Patent · US Active

Lightweight high power density fault-tolerant fuel cell system, method and apparatus for clean fuel electric aircraft

US11560234B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
3References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 19, 2020
Grant dateJan 24, 2023
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2040

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T90/40
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A lightweight, high power density, fault-tolerant fuel cell system, method, and apparatus for full-scale clean fuel electric-powered aircraft having a fuel cell module including a plurality of fuel cells working together to process gaseous oxygen from air compressed by turbochargers, superchargers, blowers or local oxygen supply and gaseous hydrogen from liquid hydrogen transformed by heat exchangers, with an electrical circuit configured to collect electrons from the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells to supply voltage and current to motor controllers commanded by autopilot control units configured to select and control an amount and distribution of electrical voltage and torque or current for each of the plurality of motor and propeller assemblies, wherein electrons returning from the electrical circuit combine with oxygen in the compressed air to form oxygen ions, then the protons combine with oxygen ions to form H2O molecules and heat.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.