Method for tailoring and integrating a fuel cell unit into a vehicle
A method for integrating a fuel cell unit into a vehicle structural component, includes determining an available receiving space in an interior structural component of the vehicle, providing two casing parts assembleable to a closed casing, providing a fuel cell having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, assembling the casing parts and the fuel cell to form the fuel cell unit, and inserting the fuel cell unit into the receiving space. A casing part is additively manufactured such that the fuel cell unit precisely fits into the receiving space. A casing part includes an exterior fuel inlet and an interior fuel distributor for leading a fuel from the inlet to a fuel outlet couplable with the fuel cell. A casing part includes an exterior oxidant inlet and an interior oxidant distributor for leading an oxidant from the inlet to an oxidant outlet couplable with the fuel cell.
1. A method for integrating at least one fuel cell unit into the structural component of an aircraft, comprising:
determining an available receiving space in an interior structural component of the aircraft, that allows receiving a fuel cell unit through insertion from outside the structural component into the receiving space; wherein the aircraft comprises a fuselage having a series of frames arranged at a distance from each other;
wherein the interior structural component is at least one frame of the series of frames and the at least one frame comprises a first flange and a web;
providing at least two casing parts that are assembleable to a closed casing;
providing at least one fuel cell having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte;
assembling the casing parts and the at least one fuel cell to form the fuel cell unit; and
inserting the at least one fuel cell unit into a profile space defined by the first flange and the web,
wherein at least one of the casing parts is manufactured using an additive manufacturing method such that the fuel cell unit fits into the determined receiving space,
wherein one of the casing parts comprises an exterior fuel inlet and an interior fuel distributor for leading a fuel from the exterior fuel inlet to at least one fuel outlet couplable with each of the at least one fuel cell, and
wherein one of the casing parts comprises an exterior oxidant inlet and an interior oxidant distributor for leading an oxidant from the exterior oxidant inlet to at least one oxidant outlet couplable with each of the at least one fuel cell.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing at least a component of the at least one fuel cell through an additive manufacturing method.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one casing part comprises at least one fuel duct having an external fuel input and at least one internal fuel output inside a walling of the respective casing part.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one casing part comprises at least one oxidant duct having an external oxidant input and at least one internal oxidant output inside a walling of the respective casing part.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting at least a second fuel cell unit into a respective at least one second receiving space of the structural component.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising electrically connecting at least two of the fuel cell units in a serial connection.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising connecting the external fuel inlet of one of the fuel cell units to an external fuel outlet of another one of the fuel cell units, which fuel outlet is coupled with the fuel duct of the respective one of the fuel cell units.
8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising connecting the external oxidant inlet of one of the fuel cell units to an external oxidant outlet of another one of the fuel cell units, which oxidant outlet is coupled with the oxidant duct of the respective one of the fuel cell units.
9. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage having a series of frames arranged at a distance to each other,
at least one fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell unit comprising:
at least one fuel cell having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte,
a closed fuel cell unit casing having at least two casing parts, wherein one of the casing parts comprises an exterior fuel inlet and an interior fuel distributor for leading a fuel from the exterior fuel inlet to at least one fuel outlet couplable with each of the at least one fuel cell, and wherein one of the casing parts comprises an exterior oxidant inlet and an interior oxidant distributor for leading an oxidant from the exterior oxidant inlet to at least one oxidant outlet couplable with each of the at least one fuel cell,
wherein at least one of the casing parts is manufactured using an additive manufacturing method such that the fuel cell unit fits into a receiving space of a structural component of a vehicle,
wherein at least one frame of the series of frames comprises a first flange and a web connected to the first flange,
wherein at least one fuel cell unit of the at least one fuel cell system is arranged in a profile space defined by the first flange and the web.
10. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the at least one frame comprises a second flange connected to the web, wherein the profile space for integration of the at least one fuel cell is defined between the first flange, the second flange and the web.
11. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of fuel cell units are arranged in at least one frame of the series of frames, wherein the plurality of fuel cell units are electrically connected to each other in a series connection.