Aviation
The innovative nature of the proposed study is not in the broad concept of hybridization, but rather the specific architecture of hybridization, how it changes the fundamental elements of the aircraft integration, and how these holistic design changes can be leveraged to simultaneously result in large reductions in mission energy required while practically introducing a zero-emissions solution. Rather than combining electrical power between a fuel cell stack and hydrogen turbogenerator or combining mechanical power between a fuel cell-driven motor coupled to turbine spool, this architecture will feature hybridization through air handling. The fuel cell is used to power an electrically driven compressor which supplies the oxygen supply to the fuel cell cathode, as well as the burner of the gas turbine, removing the need for a core compressor stages in the thermal engine.
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