Abstract:
Fuel cell/combustor systems and methods for aircraft and other applications are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes a fuel cell having an outlet positioned to remove output products from the fuel cell. The system can further include a fuel supply carrying a fuel having a different composition than the output products (e.g., aviation fuel), and a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber can in turn include a first inlet coupled to the outlet of the fuel cell to receive output products from the fuel cell, and a second inlet coupled to the fuel supply to receive the fuel. At least one combustion zone can be positioned in fluid communication with the first and second inlets to burn both the output products and the fuel.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure is directed to fuel cells/combustor systems and methods, which may be applied to aircraft and/or other devices or installations. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Aircraft manufacturers are under constant pressure to improve the fuel efficiency of modern commercial transport aircraft. Improved fuel efficiency can increase the range of the aircraft, reduce CO 2  emissions and/or reduce the cost of operating the aircraft. While modern, high-bypass turbofan engines have shown significant improvements in fuel efficiency when compared with the turbojet engines developed at the beginning of the jet age, aircraft manufacturers must continually strive to improve aircraft and aircraft engine performance in response to customer demands. 
         [0003]    One relatively recent development in modern commercial aircraft includes replacing hydraulic and/or pneumatic aircraft actuators with electrically powered actuators. These actuators may be used to power a myriad of aircraft systems, including flaps, ailerons, and rudders. Electrically powered actuators use power provided by generators that are in turn driven by the aircraft turbofan engines (which also provide the main propulsive force for the aircraft). While this technology evolution has proven beneficial, it increases the power demands placed on aircraft engine generators, which typically requires an increase to the size of the generators. Furthermore, current aircraft engine generators are typically less than 45% efficient at converting Jet-A aviation fuel into electrical power during cruise operations. Accordingly, there is a strong desire to improve the efficiency with which electrical power is generated on board the aircraft, so as to keep the engine size as low as possible, reduce the amount of fuel carried aboard the aircraft, and/or improve the overall efficiency and environmental performance of the aircraft. 
         [0004]    One approach to improving the efficiency with which electrical energy is generated onboard the aircraft is to use electrochemical fuel cells. For example, fuel cells have been identified as a replacement for the aircraft auxiliary power unit. However, fuel cells tend to be heavy, in many instances due to the peripheral equipment (e.g., compressors) used to provide air to the fuel cells for operation. 
         [0005]    Another pressure that aircraft manufacturers face is reducing the emissions of potentially harmful gases present in the exhaust stream from the turbofan engines. Such emissions typically include NO x  emissions, which can pollute the air near airports, and can lead to the formation of ozone at cruise altitudes. In response to pressures to reduce the emissions of such gases, low NO x  combustors have been developed. These combustors typically operate at lower peak temperatures than more conventional combustors, by using a fuel-lean mixture, and by significantly increasing the degree to which the fuel is mixed with air before being combusted. However, a potential drawback with this arrangement is that the lean mixture may produce an unstable flame. As a result, the flame may be more likely to blow out (“flameout”), which can produce an unplanned unstart of the aircraft engine. One approach to addressing this drawback is to provide the combustor with a small fuel-rich spray at each nozzle. However, burning such a spray tends to produce the very emissions that the low NO x  combustor is intended to reduce. In light of the foregoing, there is a desire to both improve the overall fuel efficiency and robustness of aircraft engines and reduce the emissions of potentially harmful exhaust products. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present summary is provided for the benefit of the reader only, and is not intended to limit in any way the scope of the invention as set forth by the claims. An aircraft power generation system in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a fuel reformer that is coupleable to an aircraft fuel supply to receive aviation fuel. A fuel cell can be coupled to the reformer to receive reformed fuel (e.g., hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide). The fuel cell further includes an outlet positioned to remove output products from the fuel cell. The system can further include a combustion chamber that in turn includes a first inlet coupled to the outlet of the fuel cell to receive the output products from the fuel cell. A second inlet of the combustion chamber can be coupleable to the aircraft fuel supply to receive aviation fuel. The combustion chamber can further include at least one combustion zone coupled to the first and second inlets and positioned to burn both the output products and the aviation fuel. Accordingly, the fuel cell can provide electrical power for the aircraft, and the combustion chamber can provide propulsive power for the aircraft. 
