Process water gas management of electrochemical inert gas generating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11638900-B2
Application number	US-201916593691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2019
Priority date	Oct 4, 2019
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A system and method of inerting a protected space is disclosed. In the system and method, process water is delivered to an anode of an electrochemical cell comprising the anode and a cathode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium. A portion of the process water is electrolyzed at the anode to form protons and oxygen, and the protons are transferred across the proton transfer medium. Process water is directed to a baffle to form de-gassed process water and the de-gassed process water is recycled to the anode. Air is delivered to the cathode and oxygen is reduced at the cathode to generate oxygen-depleted air. The oxygen-depleted air is directed from the cathode of the electrochemical cell along an inert gas flow path to the protected space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing inert gas, comprising:
a protected space comprising a fuel tank ullage space, a cargo hold, or an equipment bay;
an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium;
a power source arranged to provide a voltage differential between the anode and the cathode;
a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode between a cathode fluid flow path inlet and a cathode fluid flow path outlet;
an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode, between an anode fluid flow path inlet and an anode fluid flow path outlet;
a cathode supply fluid flow path between an air source and the cathode fluid flow path inlet, and an inert gas flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode fluid flow path outlet and the protected space;
an anode supply fluid flow path between a process water source and the anode fluid flow path inlet;
a process water fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode fluid flow path inlet and the anode fluid flow path outlet;
a baffle disposed on the process water fluid flow path;
a gas outlet from the process water fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the baffle;
a sensor configured to directly or indirectly measure dissolved oxygen content of process water received by the baffle; and
a controller configured to provide a target response of the sensor through control of a flow rate of process water or a temperature of process water, or both a flow rate and a temperature of process water.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet is located at a high point of the process water fluid flow path.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid-gas separator on the process water fluid flow path, wherein the liquid-gas separator includes an inlet and a liquid outlet each in operative fluid communication with the process water fluid flow path, and wherein the liquid-gas separator further includes said gas outlet.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the baffle is disposed in the liquid-gas separator.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle is disposed in a fluid flow conduit along the process water fluid flow path.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle includes a solid plate, a perforated plate, a solid sheet, a perforated sheet, a fin, a mesh, a strainer, a screen, a chain, a rope, chord, a ring, a turbulator, a vane, or an aggregate material in a packed bed.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heater in operative thermal communication with the process water fluid flow path, or a first heat exchanger including a heat absorption side in operative fluid communication with the process water fluid flow path and a heat rejection side in operative thermal communication with a heat source.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a second heat exchanger including a heat rejection side in operative fluid communication with the process water fluid flow path and a heat absorption side in operative thermal communication with a heat sink.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the baffle is in operative fluid communication to receive process water discharged from the heater or first heat exchanger, and the baffle is in operative fluid communication to direct process water to a heat rejection side inlet of the second heat exchanger.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchanger including a heat rejection side in operative fluid communication with the process water fluid flow path and a heat absorption side in operative thermal communication with a heat sink.

11. The system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said electrochemical cells in a stack separated by electrically-conductive fluid flow separators.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor, and the controller is configured to provide a target temperature response of the temperature sensor.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor further includes an oxygen sensor, and the controller is configured to provide a target temperature response of the temperature sensor in response to output of the oxygen sensor.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a target response of a measurement device through control of a flow rate of process water on the anode fluid flow path and/or the cathode fluid flow path.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a target response of a measurement device through control of a flow rate through control of a voltage differential applied between the anode and the cathode.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a target response of the sensor through control of a flow of process water through a heat transfer device or through a control of a temperature of a heat transfer device.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the inerting system in a mode selected from a plurality of modes including a first mode under normal operating conditions and in an oxygen removal mode in response to a high oxygen level signal from the sensor.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Rheaume Jonathan

Classifications

• A62C99/0018

  using gases or vapours that do not support combustion, e.g. steam, carbon dioxide · CPC title

• B64D37/32

  Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions · CPC title

• C25B9/73

  of the filter-press type · CPC title

• B01D19/0042

  modifying the liquid flow (B01D19/0021 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

  Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis · CPC title