Patent · US Active

Drive unit, method for providing power, and use of a drive unit

US9541001B2 · kind B2 · utility

30Cited by

12References

14Claims

0Family size

Assignee

AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED · DE

Inventors

Jürgen Steinwandel · Überlingen, DE
Christian Wolff · Monheim, DE
Claus Hoffjann · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Oct 21, 2013
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Apr 12, 2035

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02T90/40
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A drive unit includes a combustion chamber for combusting a fuel/air mixture, and a fuel cell device, wherein the fuel cell device includes at least one fuel cell, which in each case includes an anode that is couplable to a fuel line, a cathode that is couplable to an air source, and a fluid outlet and is arranged upstream of the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber further includes a combustion chamber inlet for supplying the fuel/air mixture, and a combustion chamber outlet for discharging exhaust gas, and the combustion chamber inlet is connected to the fluid outlet of the fuel cell device. In this way a hybrid drive unit can be provided which apart from mechanical power also generates electrical power at high efficiency.

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