         [0007]    In particular aspects, the combustion zone includes a first combustion zone coupled to the first inlet and a second combustion zone coupled to the second inlet. The first combustion zone can be positioned to provide a pilot flame for combustion in the second combustion zone. Accordingly, the output products received from the fuel cell can be burned in a manner that stabilizes the flame for combustion of the aviation fuel. 
         [0008]    In still a further aspect, the reformer is sized to provide to the fuel cell reformed fuel at a higher rate than the rate at which the fuel cell converts the reformed fuel to electrical energy. As a result, the output products can include unspent reformed fuel (e.g., hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide) which can burn readily in the combustion chamber to provide a stable flame. 
         [0009]    In other aspects, the power generation system need not be installed on an aircraft. Accordingly, a power generation system in accordance with another aspect includes a fuel cell having an outlet positioned to remove output products from the fuel cell, a fuel supply carrying a fuel having a different composition than that of the output products, and a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber can in turn include a first inlet coupled to the output of the fuel cell to receive output products from the fuel cell, and a second inlet coupled to the fuel supply to receive the fuel. The combustion chamber can further include at least one combustion zone in fluid communication with the first and second inlets, the combustion zone being positioned to burn the output products and the fuel. 
         [0010]    Still another aspect is directed to a method for generating power aboard an aircraft. For example, the method can include reforming a first portion of aviation fuel on board the aircraft to form a reformed fuel, and generating electrical power for the aircraft by passing the reformed fuel through a fuel cell. The method can further include removing unspent reformed fuel from the fuel cell, and generating propulsive power for the aircraft by combusting the unspent reformed fuel and a second portion of the aviation fuel in a combustion chamber. For example, combusting the unspent reformed fuel can include combusting the unspent reformed fuel in a pilot flame that is positioned to stabilize combustion of the second portion of the aviation fuel. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic illustration of an aircraft having a power generation system configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a partially schematic illustration of a turbofan engine suitable for powering an aircraft such as the one shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating the production of energy in a portion of a power generation system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partially schematic, cross-sectional illustration of a combustor that includes a fuel cell in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a partially schematic illustration of a fuel cell device that includes multiple fuel cells in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The present disclosure describes power generation systems and methods, including fuel cell/combustor systems and methods for aircraft and other applications. Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and in  FIGS. 1-5  to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention. Well-known structures, systems and methods often associated with such systems have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the various embodiments of the invention. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that additional embodiments of the invention may be practiced without several of the details described below. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic illustration of an aircraft  100  that includes a power generation system  110  configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The aircraft  100  can include a fuselage  101 , wings  102  and multiple fuel tanks  103  that carry aviation fuel (e.g., Jet-A fuel). The fuel tanks  103  can be housed in the wings  102  and/or the fuselage  101 . The power generation system  110  can include a propulsion system  111  as well as other power systems, for example, an auxiliary power unit (APU)  114  housed in an empennage  104  of the aircraft  100 . The propulsion system  111  can include a turbofan engine  112  housed in a nacelle  113 . In an embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the aircraft  100  includes two turbofan engines  112 , each carried by one of the wings  102 . In other embodiments, the aircraft  100  can include other engine arrangements. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the turbofan engine  112 . The engine  112  includes a compressor  115  that receives core air  116  provided by an inlet in the nacelle  113 . The compressor  115  pressurizes the core air  116  and provides it to a combustor  130 . In the combustor  130 , the compressed core air  116  is mixed with fuel  117  and burned. A fuel cell  133  can operate in conjunction with the combustion process in the combustor  130  to improve the overall performance of the turbofan engine  112 , as will be discussed in greater detail later with reference to  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         [0019]    The combustion products produced by the combustor  130  are provided to a high pressure turbine  118 , which drives the compressor  115 . The combustion products are then further expanded through a low pressure turbine  119  which drives a fan  120 . The fan propels bypass air  121  around the core of the engine  112 . The bypass air  121  mixes with exhaust gas  122  exiting the low pressure turbine  119  to provide forward thrust. 
