A fuel cell system includes a fuel pre-heater, a fuel cell stack and a cooling circuit which is arranged to implement a Rankine cycle and includes a condenser. The fuel pre-heater is arranged to heat a flow of liquid hydrogen provided to an input thereof to provide a flow of gaseous hydrogen. The system further includes a conveying apparatus arranged to convey the gaseous hydrogen to a fuel input of the fuel cell stack such that the gaseous hydrogen is in thermal contact with coolant fluid in the condenser. The size and mass of the condenser may thereby be reduced. The pre-heater is arranged to heat coolant fluid within the cooling circuit, thereby increasing the efficiency of the Rankine cycle.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel pre-heater, a fuel cell stack and a cooling circuit which is arranged to implement a Rankine cycle and includes a condenser. The fuel pre-heater is arranged to heat a flow of liquid hydrogen provided to an input thereof to provide a flow of gaseous hydrogen. The system further includes a conveying apparatus arranged to convey the gaseous hydrogen to a fuel input of the fuel cell stack such that the gaseous hydrogen is in thermal contact with coolant fluid in the condenser. The size and mass of the condenser may thereby be reduced. The pre-heater is arranged to heat coolant fluid within the cooling circuit, thereby increasing the efficiency of the Rankine cycle.

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell, a fuel tank, a fuel distribution pipe fluidly connecting the fuel tank with a fuel inlet of the fuel cell, a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the fuel distribution pipe, an inerting system configured to generate nitrogen enriched air, NEA, and oxygen enriched air, OEA, and an NEA pipe conducting the nitrogen enriched air into the shroud.

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell, a fuel tank, a fuel distribution pipe fluidly connecting the fuel tank with a fuel inlet of the fuel cell, a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the fuel distribution pipe, an inerting system configured to generate nitrogen enriched air, NEA, and oxygen enriched air, OEA, and an NEA pipe conducting the nitrogen enriched air into the shroud.

An aircraft system is provided that includes an aircraft airframe, a drive unit, a mechanical load, an energy module and an ejection system. The aircraft airframe has an internal compartment. The drive unit is mounted with the aircraft airframe. The mechanical load includes a mechanical load rotor. The drive unit is coupled to and configured to drive rotation of the mechanical load rotor. The energy module is disposed within the internal compartment. The energy module includes an energy source configured to power or fuel operation of the drive unit. The ejection system is configured to eject the energy module out of the internal compartment and away from the aircraft airframe.

To provide a fuel cell system configured to charge a battery with maintaining the independence and redundancy of a fuel cell and a battery as power sources. A fuel cell system for air vehicles, wherein the fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a battery, a motor and a controller; wherein the fuel cell and the battery are connected to the motor as independent power sources, and the motor includes a double three-phase winding that uses a double inverter; and wherein, when normal output is requested from the motor, the controller operates the motor by a predetermined first output from the fuel cell, and the controller charges the battery by a torque generated in the motor.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for providing improved aircraft fuel cell systems. In one embodiment, the system provides separate zones, maintaining various equipment components in separate controlled hydrogen concentration zones. In one embodiment, the fuel cell system provided may be simpler such that it functions without a power converter and autonomous such that it functions without need for power from any aircraft supply.

An engine for propelling an aircraft includes an annular fuel cell arrangement having at least one fuel cell, at least one electric motor couplable to the fuel cell arrangement, at least one fan couplable to the electric motor and a cowling having an inlet and an outlet nozzle. The fuel cell arrangement is arranged inside the cowling, the at least one fan is arranged between the inlet and the fuel cell arrangement inside the cowling, the electric motor is operable under consumption of electric power delivered by the fuel cell arrangement and the at least one fan is designed to produce a thrust force by creating an accelerated airflow at the outlet nozzle. The engine is extremely efficient and comprises a distinct low noise.

The disclosure generally pertains to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising a fuselage and at least one fixed wing. The aircraft may include at least two powered rotors located generally along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The rotor units may be coupled to the fuselage via a rotating chassis, which allows the rotors to provide directed thrust by movement of the rotor units about at least one axis. By moving the rotor units, the aircraft can transition from a hover mode to a transition mode and then to a forward flight mode and back.

As a component of an aerial vehicle, a power management system having an active power control device is provided. The system includes a solar cell converting solar energy into electric energy; a fuel cell provided in the aerial vehicle and converting fuel energy into electric energy by electrochemical reaction; a battery compensating for a lack of electric power supplied from the solar cell and the fuel cell to the aerial vehicle and storing surplus electric power; and an active power control device connecting with all the solar cell, the fuel cell and the battery and combining and distributing electric power generated in the solar cell, the fuel cell and the battery to loads. The system efficiently distributes the power from the respective power sources through the controllable output of the fuel cell in accordance with power required by the aerial vehicle and the solar cell's performance depending on weather.