# US 10,479,522 B2 · Internal recycle reactor for catalytic inerting

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- Number: US 10,479,522 B2
- Document ID: US10479522B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/934,095
- Filed: 2018-03-23
- Published: 2019-09-26
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-23
- Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
- Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
- Inventors: Sean C. Emerson; Zissis A. Dardas; Randolph Carlton McGee; Eric Surawski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479522B2

## CPC

- B64D 37/32: Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions
- B01D 53/8671: {Removing components of defined structure not provided for in B01D53/8603 - B01D53/8668}
- B01J 19/2435: {Loop-type reactors}
- B01J 19/2485: {Monolithic reactors}
- B01D 53/8696: {Controlling the catalytic process}
- B01D 2257/104: Oxygen
- B01D 2257/80: Water
- B01D 2259/4575: in aeroplanes or space ships
- B01J 19/14: Production of inert gas mixtures; Use of inert gases in general
- B01J 2219/2408: Circular or ellipsoidal
- B01J 2219/2432: Monoliths having catalytic activity on its own
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An internal recycle reactor for catalytic inerting has a monolithic body having a motive fluid duct, a suction chamber, a mixing region, a reactor section, an outlet, and a recycle passage. The suction chamber includes a suction chamber inlet. The mixing region is configured to receive gaseous fluids from the motive fluid duct and the suction chamber inlet to produce a gaseous mixture. The reactor section includes a catalyst and is configured to receive the gaseous mixture from the mixing region. The outlet is configured to deliver an exhaust gas from the reactor section and the recycle passage is configured to deliver a portion of the exhaust gas to the suction chamber inlet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An internal recycle reactor for catalytic inerting that is a monolithic body comprising:
a motive fluid duct having a motive fluid outlet;
a suction chamber comprising a suction chamber inlet;
a reactant fluid inlet;
a mixing region configured to receive separate gaseous fluids from the motive fluid outlet, the suction chamber inlet, and the reactant fluid inlet to produce a gaseous mixture;
a reactor section comprising a catalyst, wherein the reactor section is configured to receive the gaseous mixture from the mixing region;
an outlet configured to deliver an exhaust gas from the reactor section; and
a recycle passage fluidly connecting the outlet to the suction chamber and configured to deliver a portion of the exhaust gas to the suction chamber though the suction chamber inlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 1, wherein the motive fluid duct comprises a converging nozzle configured to direct a reactant gas to the reactor section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 2, wherein the suction chamber inlet is disposed perpendicular to an outlet orifice of the nozzle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 3, wherein the motive fluid duct is configured to deliver a bleed air and the reactant fluid inlet is configured to deliver a fuel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 3, wherein the catalyst is a solid body permeable to the gaseous mixture and wherein the catalyst fills a cross-sectional area of the reactor section, the cross-section taken along a plane perpendicular to a length of the reactor section.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 5, wherein the catalyst fills the cross-sectional area over the entire length of the reactor section.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises a material selected from the group consisting of noble metals, transition metals, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of recycle passages fluidly connecting the outlet to the suction chamber.

### Claim 9

An internal recycle reactor for catalytic inerting comprising:
an ejector comprising:
a motive fluid duct;
a suction chamber having a suction chamber inlet;
a mixing region configured to receive gaseous fluids from the motive fluid duct and the suction chamber inlet and to produce a gaseous mixture;
a reactor section positioned to receive the gaseous mixture from the mixing region and configured to react with the gaseous mixture to form an exhaust gas; and
an outlet configured to deliver an exhaust gas from the reactor section; and
a plurality of recycle passages fluidly connecting the outlet to the suction chamber and configured to deliver a portion of the exhaust gas to the suction chamber through the suction chamber inlet.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 9, wherein the motive fluid duct comprises a converging nozzle configured to direct a reactant gas to the catalyst.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 10, wherein the suction chamber inlet is perpendicular to an outlet orifice of the converging nozzle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 10, wherein the catalyst fills a cross-sectional area of the reactor section to prevent the gaseous mixture from bypassing the catalyst, wherein the cross-section is taken along a plane perpendicular to a length of the reactor section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The internal recycle reactor of claim 12, wherein the catalyst comprises a material selected from the group consisting of noble metals, transition metals, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 14

A method of catalytic inerting comprising:
flowing a reactant gas to a first inlet of an ejector;
flowing a portion of an exhaust gas from an ejector outlet to a second inlet of the ejector;
mixing the reactant gas with the exhaust gas to produce a gaseous mixture;
flowing the gaseous mixture through a catalyst disposed in the ejector, wherein the catalyst is disposed in a reactor section of the ejector located between a mixing chamber and the ejector outlet and wherein the catalyst fills a cross-sectional area of the reactor section such that the gaseous mixture is directed through the catalyst;
reacting the gaseous mixture with the catalyst to produce an exhaust gas comprising an inert gas; and
flowing the exhaust gas from the catalyst through a plurality of recycle passages, wherein the recycle passages fluidly connect the ejector outlet to the second inlet of the ejector and wherein the reactant gas provides a motive flow that drives the flow of the exhaust gas into the second inlet by suction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the reactant gas is a mixture of fuel and air.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the reactant gas is air and wherein the method further comprises injecting a fuel into the mixing region.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the catalyst comprises a material selected from the group consisting of noble metals, transition metals, metal oxides, and combinations thereof.