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CN-122029712-A - Electrical architecture including fuel cells powering propulsion and non-propulsion networks and aircraft including the same

CN122029712ACN 122029712 ACN122029712 ACN 122029712ACN-122029712-A

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical architecture for a vehicle, comprising a propulsion electrical network (10L, 10R) comprising at least one first fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R) comprising at least one first fuel cell (31L, 31R) and first auxiliary electrical equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R), and a non-propulsion electrical network (20) comprising a second fuel cell assembly (40L, 40R) comprising at least one second fuel cell (41L, 41R) and second auxiliary electrical equipment (42L, 42R), and a propulsion electric motor (1L, 1R) connected to the first fuel cell assembly. The architecture includes at least one electronic control unit connected to the fuel cell assemblies (30L, 30R, 40L, 40R) for selectively controlling them during both start-up phases and during a nominal operating phase. The invention also relates to an aircraft comprising such an architecture.

Inventors

  • V. Baoweite
  • MOORE CAROLYN
  • D. J.A. Bonholm
  • H. Juan

Assignees

  • 赛峰集团

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241008
Priority Date
20231009

Claims (10)

  1. 1. An electrical architecture for a vehicle, comprising a propulsion electrical network (10L, 10R) and a non-propulsion electrical network (20), the propulsion electrical network comprising at least one first fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R) and a propulsion electric motor (1L, 1R) connected to the first fuel cell assembly, the first fuel cell assembly comprising at least one first fuel cell (31L, 31R) and first auxiliary electrical equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R), characterized in that the non-propulsion electrical network comprises a second fuel cell assembly (40L, 40R) comprising at least one second fuel cell (41L, 41R) and second auxiliary electrical equipment (42L, 42R), and in that the architecture comprises at least one connection/disconnection element (22R) arranged between the non-propulsion electrical network (20) and the first auxiliary equipment (32L, 33L, 34R, 33R, 34R) and at least one fuel cell (22L, 22R) and the control unit (40L, 40R) are selectively connected to the control unit (22L, 30R): In a first start-up phase, in which the connection/disconnection element (22L, 22R) is in a disconnected state and the second auxiliary electrical equipment (42L, 42R) receives power to start the second fuel cell assembly (40L, 40R), in a second start-up phase, in which the connection/disconnection element (22L) is in an on-state and the second fuel cell assembly (40L, 40R) supplies power to the first auxiliary equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R) to start the first fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R), then in a nominal operating phase, in which the first fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R) is self-powered and supplies power to the propulsion electrical network (10L, 10R).
  2. 2. The electrical architecture of claim 1, wherein the non-propelled electrical network (20) comprises a battery (50) that supplies power to the second auxiliary electrical equipment (42L, 42R) during the first start-up phase.
  3. 3. The electrical architecture of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the non-propelled electrical network (20) comprises an external power outlet (26) for supplying power to the second auxiliary electrical equipment (42L, 42R) during the first start-up phase.
  4. 4. The electrical architecture according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one electronic control unit is designed to control the stopping of the electric propulsion motor (1L, 1R) during the second starting phase and to control its power supply during the subsequent nominal operating phase.
  5. 5. The electrical architecture of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a voltage converter (23L, 24L, 23R, 24R) is provided between a second fuel cell (41L, 41R) of the second fuel cell assembly (40L, 40R) and the first auxiliary electrical equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R), such that the second fuel cell assembly (40L, 40R) supplies power to the first auxiliary equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R) via the voltage converter (23L, 23R) during the second start-up phase.
  6. 6. The electrical architecture of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary electrical equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R, 42L, 42R) of each fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R, 40L, 40R) comprises at least one first auxiliary electric motor (322L, 322R) mechanically connected to a second fluid circulation member (321L, 321R) provided in the fuel circuit, and a second auxiliary electric motor (332L, 332R) mechanically connected to a first fluid circulation member (331L, 331R) provided in the oxygen circuit, the auxiliary electric motors (332L, 332R, 322L, 332R) being electrically connected to an internal interconnection bar (35L, 35R), the first connecting/disconnecting element (22L, 22R) being also connected to the internal interconnection bar.
  7. 7. The electrical architecture of claim 6, characterized in that the auxiliary electrical equipment (32L, 33L, 34L, 32R, 33R, 34R, 42L, 42R) of each fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R, 40L, 40R) comprises a third auxiliary electric motor (342L, 342R) mechanically connected to a cooling management member (341L, 341R) and electrically connected to the internal interconnection bar (35L, 35R).
  8. 8. The electrical architecture of any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that the propulsion electrical network (10L, 10R) comprises an interconnection bar (13L, 13R) connected to the first fuel cell assembly (30L, 30R), the internal interconnection bar (35L, 35R) and the propulsion electric motor (1L, 1R).
  9. 9. The electrical architecture according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the non-propelled electrical network (20) comprises an interconnection bar (21L, 21R) connected to the second fuel cell (41L, 41R), the second auxiliary electrical equipment (42L, 42R) and the connection/disconnection element (22L, 22R).
  10. 10. An air-craft having the function of a vehicle, the aircraft comprising an electrical architecture according to any one of the preceding claims.

