Patent ID: 7550218

Claim:
An aircraft turbofan engine comprising a compressor, a turbine, a thrust-producing bypass fan, at least one coupling shaft that interconnects said compressor, said turbine, and said thrust-producing bypass fan, a fuel oxidizer section that is interposed in a gas flow passage between said compressor and said turbine, and a condenser arrangement adapted to output water out of said aircraft turbofan engine at a water outlet thereof, wherein: said fuel oxidizer section has an air inlet facing toward said compressor in said gas flow passage and adapted to take in compressed air from said compressor, a fuel inlet adapted to take in a fuel that includes at least one fuel component suitable to be oxidized in at least one oxidation process using the fuel and the compressed air in said fuel oxidizer section, and a hot gas outlet facing toward said turbine in said gas flow passage and adapted to output a hot gas produced with heat from the at least one oxidation process; and said fuel oxidizer section includes at least one high temperature fuel cell incorporated therein, wherein said fuel cell has a fuel side of said fuel cell connected to said fuel inlet, an air side of said fuel cell integrated in said gas flow passage between said air inlet and said hot gas outlet, and a fuel cell exhaust outlet connected to an inlet of said condenser arrangement.