Fuel cell emergency system
View Patent ↗In an embodiment, a fuel cell system for supplying emergency power to an aircraft, includes a fuel cell, a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, and a power distribution unit. This provides for an emergency power supply for aircraft that is reliable, independent of the outside air, and has low maintenance needs.
1. An aircraft comprising an aircraft control system, a first power supply and an emergency power supply, the emergency power supply being comprised of an hydraulic pump and a fuel cell system for supplying emergency power to the hydraulic pump, wherein the fuel cell system comprises:
a fuel cell;
a first device comprising a hydrogen tank;
a second device comprising an oxygen tank;
a power distribution unit;
a temperature regulating system is provided which is configured to heat the fuel cell;
a detection unit, wherein the detection unit is configured to detect an undersupply of power to onboard consumers, and the first device and the second device are coupled to the fuel cell such that hydrogen is not supplied from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell and oxygen is not supplied from the oxygen tank to the fuel cell until the detection unit detects a failure of the first power supply;
wherein the emergency power supply is adapted to supply power to the aircraft in case of a failure of the first power supply; and
wherein the first device couples the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell when the detection unit detects an undersupply of power and the power distribution unit activates the fuel cell system, such that the fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, and the second device couples the oxygen tank to the fuel cell when the detection unit detects an undersupply of power and the power distribution unit activates the fuel cell system, such that the fuel cell is supplied with oxygen from the oxygen tank and the emergency power supply is independent of any air outside of the full cell system; and
wherein the hydraulic pump is configured to be driven by electricity generated by the fuel cell system of the emergency power supply, such that the hydraulic pump is designed to provide hydraulic power to the aircraft control system even if the first power supply fails.
2. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fuel cell is a low-temperature fuel cell; and is arranged inside a pressurized and air conditioned area of the aircraft.
3. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the hydrogen tank is a hydrogen compressed gas cylinder; and
the oxygen tank is an oxygen compressed gas cylinder.
4. The aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for detecting a pressure drop in the cabin, the sensor being coupled with the second device of the fuel cell system of the emergency power supply,
wherein the second device of the fuel cell system of the emergency power supply couples the oxygen tank of the second device to an emergency oxygen supply system, such that the emergency oxygen supply system is activated, supplying passengers with emergency oxygen from the oxygen tank of the second device, when the sensor coupled with the second device of the fuel cell system of the emergency power supply detects a pressure drop in the cabin.
5. The aircraft according to claim 1 , the emergency power supply further comprising:
a converter capable of generating a current/voltage characteristic suitable for onboard operation.
6. The aircraft according to claim 1 , the emergency power supply further comprising:
a cooling system designed for cooling at least the fuel cell.
7. The aircraft according to claim 6 , the emergency power supply further comprising:
a temperature regulating and heating device integrated into the cooling system capable of regulating a temperature of the fuel cell, such that the temperature of the fuel cell is maintainable within a predetermined range.
8. The aircraft according to claim 1 , the emergency power supply further comprising:
a motor governor for the hydraulic pump; wherein the motor governor for the hydraulic pump comprises an additional electrical connection to an onboard power supply in addition to power supplied via the fuel cell system.
9. The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein the hydrogen tank is a hydrogen compressed gas cylinder and wherein the oxygen tank is an oxygen compressed gas cylinder, and the hydrogen compressed gas cylinder and the oxygen compressed gas cylinder are both stored in the aircraft so as to be accessible for inspection and replacement by maintenance personnel.