AIRCRAFT POWER UNIT USING FUEL CELLS Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC H01M8/12 B64D41/00 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: aircraft power unit using fuel cells has a battery of high-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells which generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen at high operational temperature and pressure, and is fitted with a fuel supply system which includes a tank for hydrogen compressed to high pressure of about 70 MPa, and an additional device connected to the tank for reducing pressure of the compressed hydrogen to high operational pressure equal to approximately 1 MPa. The device for reducing pressure of compressed hydrogen is made in form of an expansive gas turbine which reduces high hydrogen pressure to high operational pressure. An electric generator is mounted on the same shaft with the turbine. The oxidising agent supply system of the power unit has a compressor for compressing atmospheric air and atmospheric oxygen is used as the oxidising agent. An output turbine, which is connected to the chemical reactor by a pipe carrying gas from the chemical reactor, and an extra turbine, on the shaft of which an electric generator for generating extra electric current is mounted, are mounted on the same shaft with the compressor. Operational temperature is in the range of 900…1000°C.

EFFECT: increased mass efficiency of fuel cells.

5 cl, 1 dwg