Determining oxygen concentration in ullage using catalytic oxidation
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorWilliam Beeson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for measuring the oxygen concentration of a gas includes a catalytic reactor, first and second temperature sensors and a control unit. The catalytic reactor includes a combustion catalyst that supports the catalytic combustion of hydrocarbon fuel vapor in a gas stream. The first temperature sensor is located upstream of the catalytic reactor for sensing an upstream temperature of the gas stream, and the second temperature sensor is located downstream of the catalytic reactor for sensing a downstream temperature of the gas stream. The control unit compares the upstream temperature and the downstream temperature to determine the oxygen concentration of the gas stream.
Claims14
A fuel tank inerting system comprising:
- a fuel tank;
- an ullage gas sample outlet located in the fuel tank for removing an ullage gas sample from the fuel tank, the ullage gas sample containing hydrocarbon fuel vapor;
- a catalytic reactor containing a combustion catalyst that supports catalytic combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel vapor, the catalytic reactor connected to the ullage sample outlet;
- a first temperature sensor located upstream with respect to the flow of the ullage gas sample of the catalytic reactor for sensing an upstream temperature of the ullage gas sample;
- a second temperature sensor located downstream with respect to the flow of the ullage gas sample of the catalytic reactor for sensing a downstream temperature of the ullage gas sample;
- and
- a control unit for comparing the upstream temperature and the downstream temperature of the ullage gas sample to determine the oxygen concentration of the ullage gas sample.
A method for determining oxygen concentration of a fuel tank, the method comprising:
- extracting an ullage gas sample from an ullage of the fuel tank;
- directing the ullage gas sample through a catalytic reactor that includes a combustion catalyst that promotes catalytic combustion of hydrocarbon fuel;
- measuring an upstream temperature of the ullage gas sample upstream with respect to the flow of the ullage gas sample of the catalytic reactor;
- measuring a downstream temperature of the ullage gas sample downstream with respect to the flow of the ullage gas sample of the catalytic reactor;
- and
- comparing the upstream temperature and the downstream temperature of the ullage gas sample to determine the oxygen concentration of the ullage gas sample.
A system for measuring oxygen concentration of a gas stream, the system comprising:
- a catalytic reactor containing a combustion catalyst that supports the catalytic combustion of hydrocarbon fuel vapor in the gas stream;
- a first temperature sensor located upstream with respect to flow of the gas stream of the catalytic reactor for sensing an upstream temperature of the gas stream;
- a second temperature sensor located downstream with respect to flow of the gas stream of the catalytic reactor for sensing a downstream temperature of the gas stream;
- and
- a control unit for comparing the upstream temperature and the downstream temperature of the gas stream to determine the oxygen concentration of the gas stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.