Aerial vehicle
The disclosure relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the fuel cell provides a structural component of the vehicle.
1. An unmanned aerial rotorcraft vehicle having a fuel cell system forming a portion of the aerial vehicle's support structure comprising:
a plurality of propulsion modules affixed via load bearing struts to a body;
each strut having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a fuel cell having vertical bi-polar plates oriented from top to bottom surface of each strut;
air inlets for each fuel cell provided at the top surface of each strut;
wherein the air inlets are unblocked during flight; wherein each propulsion module is configured to provide air as an oxidant to a fuel cell via the air inlets and,
wherein the fuel cells form a fuel cell stack which generates power and provides a structural load bearing component of the vehicle.
2. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 1 wherein each propulsion module is configured to provide air as a coolant to a fuel cell via the air inlets.
3. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 1 wherein each propulsion module is configured to provide air as both a coolant and an oxidant to a fuel cell via the air inlets.
4. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 1 further comprising air outlets for each fuel cell provided at the bottom surface of each strut.
5. An unmanned aerial rotorcraft vehicle having a fuel cell system forming a portion of the aerial vehicle's support structure comprising:
a plurality of rotors each forming a propulsion module;
each of said propulsion modules affixed via a mechanical load bearing strut to a body;
each strut having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a fuel cell system within the body;
at least one cooling structure formed as part of a strut and thermally coupled to the fuel cell system configured to conduct heat away from said fuel cell system;
wherein the cooling structure receives airflow from a propulsion module during flight to dissipate heat conducted from the fuel cell system.
6. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 5 further comprising an airflow pathway through a portion of the strut configured to be open during flight comprising at least one cooling structure configured to cool the cooling structure by convection; and,
wherein the airflow from the rotors is configured to supply airflow into the airflow pathway.