US 12,421,873 B1
Propulsion and electrical system for an aircraft including a fuel cell and turbine engine with a steam system
James Laverty, Center Valley, PA (US); Arthur W. Sibbach, Boxford, MA (US); and Daniel A. Niergarth, Norwood, OH (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/789,149.
Int. Cl. F01K 11/02 (2006.01); B64D 41/00 (2006.01)
CPC F01K 11/02 (2013.01) [B64D 2041/005 (2013.01); B64D 2221/00 (2013.01); F05D 2240/35 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A propulsion and electrical system for an aircraft, the propulsion and electrical system comprising:
a fuel cell fluidly coupled to a hydrogen source and an oxygen source to receive hydrogen and oxygen, respectively, and, when receiving the hydrogen and the oxygen to generate electricity and water as produced water; and
a turbine engine comprising:
a turbo-engine including:
a combustor located in a core air flow path to receive compressed air and fluidly coupled to a fuel source to receive fuel, the fuel being injected into the combustor to mix with the compressed air to generate a fuel and air mixture, the fuel and air mixture being combusted in the combustor to generate combustion gases;
an engine shaft; and
a turbine located downstream of the combustor to receive the combustion gases, the turbine drivingly coupled to the engine shaft and rotated in response to receiving the combustion gases;
a fan having a fan shaft coupled to the turbo-engine; and
a steam system including:
a boiler fluidly coupled to a water source to receive supply water as a liquid and to vaporize the supply water to generate steam, the boiler being fluidly coupled to the core air flow path to inject the steam into the core air flow path;
a condenser downstream of the turbine to receive the combustion gases and to generate an exhaust-water mixture; and
a water separator located downstream of the condenser to separate water as extracted water from the exhaust-water mixture,
wherein the water source includes the fuel cell and the combustion gases,
wherein the supply water includes the produced water and the extracted water, and
wherein the condenser, the water separator, and the fuel cell are sized such that the ratio of produced water to extracted water in the supply water is from 1:20 to 1:10.