internal space (18) is The bottom is defined by a bottom plate (60) on which multiple aircraft seats (70) are mounted, and the bottom plate (60) limits the internal space (18) of the fuselage (12) downwards and defines a bottom surface (P) that is substantially parallel to the wing surface (XY) of the aircraft (10). In its side and upper portion, the inner structural wall (20) defines the internal space (18) of the body (12) in the lateral and upward directions. The aircraft (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one battery pack (24) is positioned at least partially, preferably completely, above the bottom plate (60) in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the bottom surface (P).

3. The battery system comprises at least two battery packs (24), The aircraft (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, with respect to the longitudinal axis (L) of the aircraft (10), at least one of the battery packs (24) is positioned between the inner structural wall (20) of the fuselage (12) and the outer fairing wall (22) of the fuselage (12) on each side of the fuselage (12).

4. The battery system comprises a plurality of battery packs (24), and the plurality of battery packs (24) are divided into two sets of battery packs (24l, 24r). The aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, with respect to the longitudinal axis (L) of the aircraft (10), one of the two sets of battery packs (24l, 24r) is positioned between the inner structural wall (20) of the fuselage (12) and the outer fairing wall (22) of the fuselage (12).

5. An aircraft (10) comprising a fuselage (12), at least one pair of wings (14, 16), and a battery system that supplies power to the electrical system of the aircraft (10), The battery system comprises at least one battery pack (24), Each battery pack (24) comprises a number of individual battery modules (26; 126), and these battery modules (26; 126) are directly or indirectly connected to one another. The aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fuselage (12) is provided with a rack mounting mechanism (40; 140) having a number of mounting brackets (42; 142) each for interchangeably mounting one of the battery modules (26; 126) onto the aircraft (10).

6. The battery system further includes a thermal management system that circulates a heat-conducting fluid through the battery module (126), At least one of the battery modules (126) comprises at least one hollow bolt (134, 136), the hollow bolt (134, 136) forming an inlet or outlet via an internal flow path (135) of the hollow bolt (134, 136) for a heat conduction fluid inside the at least one battery module (126) into or out of the internal flow path system of the at least one battery module (126). The thermal management system comprises at least one hollow stud (144), which is configured to supply or receive the heat conduction fluid to or from the at least one battery module (126) via an internal flow path (145) of the hollow stud (144). The internal passage (145) of the hollow stud (144) is configured to be connected to the internal passage (135) of the hollow bolt (134, 136), The internal flow path (145) of the hollow stud (144) comprises a first flow path portion (145a) extending substantially in the extension direction (S) of the hollow stud (144), and a second flow path portion (145b) adjacent to the first flow path portion (145a) and extending in a direction (B) different from the extension direction (S) of the hollow stud (144), preferably inclined at approximately 90° with respect to the extension direction (S) of the hollow stud (144) and / or parallel to the extension direction (B) of the hollow bolts (134, 136). and / or, The aircraft (10) according to claim 5, wherein the internal flow path (135) of the hollow bolt (134, 136) comprises a first flow path portion extending substantially in the direction of extension of the hollow bolt (134, 136), and a second flow path portion adjacent to the first flow path portion and extending in a direction different from the direction of extension of the hollow bolt (134, 136), preferably inclined about 90° with respect to the direction of extension of the hollow bolt (134, 136) and / or parallel to the direction of extension of the hollow stud.

7. At least one of the battery modules (126) comprises first and second hollow bolts (134, 136), each of the first and second hollow bolts (134, 136) having a ring-shaped connector portion (134a, 136a) at an end (134e, 136e) facing away from the at least one battery module (126), and the internal flow path (135) of the first and second hollow bolts (134, 136) respectively, the first hollow bolt (134) forming an inlet to the internal flow path system of the at least one battery module (126), and the second hollow bolt (136) forming an outlet from the internal flow path system of the at least one battery module (126). The thermal management system comprises first and second hollow studs (144), each hollow stud (144) having an internal flow path (145), the internal flow path (145) comprising a first flow path portion (145a) extending substantially in the direction of extension (S) of the hollow stud (144), and a second flow path portion (145b) adjacent to the first flow path portion (145a) and extending toward the battery module (126) in a direction (B) different from the direction of extension (S) of the hollow stud (144), preferably in a direction (B) inclined at approximately 90° with respect to the direction of extension (S) of the hollow stud (144). The aircraft (10) according to claim 6, wherein the ends (144e) of the first and second hollow studs (144) are respectively received within the ring-shaped connector portions (134a, 136a) of the first and second hollow bolts (134, 136), and the internal passages (145) of the first and second hollow studs (144) are respectively connected to the internal passages (135) of the first and second hollow bolts (134, 136).

8. The rack mounting mechanism (140) comprises at least one mounting frame (140a, 140b) attached to the body (12), The aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein at least one, preferably all, of the battery modules (126) further comprises at least one slider portion (151) that slidably fits onto at least one complementary slider portion seat provided on the mounting frame (140a, 140b) of the rack mounting mechanism (140), thereby enabling the battery modules (126) to slide along the extension direction of the mounting frame (140a, 140b) of the rack mounting mechanism (140).

9. The rack mounting mechanism (140) comprises at least one mounting frame (140a, 140b) attached to the body (12), The aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein at least one, preferably all, of the battery modules (126) further comprises at least one concealed connector (152) configured to secure the at least one battery module (126) in a predetermined position on the rack mounting mechanism (140).

10. The battery system further includes a thermal management system that circulates a heat-conducting fluid through the battery module (26), A group of the battery modules (26) is equipped with a fluid inlet connector (34) and a fluid outlet connector (36), the fluid inlet connector (34) and the fluid outlet connector (36) being connected to the internal flow system of the corresponding battery module (26) for the heat conduction fluid inside the corresponding battery module (26) and also connected to the thermal management system. The aircraft (10) according to claim 5, wherein at least several, preferably all, mounting brackets (42) are each provided with mating connectors (44, 46) for the fluid inlet and outlet (34, 36) of the corresponding battery module (26).

11. An aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a fuselage (12), at least one pair of wings (14, 16), and a battery system for supplying power to the electrical system of the aircraft (10), The battery system comprises at least one battery pack (24), Each of the aforementioned battery packs (24) comprises a number of individual battery modules (26), and the battery modules (26) are directly or indirectly connected to one another. Each of the aforementioned battery packs (24) is a virtual battery pack (24), and the virtual battery pack (24) is obtained by electrically connecting a predetermined number of the aforementioned battery modules (26), in an aircraft (10).

12. The aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein each of the battery modules (26) of the battery pack (24) is electrically connected in series by busbars that are particularly facing outwards from the aircraft (10).

13. Each of the battery modules (26) is individually fixed to the fuselage (12) of the aircraft (10) at a specific mounting position, according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The aircraft (10) according to claim 13, wherein the fuselage (12) is provided with numerous mounting positions, each for interchangeably holding one of the battery modules (26), and the number of mounting positions is greater than the number of battery modules (26), such that at least one of the mounting positions is empty when all battery modules (26) are mounted.

15. The aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the aircraft (10) is electrically propelled.

16. The aircraft (10) is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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