On-board aircraft dried inert gas system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018050300-A1
Application number	US-201615238287-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 22, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An on-board aircraft dried inert gas system includes a source inert gas containing water, an air cycle or vapor cycle cooling system, and a heat exchanger condenser. The heat exchanger condenser has a heat absorption side in thermal communication with the air cycle or vapor cycle cooling system. The heat exchanger condenser has a heat rejection side that receives the inert gas containing water and outputs dried inert gas.

First claim

1 . An on-board aircraft dried inert gas, comprising:
a source of an inert gas comprising water; an air cycle or vapor cycle cooling system; and a heat exchanger condenser comprising a heat absorption side in thermal communication with an air cycle or vapor cycle cooling system, and a heat rejection side that receives the inert gas comprising water and outputs dried inert gas.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of inert gas comprising water comprises a proton exchange membrane electrochemical cell that reacts oxygen in air with hydrogen to produce the oxygen-depleted gas.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a water recycle of condensate from the heat rejection side of the heat exchanger condenser to the proton exchange membrane electrochemical cell

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of inert gas comprising water comprises a catalytic reactor that reacts oxygen with hydrocarbon in fuel tank vapor to produce the oxygen-depleted gas.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat absorption side of the heat exchanger condenser is in thermal communication with an air cycle cooling system.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the heat absorption side of the heat exchanger condenser receives, or is in thermal communication through a heat transfer fluid with, the conditioned air output from the air cycle cooling system.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the heat absorption side of the heat exchanger condenser receives, or is in thermal communication through a heat transfer fluid with, an intermediate conditioned air from the air cycle.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat absorption side of the heat exchanger condenser is in thermal communication with a vapor cycle cooling system.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchanger condenser comprising a heat absorption side in thermal communication with ram air, and a heat rejection side that receives the inert gas comprising water and outputs dried inert gas.

10 . An on-board aircraft inert gas system, comprising:
a source of hydrogen; a plurality of electrochemical cells, individually comprising a cathode and an anode separated by a proton exchange electrolyte separator; a cathode fluid flow path in fluid communication with the cell cathodes that receives a flow of air from an air source and discharges oxygen-depleted air; an anode fluid flow path in fluid communication with the cell anodes; a water flow path in fluid communication with the proton exchange electrolyte separator. an electrical circuit connecting the anode and the cathode that provides voltage that forms hydrogen ions at the anode and forms water at the cathode; a heat exchanger condenser comprising a heat absorption side in thermal communication with a heat sink, and a heat rejection comprising an inlet that receives fluid from the cathode fluid flow path, a water condensate outlet in fluid communication with the water flow path, and an inert gas outlet.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the water flow path is in fluid communication with the anodes and is coincident with at least a portion of the anode fluid flow path.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the water flow path is in fluid communication with the cathodes and is coincident with at least a portion of the cathode fluid flow path.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the water flow path comprises an anode-side water flow path that is in fluid communication with the anodes and is coincident with at least a portion of the anode fluid flow path, and a cathode-side water flow path that is in fluid communication with the cathodes and is coincident with at least a portion of the cathode fluid flow path.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the water flow path further comprises a water reservoir in fluid communication with the heat exchanger water outlet and with the anode-side and cathode-side water flow paths.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the electrochemical cells are configured to operate at least a part of the time in a mode in which water is directed to the anode, electric power is provided to the electrical circuit at a voltage that electrolyzes water at the anode.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the electrochemical cells are configured to operate at least a part of the time in a mode in which hydrogen fuel is directed to the anode, and electric power is directed from the circuit to one or more vehicle electric power-consuming systems or components.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the electrochemical cells are configured to operate at least a part of the time in a mode in which hydrogen fuel is directed to the anode, and electric power is directed from the circuit to one or more vehicle electric power-consuming systems or components.

18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the proton exchange electrolyte separator comprises a polymer proton exchange membrane,

19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells are connected in electrical series in a stack.

20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink comprises an on-board air cycle or vapor cycle cooling system, ram air, or liquid fuel in an on-board fuel tank.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Rheaume Jonathan
• St Rock Brian
• Lents Charles E

Classifications

• B01D2257/104

  Oxygen · CPC title

• B01D53/326 Primary

  in electrochemical cells · CPC title

• B64D13/06

  the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) · CPC title

• B01D53/265

  by refrigeration (condensation) · CPC title

• A62C3/08

  in aircraft {(A62C3/0207 takes precedence)} · CPC title