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EP-4738487-A1 - VEHICLE WITH REVERSIBLE FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION

EP4738487A1EP 4738487 A1EP4738487 A1EP 4738487A1EP-4738487-A1

Abstract

A method of operation is provided during which hydrogen fuel is produced using a reversible fuel cell system (32) onboard a vehicle while the vehicle is stationary and/or docked. The reversible fuel cell system (32) receives water and input electricity to produce the hydrogen fuel. The hydrogen fuel is stored onboard the vehicle. Output electricity is generated using the reversible fuel cell system (32) while the vehicle is moving. The reversible fuel cell system (32) receives the hydrogen fuel stored onboard the vehicle and air to generate the output electricity.

Inventors

  • DARLING, ROBERT M.
  • SARAIDARIDIS, James D.

Assignees

  • RTX Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251020

Claims (15)

  1. A method of operation, comprising: producing hydrogen fuel using a reversible fuel cell system (32) onboard a vehicle while the vehicle is stationary and/or docked, wherein the reversible fuel cell system (32) receives water and input electricity to produce the hydrogen fuel; storing the hydrogen fuel onboard the vehicle; and generating output electricity using the reversible fuel cell system (32) while the vehicle is moving, wherein the reversible fuel cell system (32) receives the hydrogen fuel stored onboard the vehicle and air to generate the output electricity.
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft; the hydrogen fuel is produced using the reversible fuel cell system (32) onboard the aircraft while the aircraft is on ground; and the output electricity is generated using the reversible fuel cell system (32) while the aircraft is in flight.
  3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a water vehicle.
  4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the water is received from a water source (28) offboard of the vehicle during the producing of the hydrogen fuel.
  5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the input electricity is received from an electricity source (30) offboard of the vehicle during the producing of the hydrogen fuel.
  6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the hydrogen fuel produced by the reversible fuel cell system (32) and the hydrogen fuel received by the reversible fuel cell system (32) comprises hydrogen gas.
  7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the storing of the hydrogen fuel comprises directing the hydrogen fuel into a storage container (34) onboard the vehicle with a hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound (36) disposed within the storage container (34).
  8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound (36) comprises a metal hydride, optionally one or more of: a magnesium hydride; a lithium borohydride; a sodium aluminum hydride; and an aluminum hydride.
  9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound (36) comprises an alloy comprising: titanium and iron; and/or titanium and manganese.
  10. The method of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound (36) comprises an alloy comprising lanthanum and nickel.
  11. The method of any of claims 7 to 10, wherein the hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound (36) includes: a first hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material; and a second hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material that is different than the first hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material.
  12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material is operable to release hydrogen at a lower temperature than the second hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material.
  13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein: the first hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material releases the hydrogen fuel during vehicle startup; and the second first hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage material releases the hydrogen fuel during post vehicle startup operation.
  14. A system for a vehicle, comprising: a water input (64) onboard the vehicle, the water input (64) configured to receive water from a water source (28) offboard the vehicle; an electrical input (68) onboard the vehicle, the electrical input (68) configured to receive input electricity from an electricity source (30) offboard the vehicle; a hydrogen storage container (34) onboard the vehicle; a reversible fuel cell system (32) onboard the vehicle; the reversible fuel cell system (32) configured to produce hydrogen fuel during an electrolysis mode using the water received by the water input (64) and the input electricity received by the electrical input (68), wherein the hydrogen fuel produced by the reversible fuel cell system (32) is stored within the hydrogen storage container (34); and the reversible fuel cell system (32) configured to generate output electricity during a fuel cell mode using the hydrogen fuel stored within the hydrogen storage container (34) and air; and an electrical component (26) onboard the vehicle, the electrical component (26) configured to receive the output electricity generated by the reversible fuel cell system (32).
