TURBO EXPANDERS FOR TURBINE ENGINES HAVING HYGRODEN FUEL SYSTEMS
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May 27, 2026
An aircraft propulsion system includes aircraft systems having at least one hydrogen tank and an aircraft-systems heat exchanger and engine systems having at least a main engine core, a high pressure pump, a hydrogen-air heat exchanger, and a turbo expander (800). The main engine core includes a compressor section, a combustor section having a burner, and a turbine section. Hydrogen is supplied from the at least one hydrogen tank through a hydrogen flow path, passing through the aircraft-systems heat exchanger, the high pressure pump, the hydrogen-air heat exchanger, and the turbo expander (800), prior to being injected into the burner for combustion. The turbo expander (800) includes a rotor (804) separated into a first expander portion (812) and a second expander portion (814) arranged about an output shaft (806) and the output shaft (806) is operably connected to a generator configured to generate electrical power.
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