Abstract: An electrical power supply device in an aircraft, the device including an enclosure, the enclosure containing at least: a fuel cell; a dihydrogen generator; a gas feed circuit connecting the dihydrogen generator to the anode of the fuel cell; an oxygen feed device feeding the cathode of the fuel cell; and a cooling circuit of the fuel cell associated with at least one heat exchanger; wherein the enclosure is mounted on an actuator system, the actuator system being configured to move the enclosure from a first position in which the enclosure is housed inside an outer wall of the aircraft, to a second position in which the enclosure projects from the outer wall.

Abstract: A mobile system for generating electricity, in particular for an aircraft, said generator system comprising a dioxygen source, a dihydrogen source and a fuel cell generating electricity from dioxygen and dihydrogen. The generator system comprises an aircraft container that is configured to be carried in an aircraft and in which the sources and said fuel cell are mounted, the generator system including an electrical connection module electrically connected to the fuel cell and including an electrical connection output port that is configured to be electrically connected to an aircraft so as to supply it with electricity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell (10) comprising a membrane electrode assembly (16) and two gas diffusion layers (14) co-operating with the assembly to form a unit cell (12). The fuel cell (10) also has a two-phase thermal diffuser (24) having a condensation zone and an evaporation zone, the evaporation zone being arranged between the bipolar plates (14) of two adjacent unit cells (12). The two-phase thermal diffuser (24) also has a heating element arranged in the condensation zone. The invention also provides a system comprising the fuel cell and a controller, and it also provides a method of regulating the temperature of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A bipolar plate (20) for making a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell stack, said bipolar plate (20) being made up of metal sheets that are shaped and assembled together in such a manner as to define primary fluid-flow channels (24) and secondary fluid-flow channels (25) that are arranged in alternation, said primary channels (24) being formed between said assembled-together sheets; the bipolar plate (20) being characterized in that it includes mechanical reinforcement (35) made out of metal material arranged in a reinforcing duct (30) of the bipolar plate (20), said metal reinforcement (35) being configured in such a manner as to oppose a compression force applied to the bipolar plate (20), said bipolar plate (20) further including a source of electricity adapted to feed electric current to the mechanical reinforcement (35) and thereby give off heat by the Joule effect.

Abstract: An electrical power supply device in an aircraft, the device including an enclosure, the enclosure containing at least: a fuel cell; a dihydrogen generator; a gas feed circuit connecting the dihydrogen generator to the anode of the fuel cell; an oxygen feed device feeding the cathode of the fuel cell; and a cooling circuit of the fuel cell associated with at least one heat exchanger; wherein the enclosure is mounted on an actuator system, the actuator system being configured to move the enclosure from a first position in which the enclosure is housed inside an outer wall of the aircraft, to a second position in which the enclosure projects from the outer wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to an installation (100) comprising: a power module having a fuel cell (12) and a reformer (14a), the fuel cell including a heat removal loop (24); and an absorption heat engine (40) having a first boiler (42), a condenser (46), an evaporator (48), and an absorber (50). According to the invention, a heat exchange circuit (42a) of the first boiler is inserted in the heat removal loop of the fuel cell. Furthermore, in the invention, the installation has a closed liquid circuit (10), which circuit comprises at least one heat exchanger (26, 28, 30, 32) having a heating circuit thermally coupled to the power module and a heated circuit inserted in said circulation circuit, said circulation circuit exchanging heat with said heating circuit, heating the liquid of the circulation circuit. Finally, in the invention, a heat exchange circuit (48a) of the evaporator is inserted in said closed liquid circulation circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell (10) comprising a membrane electrode assembly (16) and two gas diffusion layers (14) co-operating with the assembly to form a unit cell (12). The fuel cell (10) also has a two-phase thermal diffuser (24) having a condensation zone and an evaporation zone, the evaporation zone being arranged between the bipolar plates (14) of two adjacent unit cells (12). The two-phase thermal diffuser (24) also has a heating element arranged in the condensation zone. The invention also provides a system comprising the fuel cell and a controller, and it also provides a method of regulating the temperature of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A bipolar plate (20) for making a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell stack, said bipolar plate (20) being made up of metal sheets that are shaped and assembled together in such a manner as to define primary fluid-flow channels (24) and secondary fluid-flow channels (25) that are arranged in alternation, said primary channels (24) being formed between said assembled-together sheets; the bipolar plate (20) being characterized in that it includes mechanical reinforcement (35) made out of metal material arranged in a reinforcing duct (30) of the bipolar plate (20), said metal reinforcement (35) being configured in such a manner as to oppose a compression force applied to the bipolar plate (20), said bipolar plate (20) further including a source of electricity adapted to feed electric current to the mechanical reinforcement (35) and thereby give off heat by the Joule effect.