         [0020]    The operation of various components of the engine  112 , in particular the delivery of fuel to the combustor  130  and the fuel cell  133  can be controlled by a controller  150 . Accordingly, the controller  150  can include a computer and/or computer-readable medium containing instructions that direct the operation of the engine  112 . The controller  150  therefore automates or at least partially automates many of the processes carried out by the engine  112 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the processes carried out by the combustor  130  and the fuel cell  133  initially described above with reference to  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a portion of the fuel  117  carried aboard the aircraft is provided to a reformer  131 . The reformer  131  can be configured to transform a hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., Jet-A aviation fuel) into a reformed fuel having constituents that are compatible with an electrochemical fuel cell. Such constituents can include hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide. The reformed fuel  132 , along with a portion of the core air  116 , is then provided to the fuel cell  133 . An electrochemical reaction takes place in the fuel cell  133  to produce electrical energy  134  and output products  135 . 
         [0022]    In a particular embodiment, the fuel cell  133  includes a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that produces high temperature output products  135 , including unspent fuel (e.g., a portion of the reformed fuel  132 ). For example, the output products  135  may include hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a temperature of at least 800° C. In particular embodiments, the temperature of the output products  135  can be from about 800° C. to about 1,000° C. The output products  135  are provided to a combustion chamber  136 , which also receives a portion of the fuel  117  and the core air  116 . The fuel received in the combustion chamber  136 , as well as the output products  135  received from the fuel cell  133 , are burned in the combustion chamber  136  to produce propulsion energy  137 . The propulsion energy  137  is harnessed through the turbines  118 ,  119  ( FIG. 2 ) as well as via direct jet thrust. The electrical energy  134  produced by the fuel cell is used to power electrically driven components of the aircraft (e.g., environmental control systems and/or other systems). 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a partially schematic cross-sectional illustration of an embodiment of the combustor  130 . In this particular embodiment, many of the components described above with reference to  FIG. 3  are housed within the combustor  130  itself. In other embodiments, these components may be distributed outside the combustor  130 , without affecting the overall function of the components. Housing at least some of these components within the combustor  130  provides for a compact arrangement that can reduce temperature and energy losses between the components. 
         [0024]    The combustor  130  includes a fuel injector  138  that receives the fuel  117  and directs one portion of the fuel  117  into the fuel reformer  131 , and directs another portion into a fuel/air premixer  143 . The fuel  117  provided to the fuel reformer  131  and the premixer  143  can be metered by valves  127  under the direction of the controller  150 . The fuel provided to the fuel reformer  131  is converted in the reformer  131  to a reformed fuel and is passed through the fuel cell  133  to produce the electrical energy  134 . Core air  116  is also provided to the fuel reformer  131  and the fuel cell  133  to facilitate the reformation and energy generation processes, respectively. The output products from the fuel cell  133  exit at a fuel cell outlet  139  and are received in a first inlet  140   a  of a combustion chamber  142 . The fuel cell outlet  139  and the first inlet  140   a  can be co-located so as to reduce or eliminate pressure and temperature losses between the fuel cell  133  and the combustion chamber  142 . A first combustion zone  141   a  is positioned at the first inlet  140   a , and can include an optional first flame holder  146   a , shown schematically in  FIG. 4 . In other embodiments, the first flame holder  146   a  can be eliminated, and the fuel cell outlet  139  can operate as a flame holder. In either embodiment, output products received from the fuel cell  133  are burned in the first combustion zone  141   a.    
