Aircraft Nitrogen Generation and Oxygen Distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017088282-A1
Application number	US-201514866619-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for a nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system. According to one aspect, the system includes an NGS and an oxygen distribution processor coupled to the NGS. The NGS creates nitrogen enriched air as the primary product for fuel tank use, and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product. The oxygen distribution processor is operative to determine a number of flight parameters, and from those parameters, provide an oxygen distribution command to an oxygen distribution valve in order to prevent the oxygen enriched air from being distributed, to route the oxygen enriched air to the ambient environment, or to route the oxygen enriched air to an aircraft engine to increase combustion efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system, comprising:
a nitrogen generation system (NGS) operative to
create nitrogen enriched air as a primary product and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product, and
route the nitrogen enriched air to a fuel tank of an aircraft; and
an oxygen distribution processor communicatively coupled to the NGS and operative to
determine a plurality of flight parameters;
determine from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration and a second oxygen distribution configuration;
in response to selecting the first oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft; and
in response to selecting the second oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an engine of the aircraft.

2 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of flight parameters comprises determining a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight.

3 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 2 , wherein determining the plurality of flight parameters comprises determining at least a current altitude, an ambient air pressure, and an ambient air temperature.

4 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the first oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to the fuel tank of the aircraft.

5 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 4 , wherein the phase of flight comprises a descent phase or climb phase of flight.

6 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 4 , wherein routing the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the ambient environment surrounding the aircraft comprises positioning a shut-off valve to prevent the oxygen enriched air from entering the engine of the aircraft and allow the oxygen enriched air to flow to the ambient environment.

7 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the second oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to the fuel tank of the aircraft.

8 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 7 , wherein the phase of flight comprises a cruise phase of flight.

9 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 7 , wherein routing the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to engine of the aircraft comprises positioning a shut-off valve to allow the oxygen enriched air to enter the engine of the aircraft and prevent the oxygen enriched air to flow to the ambient environment.

10 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 9 , wherein the oxygen enriched air is provided directly to a compressor of the engine.

11 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 9 , wherein the oxygen enriched air is provided directly to a combustion chamber of the engine.

12 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen distribution configuration further comprises a third oxygen distribution configuration, the oxygen distribution processor further operative to:
in response to selecting the third oxygen distribution configuration, position a shut-off valve to close output paths between the NGS and the ambient environment and between the NGS and the engine.

13 . A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system, comprising:
an oxygen distribution processor communicatively coupled to a nitrogen generation system (NGS) of an aircraft; a memory communicatively coupled to the oxygen distribution processor; and an oxygen distribution application (i) which executes in the oxygen distribution processor and (ii) which, when executed by the oxygen distribution processor, causes the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to
determine a plurality of flight parameters;
determine from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration and a second oxygen distribution configuration;
in response to selecting the first oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft; and
in response to selecting the second oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an engine of the aircraft.

14 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 13 , wherein causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine the plurality of flight parameters comprises causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight.

15 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 14 , wherein the first oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft.

16 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 14 , wherein the second oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft.

17 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 16 , wherein causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft comprises causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to a compressor of the engine.

18 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 16 , wherein causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft comprises causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to a combustion chamber of the engine.

19 . The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 13 , wherein the oxygen distribution configuration further comprises a third oxygen distribution configuration, the an oxygen distribution application further causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to:
in response to selecting the third oxygen distribution configuration, close output paths between the NGS and the ambient environment and between the NGS and the engine.

20 . A computer-implemented method for distributing oxygen enriched air generated as a secondary product by a nitrogen generation system (NGS) of an aircraft, the computer-implemented method comprising:
determining a plurality of flight parameters; determining from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configurat

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Loftis Richard J
• Armatorio Andrew L
• Hart Colin W

Classifications

• B64D33/02 Primary

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• B64D37/32 Primary

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

• B64D2013/0677

  comprising on board oxygen generator systems · CPC title

• B01D53/00

  Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols, (recovery of volatile solvents by condensation B01D5/00; sublimation B01D7/00; cold traps, cold baffles B01D8/00; working-up undefined gaseous mixtures obtained by cracking hydrocarbon oils C10G70/00; cleaning coal gas C10K; working-up of natural gas, or synthetic natural gas, C10L3/10; separation of difficult-to-condense gases or air by liquefaction F25J; for investigating materials G01N30/00) · CPC title

• B64D13/02

  the air being pressurised · CPC title