  15. A vehicle, comprising: a vehicle airframe (22); a reversible fuel cell system (32) mounted within the vehicle airframe (22), the reversible fuel cell system (32) configured to produce hydrogen fuel using water and input electricity during a first mode, and the reversible fuel cell system (32) configured to generate output electricity using the hydrogen fuel and air during a second mode; a hydrogen storage container (34) mounted within the vehicle airframe (22), the hydrogen storage container (34) configured to store the hydrogen fuel produced by the reversible fuel cell system (32) during the first mode, the hydrogen storage container (34) configured to provide the hydrogen fuel to the reversible fuel cell system (32) during the second mode, a hydrogen storage compound (36) disposed within the hydrogen storage container (34), and the hydrogen storage compound (36) comprising at least one of a magnesium hydride; a lithium borohydride; a sodium aluminum hydride; an aluminum hydride; an alloy comprising titanium and iron; an alloy comprising titanium and manganese; or an alloy comprising lanthanum and nickel; and an electrical component (26) arranged with the vehicle airframe (22), the electrical component (26) configured to receive the output electricity generated by the reversible fuel cell system (32).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 1. Technical Field This disclosure relates generally to a vehicle and, more particularly, to a unitized reversible fuel cell system for the vehicle. 2. Background Information Various types of fuel cell systems and methods for operating the fuel cell systems are known in the art. While these known fuel cell systems and methods of operation have various benefits, there is still room in the art for improvement. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operation is provided during which hydrogen fuel is produced using a reversible fuel cell system onboard a vehicle while the vehicle is stationary and/or docked. The reversible fuel cell system receives water and input electricity to produce the hydrogen fuel. The hydrogen fuel is stored onboard the vehicle. Output electricity is generated using the reversible fuel cell system while the vehicle is moving. The reversible fuel cell system receives the hydrogen fuel stored onboard the vehicle and air to generate the output electricity. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided for a vehicle. This vehicle system includes a water input, an electrical input, a hydrogen storage container, a reversible fuel cell system and an electrical component. The water input is onboard the vehicle. The water input is configured to receive water from a water source offboard the vehicle. The electrical input is onboard the vehicle. The electrical input is configured to receive input electricity from an electricity source offboard the vehicle. The hydrogen storage container is onboard the vehicle. The reversible fuel cell system is onboard the vehicle. The reversible fuel cell system is configured to produce hydrogen fuel during an electrolysis mode using the water received by the water input and the input electricity received by the electrical input. The hydrogen fuel produced by the reversible fuel cell system is stored within the hydrogen storage container. The reversible fuel cell system is configured to generate output electricity during a fuel cell mode is in flight using the hydrogen fuel stored within the hydrogen storage container and air. The electrical component is onboard the vehicle. The electrical component is configured to receive the output electricity generated by the reversible fuel cell system. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle airframe, a reversible fuel cell system, a hydrogen storage container and an electrical component. The reversible fuel cell system is mounted within the vehicle airframe. The reversible fuel cell system is configured to produce hydrogen fuel using water and input electricity during a first mode. The reversible fuel cell system is configured to generate output electricity using the hydrogen fuel and air during a second mode. The hydrogen storage container is mounted within the vehicle airframe. The hydrogen storage container is configured to store the hydrogen fuel produced by the reversible fuel cell system during the first mode. The hydrogen storage container is configured to provide the hydrogen fuel to the reversible fuel cell system during the second mode. A hydrogen storage compound is disposed within the hydrogen storage container. The hydrogen storage compound includes at least one of: a magnesium hydride; a lithium borohydride; a sodium aluminum hydride; an aluminum hydride; an alloy comprising titanium and iron; an alloy comprising titanium and manganese; or an alloy comprising lanthanum and nickel. The electrical component is arranged with the vehicle airframe. The electrical component is configured to receive the output electricity generated by the reversible fuel cell system. The vehicle may be an aircraft. The hydrogen fuel may be produced using the reversible fuel cell system onboard the aircraft while the aircraft is on ground. The output electricity may be generated using the reversible fuel cell system while the aircraft is in flight. The vehicle may be a land vehicle. The vehicle may be a water vehicle. The water may be received from a water source offboard of the vehicle during the producing of the hydrogen fuel. The water may be ultrapure water. The water may be potable water. The input electricity may be received from an electricity source offboard of the vehicle during the producing of the hydrogen fuel. The hydrogen fuel produced by the reversible fuel cell system and the hydrogen fuel received by the reversible fuel cell system may be or otherwise include hydrogen gas. The storing of the hydrogen fuel may include directing the hydrogen fuel into a storage container onboard the vehicle with a hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound disposed within the storage container. The hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound may be or otherwise include a metal hydride. The hydrogen absorbing, hydrogen storage compound may be or otherwise inc