Abstract: An assembly including a fuel cell arranged in a housing, the fuel cell includes an anode having an admission and an anode discharge, and a cathode having an oxygen admission and a cathode discharge, the assembly includes the housing and a sealed enclosure in which the fuel cell is arranged and configured in such a manner that the gas discharged by the fuel cell is discharged into the sealed enclosure so as to generate an over-pressure of oxygen-depleted air inside the sealed enclosure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an installation (100) comprising: a power module having a fuel cell (12) and a reformer (14a), the fuel cell including a heat removal loop (24); and an absorption heat engine (40) having a first boiler (42), a condenser (46), an evaporator (48), and an absorber (50). According to the invention, a heat exchange circuit (42a) of the first boiler is inserted in the heat removal loop of the fuel cell. Furthermore, in the invention, the installation has a closed liquid circuit (10), which circuit comprises at least one heat exchanger (26, 28, 30, 32) having a heating circuit thermally coupled to the power module and a heated circuit inserted in said circulation circuit, said circulation circuit exchanging heat with said heating circuit, heating the liquid of the circulation circuit. Finally, in the invention, a heat exchange circuit (48a) of the evaporator is inserted in said closed liquid circulation circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electricity production system for feeding electrical energy to a device of an aircraft. The system comprises a generator for generating gaseous hydrogen from hydrogen in non-gaseous form, a main tank connected upstream to the generator and for containing gaseous hydrogen under a pressure substantially higher than atmospheric pressure, the gaseous hydrogen being produced by the generator, at least one fuel cell, an expander connected upstream to the main tank and downstream to the fuel cell(s), where upstream and downstream are defined relative to the flow direction of the hydrogen under normal conditions of operation of the system, and a control device that regulates the flow rate and the pressure of the gaseous hydrogen from the main tank to the fuel cell(s) via the expander.

Abstract: An electric generator for a motor vehicle, including: a reformer for producing a reformate from a primary fuel, water and air; circuits supplying the reformer with primary fuel, air, and water; a fuel cell for production electric power from the reformate and air; a compressor for compressing the air for the fuel cell and/or the reformer; and circuits for supplying the fuel cell with reformate and air, connecting the fuel cell to the reformer and the compressor, respectively. The circuits supplying water to the reformer include a first heat exchanger for establishing heat exchange relationship between the water and the air compressed by the compressor.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electric generator for a motor vehicle, comprising: a reformer (60) for producing a reformate from a primary fuel, water and air; circuits supplying the reformer with primary fuel (64), air (36, 40, 38, 62) and water (82, 86, 90, 66), a fuel cell (20) for production electric power from the reformate and air, a compressor (36, 38) for compressing the air for the fuel cell (20) and/or the reformer (60), circuits for supplying the fuel cell with reformate (80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 22) and air (24), connecting the fuel cell to the reformer and the compressor (36, 38), respectively. The inventive generator is characterized in that the circuits (82, 86, 90, 66) supplying water to the reformer comprises a first heat exchanger (130; 40; 50) for establishing heat exchange relationship between said water and the air compressed by said compressor (35; 38).

Abstract: A device used to supply a gas mixture including hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a concentration not exceeding 100 ppm to a main fuel cell which is supplied with air. The device includes a reformer, which is used to convert a fuel into a gas mixture including carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and a purification device to diminish the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas mixture and that is connected to an anode inlet of the main fuel cell. The supply device also includes an auxiliary fuel cell supplied with air and that receives the carbon monoxide produced by the reformer to convert part of the chemical energy of the carbon monoxide into electrical energy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (1) for the reformation of fuel for the supply of hydrogen to a fuel cell (2), in particular for a motor vehicle of the type comprising a reformer device (29), a hydrogen enrichment device (33, 34) for the reformate produced by the reformer and a purification device (32) for the reformate by means of reaction with carbon monoxide. The above is characterized in comprising at least two separate paths (a, b) each comprising at least one of the above devices and a control means (39) for the selection of one path or all the paths at the same time.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device that is used to supply a gas mixture (13) comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a concentration not exceeding 100 ppm to a main fuel cell (2) which is supplied with air. The inventive device comprises a reformer (4), which is used to convert a fuel (5) into a gas mixture (6) comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and a purification device (12) which is intended to diminish the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas mixture and which is connected to an anode inlet (14) of the main fuel cell (2). The invention is characterised in that the supply device also comprises an auxiliary fuel cell (7) which is supplied with air and which receives the carbon monoxide produced by the reformer (4) so as to convert part of the chemical energy of said carbon monoxide into electrical energy.