# US 2014/0150649 A1 · System for supplying an aircraft with inert gas, method for supplying an aircraft with inert gas, use of a membrance and aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150649 A1 - Document ID: US20140150649A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/091,849 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. - Applicants: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.; Airbus Operations GmbH - Inventors: Ralf-Henning Stolte; Johannes Lauckner; Gwenaelle Renouard-Vallet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150649A1 ## CPC - B64D 33/04: of exhaust outlets or jet pipes - B64D 37/32: Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions - B64D 2041/002: {Mounting arrangements for auxiliary power units (APU's)} - B64D 2041/005: {Fuel cells} - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system for supplying an aircraft with inert gas is provided. The system includes at least one fuel cell with an air inlet and an exhaust air outlet as well as a membrane device with an inlet, an outlet and a vapor-permeable membrane. The exhaust air outlet is in fluid communication with the inlet of the membrane device. The membrane device guides a gas from the inlet to the outlet and to give off to the outside through the membrane any water vapor contained therein. This leads to a cost efficient, passive and reliable dehumidifaction of inert exhaus gas for inerting purposes, and a dehumidification device that does not or only marginally increases the weight of the aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for supplying an aircraft with inert gas, comprising: at least one fuel cell with an air inlet and an exhaust air outlet; a membrane device with an inlet, an outlet and a vapor-permeable membrane, wherein the exhaust air outlet is in fluid communication with the inlet of the membrane device, and wherein the membrane device is adapted for guiding a gas from the inlet to the outlet and to give off to an outside through the membrane any water vapor contained therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the membrane device is constructed as an exhaust air pipe, and wherein the membrane is arranged on the external surface of the exhaust air pipe and is in fluid communication with a flow cross-section of the exhaust air pipe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the exhaust air pipe comprises a support structure that comprises at least in part openings that are covered by the membrane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein a fuel line is arranged within the exhaust air pipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the exhaust air pipe is a double-walled fuel line, wherein the fuel line comprises an interior line cross-section that is constructed so as to be fuel-tight for carrying fuel, and comprises an outer jacket, which is spaced apart from the interior line cross-section, and the outer jacket at least in part comprises a membrane that is in fluid communication with the surroundings of the outer jacket, and wherein an outer flow cross-section between the outer jacket and the interior line cross-section is in fluid communication with the exhaust air outlet of the fuel cell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the flow of exhaust air from the fuel cell and the flow of fuel through the interior line cross-section are in opposite directions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein an insulation layer encloses the interior line cross-section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the membrane device is designed as a gas-gas dehumidifier comprising a housing through which gas can flow, with a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and an exhaust air pipe with an exhaust air inlet and an exhaust air outlet leads through the housing, with the exhaust air pipe at least in some part designed as a membrane whose inside is in fluid communication with an interior of the exhaust air pipe, and whose outside is in fluid communication with the interior of the housing. ### Claim 9 A method for supplying an aircraft with inert gas, comprising: channeling oxygen-depleted exhaust air from a fuel cell to an inlet of a membrane device that comprises a membrane and that guides the exhaust air from the inlet to an outlet; removing water vapor issuing through the membrane; and channeling dried exhaust air issuing from the membrane device to inert a space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein a gas stream is guided along the outside of the membrane device in order to take up water vapor from the exhaust air by way of the membrane device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein guiding the gas stream comprises guiding conditioned air from an air-conditioning system of the aircraft, and guiding humidified conditioned air to a space within the aircraft. ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 An aircraft comprising: a system that supplies the aircraft with inert gas, the system including at least one fuel cell with an air inlet and an exhaust air outlet, a membrane device with an inlet, an outlet and a vapor-permeable membrane, wherein the exhaust air outlet is in fluid communication with the inlet of the membrane device, and the membrane device is adapted for guiding a gas from the inlet to the outlet and to give off to an outside through the membrane any water vapor contained therein, and wherein the membrane device is designed as an exhaust air pipe that is installed in a ventilated region of the aircraft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the ventilated region is a triangular region of the aircraft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the membrane device is designed as a gas-gas dehumidifier that as a compact unit is arranged in a region near an inert gas inlet of a space to be inerted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the membrane device is constructed as an exhaust air pipe, and wherein the membrane is arranged on the external surface of the exhaust air pipe and is in fluid communication with a flow cross-section of the exhaust air pipe. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the exhaust air pipe comprises a support structure that comprises at least in part openings that are covered by the membrane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The aircraft of claim 16, wherein a fuel line is arranged within the exhaust air pipe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The aircraft of claim 18, wherein the exhaust air pipe is a double-walled fuel line, wherein the fuel line comprises an interior line cross-section that is constructed so as to be fuel-tight for carrying fuel, and comprises an outer jacket, which is spaced apart from the interior line cross-section, and the outer jacket at least in part comprises a membrane that is in fluid communication with the surroundings of the outer jacket, and wherein an outer flow cross-section between the outer jacket and the interior line cross-section is in fluid communication with the exhaust air outlet of the fuel cell. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The aircraft of claim 18, wherein the flow of exhaust air from the fuel cell and the flow of fuel through the interior line cross-section are in opposite directions.