A low cost / high power density engine for hybrid fuel cell drive trains

拟议的研究将研究一种新的，高风险/高回报的混合燃料电池动力系统发动机技术，可以显着降低燃料电池动力车辆的成本。使用所提出的发动机的混合燃料电池系统将具有约22$/kW的成本，而全燃料电池系统的实际成本为约73$/kW。此外，系统的重量和尺寸将降低约3倍（从163公斤到50公斤和114升到31升），进一步提高燃油经济性和简化车辆设计。这里提出的发动机技术是基于使用轮缘转子的旋转冲压发动机配置（专利申请中）。它使用单向碳纤维轮缘转子，达到超音速轮缘速度高达3马赫。旋转动力来自于安装在轮缘转子内部的超音速推进器（冲压式喷气发动机）。电力通过发电机或减速箱提取。对这种氢燃料发动机的初步理论分析显示出非常高的功率密度（10 kW/kg，而高功率活塞发动机为1.6kW/kg），可接受的能量转换效率（10-30%）和低生产成本（约500美元）。发动机具有多种燃料能力，可以使用任何种类的气体或液体燃料。该研究旨在证明所提出的技术的可行性。这将通过展示为边缘转子构型设计的冲压喷气发动机可以产生推力和通过展示代表性的边缘转子发动机可以达到所需的马赫数3的边缘速度来完成。冲压喷气发动机演示将采用固定式冲压喷气发动机试验台来测量流动特性，使流场可视化，并测量具有代表性的边缘转子冲压喷气发动机（带燃烧）的净推力。将通过测量一个最佳的轮缘转子旋转冲压喷气发动机的爆破速度，适当的高强度碳纤维材料（无燃烧）的轮缘转子演示。

The proposed research will study a new, high risk/high reward, engine technology for hybrid fuel cell power trains that could significantly reduce the cost of fuel cells powered vehicles. A hybrid fuel cell system using the proposed engine would have costs of ~22$/kW compared to the actual costs of full fuel cell systems of ~73$/kW. Moreover, system weight and size would be about 3 times lower (from 163kg to 50kg and 114L to 31L), further improving fuel economy and easing vehicle design.The engine technology proposed here is based on a rotary ramjet engine configuration using rim rotors (patent pending). It uses a unidirectional carbon-fiber rim rotor to reach supersonic rim speeds of up to Mach 3. Rotational power comes from supersonic thrusters (ramjets) placed inside the rim rotor. Power is extracted via an electrical generator or a reduction gearbox. Preliminary theoretical analysis of this engine running on hydrogen shows very high power densities (10kW/kg vs 1.6kW/kg for high power piston engines), acceptable energy conversion efficiencies (10-30%), and low production costs (~$500). The engine has multi-fuel capabilities and can operate on any kind of gaseous or liquid fuels. The research aims to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technology. This will be done by showing that a ramjet designed for the rim-rotor configuration can produce thrust and by showing that a representative rim-rotor engine can achieve the required rim speeds of Mach 3. The ramjet demonstration will be addressed with a stationary ramjet test bed to measure the flow properties, visualize the flow fields, and measure the net thrust of a representative rim-rotor ramjet (with combustion). The rim-rotor demonstration will be addressed by measuring the bursting speed of an optimal rim-rotor rotary ramjet engine made with proper high strenghtcarbon fiber materials (without combustion).