Textron Innovations Inc.

Joseph Dean Rainville

John Richard Mccullough

William Ben Johns

A fuel-cell system for powering an electrical load, the system having first and second fuel cells, each having a positive node and a negative node. The positive node of the second fuel cell is electrically coupled to the negative node of the first fuel cell, and the positive node of the first fuel cell and the negative node of the second fuel cell are electrically coupled to the electrical load. Each fuel cell is electrically coupled to the electrical load without a power converter.

Fuel cells configured to deliver bi-polar high voltage DC power

An aircraft that includes a fuselage, an electric motor driven propulsion system, and a fuel cell system configured to provide electricity to the electric motor. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a hydrogen tank, an oxygen tank, an air channel, and a cathode switch. The cathode switch being configured to convert between an air mode, wherein the fuel cell operates utilizing air from the air channel, and an oxygen mode, wherein the fuel cell operates utilizing oxygen from the oxygen tank.

Fuel cell powered aircraft with a cathode convertible between oxygen and air and method for use thereof

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has an air-cooled fuel cell, an air channel comprising a forward facing opening for receiving ram air and connected to the air-cooled fuel cell, and a passive ram air filtration system (PRAFS) configured to filter particulate matter from ram air received into the air channel via the opening.

System and method for supplying passively filtered ram air to a hydrogen fuel cell of a UAV

A method of operating an aircraft includes providing a fuel cell system to power the aircraft, providing an airflow path through the fuel cell system, sensing a change mass air flow rate supplied to a compressor of the fuel cell system, and at least one of adjusting a restriction of airflow entering the airflow path in response to the sensed change in mass air flow rate, adjusting a restriction of airflow exiting the airflow path in response to the sensed change in mass air flow rate, and adjusting an air scoop to gather a different amount of air into the airflow path. A method of operating an aircraft includes sensing a change in ambient pressure supplied to an airflow path and adjusting a restriction of airflow exiting the airflow path in response to a sensed change in ambient pressure.

Fuel cell cathode air pressure management systems

A stack fuel cell array featuring paired fuel-cell systems combined to generate 540 VDC for a rotorcraft. Power from the hydrogen-based fuel cells is provided to the rotorcraft. A rated electrical load of the rotorcraft helps determine how many paired fuel-cell systems are needed during any fuel-cell systems failures. Each of the paired fuel-cell systems is coupled to an electrical load of the rotorcraft. The system detects any fuel cell failures and removes other working fuel cells as needed to balance the electrical system.

Fuel cell stack array

A tank has a body defining a chamber therein, the chamber is configured to store a gas at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, a first mounting element extending from the body, and a second mounting element extending from the body. The first mounting element and the second mounting element are configured for coupling to a first component of a vehicle and a second component of the vehicle, respectively, and the body is configured to carry a structural load between the first component and the second component when the first mounting element and the second mounting element are coupled thereto. The first component carries a propulsion device and the second component comprises at least one of a wing and a landing element. The tank further includes a stem having an orifice and the stem is configured for delivering the gas to the propulsion device through the orifice.

Structural gaseous material storage tank

A fuel-cell system at 540 VDC for powering an electrical load of a rotorcraft with a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell. Each fuel cell is configured identically and features a positive electrical node and a negative electrical node. Each fuel cell is configured to provide one half of the electrical load of the rotorcraft and one half of the voltage of the electrical load.

A system and a method for autonomous hydrogen refueling of vertical lift aircraft using a landing pad with sensors, a hydrogen storage tank, a refueling arm configured to couple the hydrogen storage tank to the aircraft and a controller configured to control a flow of fuel from the hydrogen storage tank to the aircraft.

Autonomous hydrogen refueling

A line-replaceable thrust module includes a nacelle configured to be mechanically connected to an anchoring location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an electric motor coupled to the nacelle, an electric speed controller configured to control the speed of the electric motor and configured to be electrically connected to a communication network of the UAV, and a fuel cell system configured to produce electrical energy from an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a hydrogen tank, a pressure regulator coupled to the hydrogen tank, and a supply line coupled between the pressure regulator and the fuel cell.

Fuel cell powered line-replaceable thrust module

An air-cooled fuel-cell freeze-protection system for a rotorcraft using a controller to vary a heating system for an air-cooled fuel cell. The heating system heats supply air for the air-cooled fuel cell, and a butterfly valve varies a pressure of the supply air to the air-cooled fuel cell. The heating system can be an electric heater, a heat exchanger, or a combination of heater and heat exchanger.

Air-cooled fuel-cell freeze-protection system

A system and a method for mobilized autonomous hydrogen refueling of vertical lift aircraft using a framed landing pad with sensors, an onboard hydrogen storage tank, an onboard refueling arm configured to couple the hydrogen storage tank to the aircraft and an onboard controller configured to control a flow of fuel from the hydrogen storage tank to the aircraft.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Joseph Dean Rainville