Catalytic fuel tank inerting apparatus for aircraft

A method of performing a light-off operation of an inerting system, the method comprising:

• monitoring a temperature at an outlet of a catalytic reactor;
• controlling a space velocity through the catalytic reactor to initiate a light-off of the catalytic reactor;
• detecting a temperature at the outlet of the catalytic reactor to confirm catalytic reactions within the catalytic reactor, wherein the catalytic reactions are between a first reactant and a second reactant to generate an inert gas;
• and
• adjusting the space velocity to an operating level after light-off is confirmed,
• wherein the space velocity is controlled by a driving mechanism configured to drive a flow of gas through the inerting system, wherein the driving mechanism is configured to control the space velocity through the catalytic reactor, and
• wherein the driving mechanism is a fixed speed fan, the method further comprising bypassing a portion of the gas around the catalytic reactor to reduce a space velocity through the catalytic reactor.

A method of performing a light-off operation of an inerting system, the method comprising:

• monitoring a temperature at an outlet of a catalytic reactor;
• controlling a space velocity through the catalytic reactor to initiate a light-off of the catalytic reactor;
• detecting a temperature at the outlet of the catalytic reactor to confirm catalytic reactions within the catalytic reactor, wherein the catalytic reactions are between a first reactant and a second reactant to generate an inert gas;
• and
• adjusting the space velocity to an operating level after light-off is confirmed,
• wherein the space velocity is controlled by a driving mechanism configured to drive a flow of gas through the inerting system, wherein the driving mechanism is configured to control the space velocity through the catalytic reactor, and
• wherein the driving mechanism is located within a recirculation loop configured to extract gas from downstream of the catalytic reactor and pass the extracted gas upstream of the catalytic reactor.