OBIGGS ASM performance modulation via temperature control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694314-B2
Application number	US-201514865389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A controller for controlling an on-board inert gas generation system (OBIGGS) having an air separation module (ASM) dynamically modulates a temperature setpoint for air inlet temperature to the ASM to provide a minimum temperature setpoint that produces a prescribed oxygen concentration at an output of the ASM.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller for controlling an on-board inert gas generation system (OBIGGS) having an air separation module (ASM), comprising:
a processor and memory;
logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the logic including
logic configured to dynamically modulate a temperature setpoint for air inlet temperature to the ASM to provide a minimum temperature setpoint that produces a prescribed oxygen concentration at an output of the ASM, wherein said temperature setpoint is determined based on actual ASM performance relative to a minimum required ASM performance.

2. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the logic configured to dynamically modulate the temperature setpoint includes:
logic configured to determine an expected oxygen concentration at the output of the ASM; and
logic configured to determine the ASM inlet temperature setpoint based on the expected oxygen concentration.

3. The controller according to claim 2 , wherein the logic configured to determine an expected oxygen concentration includes logic configured to determine the expected oxygen concentration based on at least one of an actual inlet pressure to the ASM, an actual inlet temperature to the ASM, or aircraft data.

4. The controller according to claim 3 , wherein the logic configured to determine the expected oxygen concentration based on at least one of an actual inlet pressure to the ASM, an actual inlet temperature to the ASM, or aircraft data includes logic configured to use at least one of atmospheric pressure, altitude, or bleed pressure as the aircraft data.

5. The controller according to claim 2 , wherein the logic configured to determine the ASM inlet temperature setpoint based on the expected oxygen concentration includes logic configured to compare the expected oxygen concentration to an actual oxygen concentration output by the ASM, and to vary the air inlet temperature setpoint based on the comparison.

6. The controller according to claim 5 , wherein the logic configured to vary the air inlet temperature setpoint includes:
logic configured to compare the expected oxygen concentration to the actual oxygen concentration;
logic configured to decrease the air inlet temperature setpoint when the expected oxygen concentration is greater than the actual oxygen concentration; and
logic configured to increase the air inlet temperature setpoint when the expected oxygen concentration is less than the actual oxygen concentration.

7. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the logic configured to increase or decrease the air inlet temperature is further based on a pressure of bleed air provided to the OBIGGS.

8. The controller according to claim 6 , wherein the logic configured to compare the expected oxygen concentration includes logic configured to implement a hysteresis function.

9. The controller according to claim 8 , wherein the logic configured to implement the hysteresis function includes:
logic configured to calculate a high expected oxygen concentration threshold and a low expected oxygen concentration threshold;
logic configured to use the high expected oxygen concentration threshold as a basis for increasing the air inlet temperature setpoint; and
logic configured to use the low expected oxygen concentration threshold as a basis for decreasing the air inlet temperature setpoint.

10. An on-board inert gas generation system (OBIGGS), comprising:
an air separation module (ASM); and
the controller according to claim 1 .

11. The OBIGGS according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor for measuring the air inlet temperature to the ASM;
a pressure sensor for measuring the air inlet pressure to the ASM; and
an oxygen sensor for measuring an oxygen concentration of air exiting the ASM, the temperature, pressure and oxygen sensors communicatively coupled to the controller.

12. The OBIGGS according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a heat exchanger including an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for expelling temperature-modified air, the outlet in fluid communication with an inlet to the ASM; and
a valve having an inlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger outlet, wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the valve to control a temperature of the air provided to the ASM.

13. A method for controlling an on-board inert gas generation system (OBIGGS) having an air separation module (ASM), comprising dynamically modulating a temperature setpoint for air inlet temperature to the ASM to provide a minimum temperature setpoint that produces a prescribed oxygen concentration at an output of the ASM, wherein said temperature setpoint is determined based on actual ASM performance relative to a minimum required ASM performance.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein dynamically generating the temperature setpoint includes:
determining an expected oxygen concentration output by the ASM; and
determining the ASM inlet temperature setpoint based on the expected oxygen concentration.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein determining an expected oxygen concentration includes determining the expected oxygen concentration based on at least one of an actual inlet pressure to the ASM, an actual inlet temperature to the ASM, or aircraft data.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein determining the expected oxygen concentration based on at least one of an actual inlet pressure to the ASM, an actual inlet temperature to the ASM, or aircraft data includes using at least one of atmospheric pressure, altitude, or bleed pressure as the aircraft data.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein determining the ASM inlet temperature setpoint based on the expected oxygen concentration includes comparing the expected oxygen concentration to an actual oxygen concentration output by the ASM, and varying the air inlet temperature setpoint based on the comparison.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein varying the air inlet temperature setpoint includes:
comparing the expected oxygen concentration to the actual oxygen concentration;
decreasing the air inlet temperature setpoint when the expected oxygen concentration is greater than the actual oxygen concentration; and
increasing the air inlet temperature setpoint when the expected oxygen concentration is less than the actual oxygen concentration.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein increasing or decreasing the air inlet temperature is further based on a pressure of bleed air provided to the OBIGGS.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein comparing the expected oxygen concentration includes implementing a hysteresis function.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein implementing the hysteresis function includes:
calculating a high expected oxygen concentration threshold and a low expected oxygen concentration threshold;
using the high expected oxygen concentration threshold as a basis for increasing the air inlet temperature setpoint; and
using the low expected oxygen concentration threshold as a basis for decreasing the air inlet temperature setpoint.

22. A controller for controlling an on-board inert gas generation system having an air separation module, comprising:
a processor and memory; and
logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the logic configured to cause the processor to execute the method according to claim 13 .

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Metrulas Stephen Christopher

Classifications

• B01D53/30 Primary

  Controlling by gas-analysis apparatus (regulating non electrical variables in general G05D) · CPC title

• B64D37/32

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

• B01D2258/06

  Polluted air · CPC title

• B01D2259/4575

  in aeroplanes or space ships · CPC title

• B01D53/22

  by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00) · CPC title