Granted Patent B2

US 12,729,005 · App. 18/987,902 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Tim Wittmann (Hamburg, DE); Florian Thorey (Toulouse, FR)

Assignees: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH; AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS

B64D27/355F02C9/18B64D2041/005H01M2250/20Y02T90/40

Abstract

Claims (19)

1 . An energy conversion arrangement for an aircraft, comprising:

a fuel conversion device configured to convert at least one fuel to electrical energy, mechanical energy or both electrical energy and mechanical energy;

an expansion device arranged in a flow path of exhausts produced in the fuel conversion device and configured to decompress the exhausts;

a first exhaust outlet configured to let out the exhausts produced in the fuel conversion device by a conversion of fuel; and

at least one bypass duct configured to allow the exhausts to bypass the expansion device as the exhausts flow from the fuel conversion device to the first exhaust outlet,

wherein the bypass duct connects to at least one mixing assembly which is configured to mix the exhausts with further exhausts from the energy conversion arrangement and is arranged in the flow path of the exhausts, wherein the further exhausts are directed out of a second exhaust outlet and the mixing assembly comprises the first exhaust outlet and the second exhaust outlet, and wherein mixing of the mixing assembly takes place downstream of a location on the aircraft where the exhausts exit the aircraft,

wherein the further exhausts exit a thermal management system and have a higher temperature or less relative humidity than the exhausts.

2 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the bypass duct connects to the flow path via a junction.

3 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the junction comprises at least one switch valve configured to switch the flow path between a first state where all of the exhausts are directed through the expansion device, a second state where all of the exhausts are directed through the bypass duct, and a third state where portions of the exhausts are directed through each of the expansion device and the bypass duct.

4 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the switch valve is configured to provide gradual switching of the flow path.

5 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the switch valve allows for a steplessly variable switching of the flow path.

6 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the bypass duct ends in a vicinity of the first exhaust outlet.

7 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the bypass duct ends within the first exhaust outlet.

8 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at the first exhaust outlet, a flow path leading through the expansion device and a flow path leading through the bypass duct are joined.

9 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a flow path leading through the expansion device and a flow path leading through the bypass duct are at least partially extending, terminating, or both at least partially extending and terminating in parallel, coaxially, or both in parallel and coaxially with respect to each other.

10 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to provide at least one measurement value representing at least one of temperature value, pressure value or humidity value of the exhausts, the energy conversion arrangement, or both the exhausts and the energy conversion arrangement.

11 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 10 , further comprising a control unit configured to adjust the flow path through the bypass duct based on the at least one measurement value.

12 . The energy conversion arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to keep the at least one measurement value within at least one of a pre-defined value range, above a predefined value limit, or below a predefined value limit.

13 . An aircraft comprising the energy conversion arrangement according to claim 1 .

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (11)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (45)