Aircraft powerplant with boosted turbine engine and fuel cell system
A powerplant for an aircraft includes a first turbine engine, a second turbine engine and a fuel cell system. The second turbine engine includes a second engine flowpath, a second engine compressor section, a second engine combustor section and a second engine turbine section. The second engine flowpath extends from a second engine flowpath inlet to a second engine flowpath outlet. The second engine flowpath inlet and the second engine flowpath outlet are each fluidly coupled with a flowpath of the first turbine engine. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel circuit and an air circuit. The fuel circuit extends through the fuel cell and is fluidly coupled with and upstream of a first fuel injector in the second engine combustor section. The air circuit extends through the fuel cell and is fluidly coupled with and downstream of a bleed from the second engine flowpath.
1 . A powerplant for an aircraft, comprising:
a first turbine engine including a first engine flowpath, a first engine compressor section, a first engine combustor section and a first engine turbine section, the first engine flowpath extending through the first engine compressor section, the first engine combustor section and the first engine turbine section from a first engine flowpath inlet into the first engine flowpath to a first engine flowpath exhaust from the first engine flowpath;
a second turbine engine including a second engine flowpath, a second engine compressor section, a second engine combustor section and a second engine turbine section, the second engine flowpath extending through the second engine compressor section, the second engine combustor section and the second engine turbine section from a second engine flowpath inlet into the second engine flowpath to a second engine flowpath outlet from the second engine flowpath, and the second engine flowpath inlet and the second engine flowpath outlet each fluidly coupled with the first engine flowpath; and
a fuel cell system including a fuel cell, a fuel circuit and an air circuit, the fuel circuit extending through the fuel cell and fluidly coupled with and upstream of a first fuel injector in the second engine combustor section, and the air circuit extending through the fuel cell and fluidly coupled with and downstream of a bleed from the second engine flowpath.
2 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell comprises a solid oxide fuel cell.
3 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the second engine combustor section comprises a second engine combustor; and
the bleed is upstream of the second engine combustor along the second engine flowpath.
4 . The powerplant of claim 3 , wherein an outlet from the air circuit is fluidly coupled with the second engine flowpath at or downstream of the bleed along the second engine flowpath.
5 . The powerplant of claim 3 , wherein an outlet from the air circuit is fluidly coupled with the second engine flowpath downstream of the second engine combustor along the second engine flowpath.
6 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein the air circuit is fluidly coupled with the second engine flowpath in parallel with a combustion chamber within a second engine combustor within the second engine combustor section.
7 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the fuel cell system further includes a fuel reformer; and
the fuel circuit extends through the fuel reformer upstream of the fuel cell.
8 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the second engine combustor section includes the first fuel injector and a second fuel injector; and
the second fuel injector is fluidly decoupled from the fuel cell.
9 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the second engine combustor section includes the first fuel injector and a second fuel injector; and
the fuel cell is further fluidly coupled with and upstream of the second fuel injector.
10 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the first turbine engine further includes an engine case housing the first engine compressor section, the first engine combustor section and the first engine turbine section; and
the fuel cell is arranged outside of the engine case.
11 . The powerplant of claim 10 , further comprising:
a nacelle;
the fuel cell arranged in a compartment formed by and between the engine case and the nacelle.
12 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the second turbine engine further includes an engine case housing the second engine compressor section, the second engine combustor section and the second engine turbine section; and
the fuel cell is arranged outside of the engine case.
13 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein
the first engine combustor section comprises a first engine combustor; and
the second engine flowpath inlet and the second engine flowpath outlet are each fluidly coupled with the first engine flowpath upstream of the first engine combustor.
14 . The powerplant of claim 13 , wherein the second engine flowpath inlet is at or upstream of the second engine flowpath outlet along the first engine flowpath.
15 . The powerplant of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gear system;
the first turbine engine further including a first engine rotating assembly operatively coupled to the gear system, and the first engine rotating assembly comprising a first engine turbine rotor in the first engine turbine section; and
the second turbine engine further including a second engine rotating assembly operatively coupled to the gear system, and the second engine rotating assembly comprising a second engine turbine rotor in the second engine turbine section.
16 . The powerplant of claim 15 , further comprising:
a powerplant accessory;
the gear system comprising a differential drive operatively coupling the first engine rotating assembly and the second engine rotating assembly to the powerplant accessory.
17 . The powerplant of claim 1 , wherein the first turbine engine comprises a turbofan engine.
18 . The powerplant of claim 1 , further comprising a propulsor rotor rotatably driven by a rotating assembly within the first turbine engine.