Increasing the performance of aircraft on-board inert gas generating systems by turbocharging
AssigneeShaw Aero Devices, Inc.
InventorPhilip Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular, on-board, inert gas generating system for aircraft is disclosed in which main components such as a heat exchanger, filter, air separation module, and turbocharger are provided in a modular unit sized to provide a variable flow of nitrogen-enriched air to the aircraft spaces to be inerted. For different inert gas requirements, for example in larger aircraft, multiple modular units may be provided without redesigning the basic system. A method for inerting fuel tanks, cargo holds and other void spaces using the modular approach and turbocharged engine bleed air is also disclosed.
Claims22
An inerting system, comprising:
- multiple modular units, each modular unit comprising:
- a housing containing:
- an air separation module configured to receive an air flow from a pressurized air source, said air separation module generating a flow of nitrogen-enriched air from said air flow;
- a turbine communicating with said flow of nitrogen-enriched air and powered thereby;
- and
- a compressor disposed in said air flow between the air separation module and said source and said compressor being rotated by said turbine to increase the pressure of said air flow to the air separation module.
A modular system for inerting spaces in aircraft, comprising at least one modular unit, wherein:
- said at least one modular unit is configured and dimensioned to be mounted in the aircraft and to communicate with said space in a quantity sufficient in combination to meet a nitrogen-enriched flow requirement for inerting said space;
- and
- each said modular unit comprises:
- an air separation module configured to be connected to an on-board source of air, said air separation module generating a flow of nitrogen-enriched air corresponding to a portion of said flow requirement;
- a turbine disposed in said flow of nitrogen-enriched air;
- and
- a compressor disposed to receive said engine bleed air and deliver it to the air separation module at an increased pressure, said compressor being driven by said turbine.
A method for inerting void spaces in aircraft, comprising:
- connecting a source of air at a first pressure to multiple modular units configured to produce a flow of nitrogen-enriched air at a predetermined flow rate and oxygen purity level;
- extracting pressure energy from said flow of nitrogen-enriched air;
- compressing said air at said first pressure using said pressure energy extracted from said flow of nitrogen-enriched air;
- and
- directing the nitrogen-enriched air to the space to be inerted.
An inerting system, comprising:
- multiple air separation modules, each air separation module configured to receive engine bleed air from a pressurized air source and to produce a nitrogen-enriched air flow and an oxygen-enriched air flow;
- a first turbine configured to communicate with said multiple nitrogen-enriched air flows and powered thereby;
- and
- a first compressor disposed between said multiple air separation modules and said air source and said first compressor being rotated by said first turbine to compress said engine bleed air before said multiple air separation modules receive said engine bleed air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.