         [0025]    The combustion chamber  142  can further include a second inlet  140   b  that receives the fuel/air mixture from the fuel/air premixer  143 . In a particular embodiment, the combustion chamber  142  can be a lean premix, prevaporized (LPP) low NO x  combustion chamber that receives a fuel-lean mixture. An optional second flame holder  146   b  (shown schematically in  FIG. 4 ) may be provided in a second combustion zone  141   b . The first and second combustion zones  141   a ,  141   b  can have an annular arrangement, with the first combustion zone  140   a  positioned annularly outwardly from the second combustion zone  141   b . Exhaust products from both combustion zones can be directed through turbine inlet guide vanes  144  to the high pressure turbine  118 . 
         [0026]    In a particular embodiment, the combustion process taking place in the first combustion zone  141   a  can stabilize the combustion process taking place in the second combustion zone  141   b . For example, the output products received from the fuel cell  133  can include unspent reformed fuel including hydrogen. This hydrogen-rich gas tends to burn very well and stably under a wide range of combustor operating conditions. Accordingly, the burning output products can provide a pilot flame that stabilizes combustion of the un-reformed aviation fuel that is burned in the second combustion zone  141   b . In a further particular aspect of this embodiment, the output products burned in the first combustion zone  141   a  are provided to the first combustion zone  141   a  at a temperature above the autoignition temperature of these products (e.g., in the range of from about 800° C. to about 1000° C. for a hydrogen-rich gas). Accordingly, when they mix with air or another oxygen source, they autoignite. This arrangement provides for additional robustness because the process does not rely on an igniter for sustained operation. Nevertheless, in some embodiments, an igniter may be used to initiate ignition if the output products are initially below the autoignition temperature, for example, during engine start-up. 
         [0027]    The stable flame produced in the first combustion zone  141   a  can reduce or eliminate adverse impacts that may be created by a flameout in the second combustion zone  141   b . In particular, because a fuel-lean mixture is burned in the second combustion zone  141   b , the combustion process in this region may be susceptible to flameout. With the presence of the robust, stable flame provided by the combustion of the output products in the first combustion zone  141   a , the likelihood for such flameouts can be reduced or eliminated. 
         [0028]    In a particular aspect of an embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the controller  150  controls the interaction between the processes taking place in the first combustion zone  141   a  and the second combustion zone  141   b . For example, the controller  150  can control the rate at which fuel is provided to the fuel reformer  131  and the fuel cell  133 . By directing more fuel into the fuel reformer  131  and the fuel cell  133  than the fuel cell  133  can convert to electrical energy  134 , the output products can be made to include a sufficient quantity of heated, but unburned or unspent reformed fuel. As discussed above, the heated, unspent reformed fuel can provide the basis for the combustion process in the first combustion zone  141   a.    
         [0029]    The controller  150  can also control the amount of fuel provided to the second combustion zone  141   b . In a particular embodiment, the fuel provided to the second combustion zone  141   b  can be halted at all conditions other than engine idle. Accordingly, at engine idle, the only combustion process in the combustor  130  is the one that occurs in the first combustion zone  141   a , with the flame provided there operating as a pilot flame. At thrust conditions above engine idle, fuel can be provided to the second combustion zone  141   b  and burned in a combustion process that is stabilized by the pilot flame in the first combustion zone  141   a  to produce the desired level of thrust. 
