On-board inert gas generation system with compressor surge protection
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsGregory Schwalm, Eric Surawski, John Schwemmer, Mark Dion
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve assembly includes a nitrogen enriched airflow control valve, a first stage surge control valve and a second stage surge control valve respectively arranged in a passage downstream of an air separation module, and in first and second surge control passages. The valves are in a ganged relationship or connected to one another such they move with one another in response to an input from a common actuator. The surge control valves open as the nitrogen enriched airflow control valve is moved to provide a smaller area.
Claims14
An on-board inert gas generation system comprising:
- first and second compressors in fluid communication with one another;
- an air separation module with a passageway fluidly connecting the air separation module with the second compressor, the second compressor fluidly arranged between the air separation module and the first compressor;
- and
- first and second surge control passages respectively in fluid communication with outlets of the first and second compressors, the surge control passages venting to atmosphere in response to first and second stage surge control valves respectively arranged within the first and second surge control passages moving to an open position.
An on-board inert gas generation system comprising:
- first and second compressors in fluid communication with one another;
- an air separation module with a passageway fluidly connecting the air separation module with the second compressor, the second compressor fluidly arranged between the air separation module and the first compressor;
- a surge control passage in fluid communication with an outlet of one of the compressors, the surge control passage venting to atmosphere in response to a surge control valve respectively arranged within the surge control passages moving to an open position;
- and
- a nitrogen enriched airflow control valve arranged downstream of the air separation module, the nitrogen enriched airflow control valve connected to the surge control valve and moving from a large area position to a small area position when the surge control valve moves to the open position.
A method of operating an on-board inert gas generation system comprising the steps of:
- a) compressing fluid in a compressor of the system;
- b) providing the compressed fluid to an air separation module;
- c) providing a nitrogen enriched airflow valve and a compressor stage surge control valve respectively downstream of the air separation module and the compressor;
- and
- d) simultaneously actuating the valves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.