Integrated hydrogen-electric engine
An integrated hydrogen-electric engine including an air compressor system, a hydrogen fuel source, a fuel cell stack, a heat exchanger, an elongated shaft, and a motor assembly. The heat exchanger is disposed in fluid communication with the hydrogen fuel source and the fuel cell stack. The elongated shaft supports the air compressor system, the fuel cell stack and the heat exchanger. The motor assembly is disposed in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack.
1. An integrated hydrogen-electric engine
comprising: an air compressor system configured to provide
compressed air;
a hydrogen fuel source;
a fuel cell stack;
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the hydrogen fuel source and the fuel cell stack, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool the compressed air before the compressed air enters the fuel cell stack;
an elongated shaft, said elongated shaft having the air compressor system, the fuel cell stack, and the heat exchanger disposed thereon such that said elongated shaft physically supports said air compressor system, said fuel cell stack, and said heat exchanger; wherein the fuel cell stack is disposed concentrically about the elongated shaft; and
a motor assembly disposed in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack.
2. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly includes at least one motor that is disposed in coaxial alignment with the elongated shaft.
3. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 2 , wherein the at least one motor is actuatable to rotate the elongated shaft.
4. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 3 , wherein rotation of the at least one motor causes the air compression system to compress air for transmitting the compressed air to the heat exchanger.
5. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 2 , wherein the motor assembly includes at least one inverter disposed in electrical communication with the at least one motor and the fuel cell stack.
6. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 5 , wherein the inverter converts direct current from the fuel cell stack into alternating current that actuates the at least one motor.
7. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , further comprising a propulsor supported on a distal end of the elongated shaft.
8. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the air compressor system includes a plurality of spaced-apart compressor wheels that rotate in response to rotation of the elongated shaft.
9. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the air compressor system includes a compressor that is mechanically coupled to the elongated shaft via a gearbox.
10. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the hydrogen fuel source and the heat exchanger, the pump configured to pump liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen fuel source to the heat exchanger.
11. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , further comprising a controller disposed in electrical communication with at least one of the air compressor system, the hydrogen fuel source, the fuel cell stack, the heat exchanger, or the motor assembly.
12. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly includes a plurality of motors and a plurality of inverters.
13. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 12 , wherein at least one inverter of the plurality of inverters is disposed between two motors of the plurality of motors to define a motor subassembly.
14. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 12 , wherein at least one motor of the plurality of motors and at least one inverter of the plurality of inverters are thermally interfaced.
15. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is further configured to cool the compressed air using, at least in part, fuel from the fuel source.
16. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is further configured to heat fuel from the fuel source using, at least in part, the compressed air.
17. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a plurality of interchangeable and removable fuel cell stack modules configured to match the power of the motor assembly.
18. An integrated hydrogen-electric engine comprising: an air compressor system;
a hydrogen fuel source;
a fuel cell stack comprising a proton membrane exchange fuel cell;
a heat exchanger operatively coupled to both the hydrogen fuel source and the fuel cell stack, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool compressed air received from the air compressor system before the compressed air enters the fuel cell stack; and
a motor assembly disposed in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack.
19. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 18 further comprising:
an elongated shaft, wherein the elongated shaft physically supports the air compressor system, the fuel cell stack, and the heat exchanger.
20. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 19 , wherein the fuel cell stack is disposed concentrically about the elongated shaft.
21. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 18 , wherein the motor assembly includes a plurality of motors and a plurality of inverters.
22. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 21 , wherein at least one motor of the plurality of motors and at least one inverter of the plurality of inverters are thermally interfaced.
23. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 18 , wherein the heat exchanger is further configured to cool the compressed air using, at least in part, fuel from the fuel source.
24. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 18 , wherein the heat exchanger is further configured to heat fuel from the fuel source using, at least in part, the compressed air.
25. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 18 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a plurality of interchangeable and removable fuel cell stack modules configured to match the power of the motor assembly.
26. An integrated hydrogen-electric engine comprising: an air compressor system;
a hydrogen fuel source;
a fuel cell stack; and
a unified heat exchanger operatively coupled to both the hydrogen fuel source and the fuel cell stack, wherein the unified heat exchanger is configured to both:
cool compressed air received from the air compressor system before the compressed air enters the fuel cell stack, and
heat fuel from the hydrogen fuel source before the fuel enters the fuel cell stack.
27. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 26 further comprising:
an elongated shaft, wherein the elongated shaft physically supports the air compressor system, the fuel cell stack, and the heat exchanger.
28. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 27 , wherein the fuel cell stack is disposed concentrically about the elongated shaft.
29. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 26 further comprising:
a motor assembly disposed in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack, wherein the motor assembly includes a plurality of motors and a plurality of inverters.
30. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 29 , wherein at least one motor of the plurality of motors and at least one inverter of the plurality of inverters are thermally interfaced.
31. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 26 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a plurality of interchangeable and removable fuel cell stack modules configured to match the power of the motor assembly.
32. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 26 , wherein the unified heat exchanger is further configured to cool the compressed air at least in part by transferring heat from the compressed air to the fuel.
33. The integrated hydrogen-electric engine of claim 26 , wherein the unified heat exchanger is further configured to heat fuel from the fuel source at least in part by transferring heat from the compressed air to the fuel.