Dihydrogen supply system for an aircraft engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291349-B2
Application number	US-202318356655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2023
Priority date	Jul 25, 2022
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A supply system for an aircraft, wherein the supply system has a supply module with outlet pipes, feed pipes connected to dihydrogen tanks, and means for channeling the dihydrogen in the feed pipes towards the outlet pipes, a distribution module having introduction pipes connected to the outlet pipes via heaters, distribution pipes connected to an engine, and means for channeling the dihydrogen in the introduction pipes towards the distribution pipes, and a control unit which commands the means of the supply module and of the distribution module depending on the information provided by the detection means. Also an aircraft with such a supply system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A supply system for an aircraft, having a first dihydrogen tank, a second dihydrogen tank and an engine, the supply system comprising:
a supply module comprising a first outlet pipe, a second outlet pipe, a first feed pipe fitted with a first main pump and configured to be fluidically connected to the first dihydrogen tank, a second feed pipe fitted with a second main pump and configured to be fluidically connected to the second dihydrogen tank, and channeling means designed to channel the dihydrogen in the first feed pipe and second feed pipes alternatively towards the first outlet pipe, or the second outlet pipe or both,
an upstream pipe fluidically connected between the first feed pipe and second feed pipe,
a downstream pipe fluidically connected between the first outlet pipe and the second outlet pipe,
a first linking pipe that is fluidically connected between the upstream pipe and the downstream pipe, a second linking pipe that is fluidically connected between the upstream pipe and the downstream pipe, the first linking pipe and the second linking pipe being arranged fluidically connected in parallel one to the other,
a first sub-pipe that is fluidically connected between the first linking pipe and the second linking pipe, a second sub-pipe that is fluidically connected between the first linking pipe and the second linking pipe, the first sub-pipe and the second sub-pipe being arranged fluidically connected in parallel one to the other,
a first heater,
a second heater,
a distribution module comprising a first introduction pipe fluidically connected to the first outlet pipe via the first heater, a second introduction pipe fluidically connected to the second outlet pipe via the second heater, a first distribution pipe and a second distribution pipe that are configured to be fluidically connected to the engine, and channeling means for channeling the dihydrogen in the first introduction pipe and second introduction pipes alternatively towards the first distribution pipe or the second distribution pipe or both,
detection means configured to detect an incident in the supply module, the distribution module, the first heater and second heaters, or any combination thereof, and to provide information representative of the incident that was detected, and
a control unit configured to command the channeling means of the supply module, the channeling means of the distribution module, or both depending on the information provided by the detection means,
wherein the supply module further comprises:
a two-way first solenoid valve mounted on the first linking pipe between the upstream pipe and the first sub-pipe,
a first secondary pump mounted on the first linking pipe between the first solenoid valve and the first sub-pipe,
a two-way second solenoid valve mounted on the first linking pipe between the first sub-pipe and the second sub-pipe,
a regulating two-way third solenoid valve mounted on the first linking pipe between the second sub-pipe and the downstream pipe,
a two-way fourth solenoid valve mounted on the first linking pipe between the third solenoid valve and the downstream pipe,
a two-way fifth solenoid valve mounted on the second linking pipe between the upstream pipe and the first sub-pipe,
a regulating two-way sixth solenoid valve mounted on the second linking pipe between the fifth solenoid valve and the first sub-pipe,
a two-way seventh solenoid valve mounted on the second linking pipe between the first sub-pipe and the second sub-pipe,
a second secondary pump mounted on the second linking pipe between the second sub-pipe and the downstream pipe,
a two-way eighth solenoid valve mounted on the second linking pipe between the second secondary pump and the downstream pipe,
a two-way ninth solenoid valve mounted on the first sub-pipe, and
a two-way tenth solenoid valve mounted on the second sub-pipe.

2. The supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the first introduction pipe is fluidically connected to the first distribution pipe, the second introduction pipe is fluidically connected to the second distribution pipe, and wherein the distribution module further comprises:
a bypass pipe fluidically connected between the first introduction pipe and the second introduction pipe,
a two-way eleventh solenoid valve mounted on the bypass pipe,
between the first heater and the bypass pipe, a two-way twelfth solenoid valve mounted on the first introduction pipe,
between the bypass pipe and the engine, a thirteenth solenoid valve mounted on the first distribution pipe,
between the second heater and the bypass pipe, a two-way fourteenth solenoid valve mounted on the second introduction pipe, and
between the bypass pipe and the engine, a fifteenth solenoid valve mounted on the second distribution pipe.

3. An aircraft comprising:
a first dihydrogen tank,
a second dihydrogen tank,
at least one engine and,
for each engine, the supply system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first feed pipe and second feed pipes is fluidically connected to one of the first dihydrogen tank and the second dihydrogen tank, and wherein the first distribution pipe and second distribution pipes are fluidically connected to the at least one engine.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Martin Pierre-Olivier
• Czapla Lionel
• Belleville Mathieu

Classifications

• F02C7/232

  Fuel valves {(control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263)}; Draining valves or systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• B64D37/005

  Accessories not provided for in the groups B64D37/02 - B64D37/28 · CPC title

• F02M21/0245

  High pressure fuel supply systems; Rails; Pumps; Arrangement of valves · CPC title

• F02M21/0242

  Shut-off valves; Check valves; Safety valves; Pressure relief valves · CPC title

• F02M21/0236

  Multi-way valves; Multiple valves forming a multi-way valve system · CPC title