US 12,221,924 B2
Combined gas turbine engine and fuel cell
Nicholas Grech, Derby (GB); Chloe J Palmer, Derby (GB); and Jacopo Tacconi, Derby (GB)
Assigned to ROLLS-ROYCE plc, London (GB)
Filed by ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, London (GB)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/379,728.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133340 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0229711 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F02C 6/04 (2006.01); F02C 7/224 (2006.01); F02C 9/40 (2006.01); H01M 8/04111 (2016.01)
CPC F02C 6/04 (2013.01) [F02C 7/224 (2013.01); F02C 9/40 (2013.01); H01M 8/04111 (2013.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2220/50 (2013.01); H01M 2250/20 (2013.01); H01M 2250/407 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A combined gas turbine engine and hydrogen fuel cell system comprising:
a hydrogen fueled gas turbine engine;
a cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel tank;
a first fuel offtake configured and arranged to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from a main fuel conduit;
a burner configured and arranged to burn the portion of hydrogen fuel diverted from the first fuel offtake;
a heat exchanger configured and arranged to transfer heat from exhaust gasses produced by the burner to hydrogen fuel in the main fuel conduit;
a second fuel offtake arranged to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from the main fuel conduit downstream of the heat exchanger; and
a hydrogen fuel cell configured and arranged to produce electric power using hydrogen fuel diverted from the second fuel offtake, wherein:
the hydrogen fuel cell comprises a cooling system comprising a closed cooling loop,
the closed cooling loop comprises a first fuel cell heat exchanger configured to transmit waste heat from the hydrogen fuel cell to a coolant of the closed cooling loop, and
the closed cooling loop comprises a second fuel cell heat exchanger arranged to transmit waste heat from the coolant of the closed cooling loop to hydrogen fuel.