Structurally integrated energy supply systems for aircraft and methods of forming the structurally integrated energy supply systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043126-B2
Application number	US-201916282096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Feb 21, 2019
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

Structurally integrated energy supply systems for aircraft and methods of forming the structurally integrated energy supply systems. The structurally integrated energy supply systems include an aircraft structural component, a cell array, and a plurality of energy-producing inserts. The aircraft structural component at least partially defines an interior region. The cell array includes a plurality of cell walls that defies a plurality of elongate cell volumes and is positioned within the interior region. Each energy-producing insert in the plurality of energy-producing inserts is positioned within a corresponding elongate cell volume in the plurality of elongate cell volumes and is configured to produce a corresponding insert electric current. The cell array provides structural load distribution to the aircraft structural component via the plurality of cell walls and contributes to a structural stiffness of the aircraft structural component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A structurally integrated energy supply system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
an aircraft structural component that at least partially defines an interior region;
a cell array that includes a plurality of cell walls that defines a plurality of elongate cell volumes, wherein the cell array is positioned within the interior region;
a plurality of energy-producing inserts, wherein:
(i) each energy-producing insert in the plurality of energy-producing inserts is positioned within a corresponding elongate cell volume in the plurality of elongate cell volumes and is configured to produce a corresponding insert electric current;
(ii) wherein the plurality of energy-producing inserts at least partially defines a plurality of electrolytic energy-producing inserts;
(iii) wherein each electrolytic energy-producing insert in the plurality of electrolytic energy-producing inserts is configured to electrochemically produce the corresponding insert electric current from a reactant stream;
(iv) wherein each energy-producing insert is tapered and shaped to define an interference fit with the corresponding elongate cell volume; and
a reactant supply system configured to provide the reactant stream to the plurality of electrolytic energy-producing inserts;
wherein:
(i) the cell array provides structural load distribution, via the plurality of cell walls, to the aircraft structural component such that the cell array contributes to a structural stiffness of the aircraft structural component;
(ii) the cell array includes an electrically conductive cell coating that is defined by a cell coating material that coats an interior of the plurality of cell walls and is supported by the plurality of cell walls, wherein the electrically conductive cell coating defines a plurality of cell electrodes, and further wherein each cell electrode in the plurality of cell electrodes at least partially defines a corresponding elongate cell volume in the plurality of elongate cell volumes;
(iii) each energy-producing insert includes an electrically conductive insert coating that coats an external surface thereof and is defined by an insert coating material, wherein the electrically conductive insert coating defines a corresponding insert electrode, and further wherein the insert coating material differs from the cell coating material; and
(iv) each energy-producing insert includes an ion-permeable coating that is defined by an electrically insulating ion-permeable material, wherein the ion-permeable coating coats the electrically conductive cell coating.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ion-permeable coating electrically separates the corresponding insert electrode of each energy-producing insert from a corresponding cell electrode in the plurality of cell electrodes.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ion-permeable coating defines an ion host for the energy-producing insert.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further includes an electrolyte material that includes ions dissolved in a solvent, wherein the electrolyte material electrically contacts the plurality of cell electrodes and the corresponding insert electrode and facilitates transport of the ions between the corresponding insert electrode of each energy-producing insert and a corresponding cell electrode in the plurality of cell electrodes.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the corresponding insert electrode and the electrolyte material together define an insert half-cell potential, wherein the corresponding cell electrode and the electrolyte material together define a cell half-cell potential, and further wherein the insert half-cell potential differs from the cell half-cell potential.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the ions include lithium ions;
the cell coating material includes copper and the corresponding cell electrode is a positive electrode of an electrochemical cell that includes the corresponding cell electrode, the electrolyte material, and the corresponding insert electrode; and
the insert coating material includes aluminum and the corresponding insert electrode is a negative electrode of the electrochemical cell.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of elongate cell volumes includes a plurality of elongate hexagonal cell volumes.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the insert coating material includes at least one of:
(i) an electrically conductive insert coating material;
(ii) a metallic insert coating material; and
(iii) an aluminum insert coating material.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell coating material includes at least one of:
(i) an electrically conductive cell coating material;
(ii) a metallic cell coating material; and
(iii) a copper cell coating material.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating ion-permeable material includes at least one of:
(i) a barrier material that spatially separates each energy-producing insert from the plurality of cell walls; and
(ii) an ion-permeable ceramic.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of energy-producing inserts at least partially defines at least one of:
(i) a plurality of energy-storage devices;
(ii) a plurality of batteries; and
(iii) a plurality of capacitors.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elongate cell volumes defines at least one of:
(i) a plurality of elongate polygonal cell volumes;
(ii) a plurality of elongate triangular cell volumes;
(iii) a plurality of elongate rectangular cell volumes;
(iv) a plurality of elongate pentagonal cell volumes;
(v) a plurality of elongate hexagonal cell volumes;
(vi) a plurality of elongate heptagonal cell volumes;
(vii) a plurality of elongate octagonal cell volumes;
(viii) a plurality of elongate nonagonal cell volumes; and
(ix) a plurality of elongate decagonal cell volumes.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cell walls defines a plurality of polygonal shaped elongate cell volumes forming a lattice structure that provides load distribution, through the plurality of cell walls, to the aircraft structural component.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft structural component defines a first external surface and a second external surface, wherein a region of the first external surface and a corresponding region of the second external surface face in opposite directions, and further wherein the cell array provides load distribution that increases a structural stiffness of the aircraft structural component when measured in a direction that extends between the region of the first external surface and the corresponding region of the second external surface.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell array includes a plurality of electrical conductors configured to electrically interconnect at least a subset of the plurality of energy-producing inserts.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell array includes a thermal mitigation structure configured to regulate a temperature of the plurality of energy-producing inserts.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the aircraft structural component includes a spar of the aircraft;
the cell array is structurally integrated within the spar; and
a longitudinal axis of the plurality of elongate cell volumes extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the spar.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the aircraft structural component includes a skin of the aircraft;
the cell array is structurally integrated within the skin; and
a longitudinal axis of the plurality of elong

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bernhardt Roger D
• Drouin Jr Donald V

Classifications

• H01M50/213

  adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M50/24

  adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) · CPC title

• H01G9/04

  Electrodes {or formation of dielectric layers thereon} · CPC title

• H01G9/035

  Liquid electrolytes, e.g. impregnating materials (H01G11/54 takes precedence) · CPC title