Description

Electrical architecture including fuel cells powering propulsion and non-propulsion networks and aircraft including the same Technical Field The present invention relates to the field of electrical architecture including fuel cells in the transportation field, in particular in the aeronautical field. Background Climate change is a major concern for many legislation and regulatory authorities worldwide. In particular, various carbon emission limits have been, are being or are about to be adopted by various countries. In particular, a strict standard applies both to new aircraft and to in-service aircraft, requiring implementation of technical solutions in order to make them compliant with current regulations. The civil aviation industry has been mobilizing for many years to make contributions to the management of climate change. Technological research effort has led to very significant improvements in aircraft environmental performance. In order to increase the energy efficiency of an aircraft, the applicant has considered various factors affecting all stages of design and development in order to obtain lower energy consumption, more environmentally friendly aeronautical components and products, and whose integration and use in civil aviation have a modest environmental impact. Accordingly, applicants are continually striving to reduce their negative impact on climate by employing benign development and manufacturing methods and processes that minimize greenhouse gas emissions and thus reduce the impact of their activities on the environment. This continuous research and development relates to the lightening of new generation aircraft engines, devices, in particular by the materials used and the weight-saving on-board equipment, and the development of propulsion provided by electrical technology. For this purpose, it has been considered to replace the propulsion heat engine in an aircraft with a propulsion electric motor connected to a fuel cell fed by dihydro. It is recalled that a fuel cell comprises at least one electrochemical generator, first means for supplying dihydro to the electrochemical generator, second means for supplying dioxygen to the electrochemical generator, and means for removing water and heat generated from the electrochemical generator. The electrochemical generator comprises two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, on which oxidation of the dihydro as a reducing fuel takes place and on which reduction of the dioxygen as an oxidizing agent takes place, so that a charge transfer takes place between the two electrodes. Generally comprises: A first electrical network, called propulsion network, dedicated to the propulsion of the aircraft and comprising a fuel cell, and A second electrical network, called non-propulsion network, dedicated to non-propulsion on-board electrical equipment (computers and other computing devices, flight control actuators, communication devices, etc.). In flight, the fuel cell powers the electric propulsion motor, fuel cell auxiliary components (air compressor, hydrogen recirculation, battery cooling) necessary for fuel cell operation, and non-propulsion on-board equipment. However, it is also necessary to supply power to the non-propulsion on-board equipment and to supply fuel to the auxiliary components of the battery to enable start-up prior to starting up the fuel cell. To this end, the non-propulsion electrical network comprises a battery, which is charged by the fuel cell after the fuel cell has started. One disadvantage of such a system is that the non-propulsion electrical network is typically a low voltage electrical network, typically 28V, while the fuel cell has power components that require higher voltages. It is therefore necessary to provide a voltage converter that is relatively heavy and is only used for starting. Furthermore, the electrical connection between the non-propelled electrical network and the power supply portion of the propelled electrical network may create a significant risk of fault propagation between the two electrical networks. It is also necessary to ensure that the two networks do not interfere with each other. Object of the Invention It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an electrical architecture for a vehicle comprising a fuel cell that at least partially overcomes the above drawbacks. Disclosure of Invention To this end, the present invention provides an electrical architecture for a vehicle that includes a propelled electrical network and a non-propelled electrical network. The propulsion electrical network includes at least one first fuel cell assembly including at least one first fuel cell and first auxiliary electrical equipment, and a propulsion electric motor connected to the first fuel cell assembly. The non-propulsion electrical network includes a second fuel cell assembly including at least one second fuel cell and a second auxiliary electrical device. The architecture comprises at least on