A tank system for an aircraft, including a tank including an inner enclosure including a closed inner skin configured to store dihydrogen and an outer enclosure including an outer skin that surrounds the inner enclosure, a chassis including a front frame at a front end of the tank, and an attachment arrangement which attaches the outer skin of the outer enclosure to the front frame. A system of this kind makes it possible to react forces through the outer skin, thus reducing a complexity of the chassis.

A cooling architecture for an integrated hydrogen-electric engine having a radiator and a hydrogen fuel cell includes a t and a manifold. The turbine is disposed in fluid communication with the hydrogen fuel cell. The turbine is configured to compress a predetermined amount of air and direct a first portion of the predetermined amount of the compressed air to the fuel cell for generating electricity that powers the integrated hydrogen-electric engine. The manifold is disposed in fluid communication with the turbine and positioned to direct a second portion of the predetermined amount of compressed air to the radiator for removing heat from the radiator.

A vehicle comprising: a shift reactor (110) configured to: receive carbon monoxide produced by the vehicle; and process the received carbon monoxide to produce an output comprising hydrogen; and a fuel cell (112) coupled to the shift reactor (110) and configured to: receive the hydrogen from the shift reactor (110); and produce, using the received hydrogen, electricity for use on the vehicle.

In one or more embodiments of the novel aircraft fuel cell system without the use of a buffer battery, the fuel cell and compressor would be sized sufficiently larger for the intended application, allowing the compressor to change speeds much faster. This in turn would allow power outputs to change much quicker. If power outputs can change as quickly as the application dictates, then a buffer battery is not necessary. In one or more embodiments, because the system is mostly electronically controlled, software can be written to protect the fuel cell from instantaneous power spikes. If a large power output is suddenly requested of the fuel cell, the software can smooth out the demand curve to provide an easier load profile to follow.

A high efficiency hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft at high altitude which utilizes compressors to compress air to a sufficiently high pressure for the fuel cell. Liquid hydrogen is compressed and then utilized in heat exchangers to cool the compressed air, maintaining the air at a temperature low enough for the fuel cell. The hydrogen is also used to cool the fuel cell as it is also depressurized prior to its entry in the fuel cell cycle. A water condensation system allows for water removal from the airstream to reduce impacts to the atmosphere. The hydrogen fuel system may be used with VTOL aircraft, which may allow them to fly at higher elevations. The hydrogen fuel system may be used with other subsonic and supersonic aircraft, such as with asymmetric wing aircraft.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) system for energy transport includes a UAV having an energy tank configured to transport energy, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, may cause the system to receive a first location for collecting or releasing the energy, determine an energy level of the energy tank, and transport the energy by the UAV to or from the first location based on the determined energy level.

Redundant electrochemical systems and methods for vehicles are described. The systems include a first electrochemical device located at a first position on the vehicle wherein the first electrochemical device is configured to generate at least one of inert gas, oxygen, and electrical power and a second electrochemical device located at a second position on the vehicle wherein the second electrochemical device is configured to generate at least one of inert gas, oxygen, and electrical power. The first electrochemical device is configured to operate in a first mode during normal operation of the vehicle and a second mode when the second electrochemical device fails, wherein in the second mode, the first electrochemical device provides the at least one of inert gas, oxygen, and electrical power for at least one vehicle critical system of the vehicle.

A Multi-Mode Regenerative Fuel Cell system comprising a non-flow thru fuel cell operatively coupled to a high or medium pressure electrolyzer; a distributed reactant storage assembly comprising at least one hydrogen storage means and at least one oxygen storage means, said distributed reactant storage assembly operatively coupled to said fuel cell and electrolyzer; a pilot oxygen storage means operatively coupled to said oxygen storage means; a water storage means operatively coupled to said fuel cell and electrolyzer, and an aircraft power load operatively coupled to said fuel cell and electrolyzer.

A propulsion system for an aircraft, which has a chassis, a propeller able to move in rotation about an axis of rotation, a main gear as one with the propeller, an electric generator, at least one linear electric motor having a fixed element and a slider able to move in translation, for each linear electric motor, a secondary gear meshing with the main gear and mounted to be able to move in rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and a rod of which one end is articulated on the corresponding slider and of which the other end is articulated on the corresponding secondary gear at an articulation that is offset with respect to the axis of rotation of the secondary gear.

An engine assembly includes a combustor, a fuel cell stack integrated with the combustor, the fuel cell stack configured (i) to direct fuel and air exhaust from the fuel cell stack into the combustor and (ii) to generate electrical energy, a catalytic partial oxidation convertor that is fluidly connected to the fuel cell stack, the catalytic partial oxidation convertor being configured to optimize a hydrogen content of a fuel stream to be directed into the fuel cell stack, and one or more subsystems electrically connected with the fuel cell stack, the one or more subsystems being configured to receive the electrical energy generated by the fuel cell stack. The combustor is configured to combust the fuel and air exhaust from the fuel cell stack into one or more gaseous combustion products that drive a downstream turbine.