GAS TURBINE ENGINES WITH A FUEL CELL ASSEMBLY

An aircraft engine (300) is provided. The aircraft engine includes a compressor section (302) including a compressor (308) and a turbine section (304) downstream of the compressor section (302). The turbine section (304) includes a turbine having turbine blades arranged in counter rotating stages (314). The aircraft engine further includes one or more fluid supply lines (322) and a fuel cell assembly (320) fluidly coupled to the one or more fluid supply lines (322) for receiving one or more input fluids. The fuel cell assembly (320) is in fluid communication with the turbine section (304) to provide one or more output products (224) to the turbine section (304). The aircraft engine (300) further includes a heat exchanger (350) in fluid communication with the turbine downstream of the counter rotating stages (314) of turbine blades to receive exhaust gases from the turbine. The heat exchanger (350) is thermally coupled to the one or more fluid supply lines (322) of the fuel cell assembly (320).