A hydrogen-electric engine includes a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells. Each fuel cell of the plurality of fuel cells includes an anode and a cathode. The hydrogen-electric engine also includes an air compressor system configured to supply compressed air to the cathode, a hydrogen fuel source configured to supply hydrogen gas, an elongated shaft supporting the air compressor system and the fuel cell stack, and a motor assembly disposed in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack. Each fuel cell generates a voltage, as an open cell voltage, by forming water with the supplied compressed air and the supplied hydrogen gas and is electrically coupled with a clamp circuit.

An aircraft power plant comprising novel air management features for high-power fuel cell applications, the features combine supercharging and turbocharging elements with air and hydrogen gas pathways, utilize novel airflow concepts and provide for much stronger integration of various fuel cell drive components.

An aircraft power plant comprising novel air management features for high-power fuel cell applications, the features combine supercharging and turbocharging elements with air and hydrogen gas pathways, utilize novel airflow concepts and provide for much stronger integration of various fuel cell drive components.

The embodiment relates to an energy conversion system having: a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) unit (A) having an anode and a cathode side, for receiving a fuel (1) and a steam of oxidant (4) and for converting a fraction of chemical power of the fuel (1) into electric power; a combustor unit (B) to receive unconverted fuel (5) and unconverted oxidant (6), configured for converting the unconverted fuel (5) and the unconverted oxidant (6) into product gas (10); an expander unit (C) to receive the product gas (10) and configured for expanding said product gas (10) into flue gas (12); a cooler unit (E) in thermal relationship with a heat sink (27) and configured for cooling said flue gas (12); a separator (F) for removing condensed species (15) from the cooled gas (14) exiting the cooler unit (E); and a first compression unit (K) for increasing the pressure of said oxidant (26, 4, 8) to a value suitable for the SOFC unit (A) and the combustor unit (B).

Recognizing the fact of extremely low utilization of peak power (especially in the aviation use case), we propose a novel approach to significantly reduce the size and weight of the system by downsizing the main air compressor to match the air flow required to produce the desired continuous power (e.g., 55% of the peak power rating for the aviation applications, etc.), and provide the supplemental oxygen flow from an on-board high-pressure oxygen tank.

Recognizing the fact of extremely low utilization of peak power (especially in the aviation use case), we propose a novel approach to significantly reduce the size and weight of the system by downsizing the main air compressor to match the air flow required to produce the desired continuous power (e.g., 55% of the peak power rating for the aviation applications, etc.), and provide the supplemental oxygen flow from an on-board high-pressure oxygen tank.

The invention provides a hybrid power system, which integrates an internal combustion engine with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack and provides power for the vehicle through the internal combustion engine at first in the preheating stage of the SOFC stack, thereby solving the problem that an SOFC stack is unable to provide power for the vehicle in the preheating stage. At the same time, the internal combustion engine burns fuel gas, outputs high temperature exhaust gas, heats the heat exchanger with the high temperature exhaust gas, then discharges the exhaust gas from an exhaust turbine and inhales air from the outside of the system. The air first passes through an air preheater, then passes through a heat exchanger and then enters the inside of the SOFC stack, preheats the air preheater through an air pipeline and then is discharged. After multiple cycles, the preheating of the SOFC stack is completed. As the air preheater is connected to the heat exchanger in series to heat the air, the heating speed of the air entering the SOFC stack is raised, the preheating time is shortened and a quick start of the SOFC stack is achieved so that the SOFC stack can be used to achieve the purpose of providing power for the vehicle efficiently.

The invention provides a hybrid power system, which integrates an internal combustion engine with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack and provides power for the vehicle through the internal combustion engine at first in the preheating stage of the SOFC stack, thereby solving the problem that an SOFC stack is unable to provide power for the vehicle in the preheating stage. At the same time, the internal combustion engine burns fuel gas, outputs high temperature exhaust gas, heats the heat exchanger with the high temperature exhaust gas, then discharges the exhaust gas from an exhaust turbine and inhales air from the outside of the system. The air first passes through an air preheater, then passes through a heat exchanger and then enters the inside of the SOFC stack, preheats the air preheater through an air pipeline and then is discharged. After multiple cycles, the preheating of the SOFC stack is completed. As the air preheater is connected to the heat exchanger in series to heat the air, the heating speed of the air entering the SOFC stack is raised, the preheating time is shortened and a quick start of the SOFC stack is achieved so that the SOFC stack can be used to achieve the purpose of providing power for the vehicle efficiently.

An assembly for producing energy may include a fuel cell, a fluidic cell circuit configured to receive a first heat-transfer fluid and arranged at least partially around the fuel cell, a reversible thermodynamic system configured to alternatively: (i) evacuate the thermal energy produced by the fuel cell and transform it into mechanical energy through the first heat-transfer fluid, and (ii) input thermal energy to the fuel cell through the first heat-transfer fluid, wherein the thermodynamic system includes: (a) a fluidic thermodynamic circuit to receive a second heat-transfer fluid; (b) a first exchanger to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and the fluidic cell circuit; and (c) a second exchanger configured to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and an external source. The arrangement may improve fuel cell function, particularly for proton exchange membrane, usefully with fuel cell(s), particularly, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, preferably in transport.

An assembly for producing energy may include a fuel cell, a fluidic cell circuit configured to receive a first heat-transfer fluid and arranged at least partially around the fuel cell, a reversible thermodynamic system configured to alternatively: (i) evacuate the thermal energy produced by the fuel cell and transform it into mechanical energy through the first heat-transfer fluid, and (ii) input thermal energy to the fuel cell through the first heat-transfer fluid, wherein the thermodynamic system includes: (a) a fluidic thermodynamic circuit to receive a second heat-transfer fluid; (b) a first exchanger to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and the fluidic cell circuit; and (c) a second exchanger configured to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and an external source. The arrangement may improve fuel cell function, particularly for proton exchange membrane, usefully with fuel cell(s), particularly, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, preferably in transport.