         [0030]    In some instances, the fuel cell  133  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  can be a single fuel cell. In other arrangements, such as one shown in  FIG. 5 , a fuel cell device  145  includes a composite of individual fuel cells  133  that are connected together and arranged in a synergistic manner. Accordingly, the term fuel cell as used herein includes one or more fuel cells. The fuel cells  133  can include tubular, solid oxide fuel cells, prototypes of which have been developed by (and/or are in development by) Siemens of Berlin, Germany, Rolls Royce of Chantilly, Va., General Electric of Lynn, Mass., and NanoDynamics of Buffalo, N.Y. These fuel cells  133  have a hollow center through which the reformed fuel is passed, while oxygen (e.g., the core air  116 ) passes around the outside of the tube. A relatively low output voltage (e.g., 0.7 volts) is produced between an anode  129  and a cathode  128 . Accordingly, multiple fuel cells  133  are coupled together to provide a useable electrical power output. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the individual fuel cells  133  can be coupled together in series to produce the output electrical energy  134 . In a particular aspect, a sufficient number of fuel cells  133  can be provided in the fuel cell device  145  to produce many kilowatts (e.g., approximately 250 kW) of electrical power for each turbofan engine in which the device is incorporated. This level of power can be sufficient to eliminate the need for a separate electrical generator powered by the turbofan engine (although the engine may still include backup generators powered by the engine). In other embodiments, the power provided by the fuel cells  133  can be sufficient to eliminate the need for other power generators. 
         [0031]    In another aspect of an arrangement shown in  FIG. 5 , the individual fuel cells  133  are arranged in parallel in a fluid dynamic sense, although they are connected in series in an electrical sense. Accordingly, fuel  117  can be provided to multiple fuel cells  133  at a common input manifold  147 , and the output products  135  can be received at a common output manifold  148 . The core air  116  can be circulated through the fuel cells  133  for use during the electrochemical process that produces the electrical energy  134 . 
         [0032]    One feature of several embodiments described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-5  is that they include a combustor that burns two different types of fuel, e.g., the output products from a fuel cell, and the unreformed aviation fuel. During many phases of operation (e.g., at thrust settings above engine idle), both types of fuel are burned simultaneously. One advantage of this arrangement, as discussed above, is that the output products from the fuel cell can be burned in a way that provides a pilot flame or other stabilizing influence on the combustion process for the aviation fuel. This feature can be particularly important for lean premixed, prevaporized combustors, but can also have application to other combustion processes. In any of these applications, the more stable combustion processes provides for greater reliability of the engine. 
         [0033]    Another feature of several of embodiments described above is that they include a fuel cell that is integrated into a turbofan engine. One advantage of the arrangement is that the fuel cell can readily use compressed air from the engine compressor, and can provide exhaust products to the engine turbine. As a result, the fuel cell need not have associated with it a separate compressor or turbine, which would add weight to the aircraft. Also, the air from the engine compressor is heated as a result of the compression process, which reduces or eliminates the need to have a separate heater or heat exchanger for the fuel cell  133 . 
         [0034]    Still another feature of several of the embodiments described above is that the fuel cell can be integrated with the turbofan engine in a manner that reduces the amount of redesign work necessary to support the configuration. For example, some existing combustor designs include a dual annular combustor arrangement. This arrangement can readily support the addition of the pilot flame combustion process described above. 
         [0035]    Still another advantage of at least some of the foregoing features is that the energy produced by the fuel cell can replace one or more existing engine generator, and can provide electrical energy at a higher efficiency than that of an existing engine generator. Accordingly, several of the embodiments described above result in a power system having lower energy consumption, lower NO x  emissions, and greater combustion stability than existing arrangements. 
         [0036]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the invention. For example, while aspects of the invention have been described in the context of aircraft turbofan engines, many of these aspects may also be implemented in other power generation devices. In particular examples, fuels other than aviation fuels (e.g., diesel fuel) and output products from a fuel cell may be burned in a combustor that is housed in an automobile, a truck, a land- or sea-based power generator, and/or other applications. The fuel cells can carry out electrochemical processes that produce useable output gases other than hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide. While solid oxide fuel cells are described above in the context of several embodiments, the fuel cells can be of other types in other embodiments. Aspects of the invention described in the context particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. For example, the multiple fuel cell arrangement shown in  FIG. 5  may be included in any of the systems shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the invention have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.