Fuel tank inerting systems are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, an air source arranged to supply air into a reactive flow path, a catalytic reactor having a plurality of sub-reactors along the flow path, and a heat exchanger. The sub-reactors are arranged relative to the heat exchanger such that the flow path passes through at least a portion of the heat exchanger between two sub-reactors along the flow path. At least one fuel injector is arranged relative to at least one sub-reactor. The fuel injector is configured to inject fuel into the flow path at at least one of upstream of and in the respective at least one sub-reactor to generate a fuel-air mixture. A fuel tank ullage supply line fluidly connects the flow path to the fuel tank to supply an inert gas to a ullage of the fuel tank.

A bladder. The bladder includes a bladder wall include first dimensions. The bladder also includes a first port disposed in the bladder wall. The bladder also includes knitted seams stitched into a first pattern in the bladder wall. The first pattern is configured such that when the bladder wall is subjected to a compressive force, the bladder collapses into a first pre-determined shape that has second dimensions less than the first dimensions.

A device for carrying fuel in aircraft and spacecraft includes a carrier element having a longitudinal axis, and a fuel tank with a side wall and a chamber at least partially delimited by the side wall. The tank is arranged in the carrier element. The chamber and the side wall extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The side wall has a pressure-receiving component that converts a pressure from the chamber on the side wall into a contraction force acting on the side wall along the longitudinal axis. The contraction force compensates for an expansion force, resulting from the pressure from the chamber and acting on the side wall along the longitudinal axis. This provides an improved device for carrying fuel in aircraft and spacecraft, wherein the aircraft and spacecraft has constant flight mechanical properties because of the device.

A device for carrying fuel in aircraft and spacecraft includes a carrier element having a longitudinal axis, and a fuel tank with a side wall and a chamber at least partially delimited by the side wall. The tank is arranged in the carrier element. The chamber and the side wall extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The side wall has a pressure-receiving component that converts a pressure from the chamber on the side wall into a contraction force acting on the side wall along the longitudinal axis. The contraction force compensates for an expansion force, resulting from the pressure from the chamber and acting on the side wall along the longitudinal axis. This provides an improved device for carrying fuel in aircraft and spacecraft, wherein the aircraft and spacecraft has constant flight mechanical properties because of the device.

A hydrogen tank for aircraft, including an inner vessel configured to contain hydrogen, first and second outer jacket domes having a semi-spherical shape and first L-shaped ends, a first cylindrical outer jacket established on top of the first and second outer jacket domes, a second cylindrical outer jacket established in the bottom of the first and second outer jacket domes. The first and second cylindrical outer jackets include second L-shaped ends. The first and second L-shaped ends form L-shaped junctions to attach the first and second outer jacket domes to the first and second cylindrical outer jackets.

An aircraft wing box is disclosed having a fuel tank with a fuel-tight boundary, upper and lower covers, forward and aft spars, and a partition including an inboard portion, an outboard portion, and a third portion between the inboard and outboard portions. Each cover is attached to each spar, the inboard portion of the partition is joined to each cover and joined to one of the spars, the outboard portion of the partition is joined to each cover and joined to one of the spars, each cover is joined to the partition. The inboard part, outboard part and third part of the partition are integrally formed as a single-piece; and the single-piece provides part of the fuel-tight boundary of the fuel tank.

A drive system of an aircraft, including a fuel cell, which can be supplied with hydrogen from a hydrogen tank and with air from a blower, the fuel cell being configured to provide drive power for operational flight after takeoff and before landing dependent on a hydrogen mass flow supplied by the hydrogen tank and dependent on an air mass flow supplied by the blower, and an electrical energy store, which is configured to provide additional drive power for takeoff and landing, wherein an additional hydrogen tank and an air or oxygen tank are configured to interact with the fuel cell such that the fuel cell can be supplied with an additional hydrogen mass flow and with an additional air or oxygen mass flow, thereby compensating at least partially for a loss of the additional drive power provided by the electrical energy store for landing.

A drive system of an aircraft, including a fuel cell, which can be supplied with hydrogen from a hydrogen tank and with air from a blower, the fuel cell being configured to provide drive power for operational flight after takeoff and before landing dependent on a hydrogen mass flow supplied by the hydrogen tank and dependent on an air mass flow supplied by the blower, and an electrical energy store, which is configured to provide additional drive power for takeoff and landing, wherein an additional hydrogen tank and an air or oxygen tank are configured to interact with the fuel cell such that the fuel cell can be supplied with an additional hydrogen mass flow and with an additional air or oxygen mass flow, thereby compensating at least partially for a loss of the additional drive power provided by the electrical energy store for landing.

A system and method for using a fuel with an engine, an airframe having an aircraft heat load, a fuel tank, and a fuel oxygen reduction unit are provided. The method includes receiving an inlet fuel flow in the fuel oxygen reduction unit for reducing an amount of oxygen in the inlet fuel flow; separating a fuel/gas mixture within the fuel oxygen reduction unit into an outlet gas flow and an outlet fuel flow exiting the fuel oxygen reduction unit; controlling a first portion of the outlet fuel flow to the engine; and controlling a second portion of the outlet fuel flow to the airframe to transfer heat between the second portion of the outlet fuel flow and the aircraft heat load.

A composite structure is disclosed forming part of a wall of a liquid hydrogen tank, and including at least one thermal protection device having one or more of hollow fibers, such as to create thermal protection, for example a thermal barrier or a heat exchanger, which makes it possible to protect the composite structure in case of a high temperature gradient between the two faces thereof, while benefiting from the advantages of a composite material in terms of mass.