Electrochemical gas separator for combustion prevention and suppression

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963792-B2
Application number	US-201514969429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

An inert gas generating system includes an air source configured to provide an air stream that comprises at least one of ram air, external air, conditioned air, or compressed air. An electrochemical gas separator is configured to receive the air stream and to produce an oxygen-depleted air stream. A contained volume is configured to receive the oxygen-depleted air stream.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inert gas generating system comprising:
an air source configured to provide an air stream that comprises at least one of ram air, external air, conditioned air, or compressed air;
an electrochemical gas separator configured to receive the air stream and an electrical current to produce an oxygen-depleted air stream;
a dryer configured to receive the oxygen-depleted air stream and to produce a dehumidified oxygen-depleted air stream with no more than 12% oxygen content; and
a contained volume configured to receive the dehumidified oxygen-depleted air stream.

2. The inert gas generating system of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical gas separator further comprises a cathode and an anode.

3. The inert gas generating system of claim 2 , wherein the electrochemical gas separator further comprises a proton exchange membrane.

4. The inert gas generating system of claim 1 , further comprising a filter configured to receive the air stream upstream of the electrochemical gas separator and to produce a filtered air stream.

5. The inert gas generating system of claim 1 , wherein the contained volume further is a fuel tank.

6. The inert gas generating system of claim 1 , wherein the contained volume comprises one of a cargo hold, an engine compartment, a utility workspace, a bay, a chase, a data center, or a warehouse.

7. The inert gas generating system of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical gas separator further comprises a stack of cells.

8. The inert gas generating system of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical source.

9. A method for generating inert gas, the method comprising:
feeding an air stream that comprises at least one of ram air, external air, conditioned air, or compressed air to an electrochemical gas separator;
applying a bias voltage across the electrochemical gas separator;
producing oxygen-depleted air with no more than 12% oxygen content by electrochemical gas separation;
dehumidifying the oxygen-depleted air; and
feeding the dehumidified oxygen-depleted air from the dryer to a contained volume.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising filtering the air stream prior to producing oxygen-depleted air.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising applying a bias voltage across the electrochemical gas separator.

12. An inert gas generating system comprising:
an air source configured to provide an air stream that comprises at least one of ram air, external air, conditioned air, or compressed air;
an electrochemical gas separator configured to receive the air stream and an electrical current to produce an oxygen-depleted air stream with no more than 12% oxygen content;
a contained volume configured to receive the oxygen-depleted air stream.

13. The inert gas generating system of claim 12 , further comprising a dryer configured to receive the oxygen-depleted air stream and to produce a dehumidified oxygen-depleted air stream.

14. The inert gas generating system of claim 13 , wherein the electrochemical gas separator further comprises a cathode and an anode.

15. The inert gas generating system of claim 14 , wherein the electrochemical gas separator further comprises an electrolyte.

16. The inert gas generating system of claim 15 , wherein the electrolyte is a proton exchange membrane.

17. The inert gas generating system of claim 16 , further comprising an electrical source connected to the electrochemical gas separator.

18. The inert gas generating system of claim 17 , wherein the electrical source powers the electrochemical gas separator.

19. The inert gas generating system of claim 18 , wherein the contained volume is a fuel tank.

20. The inert gas generating system of claim 18 , wherein the contained volume comprises one of a cargo hold, an engine compartment, a utility workspace, a bay, a chase, a data center, or a warehouse.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Rheaume Jonathan

Classifications

• B64D37/32

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

• C25B13/04

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• C25B1/00

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• B64D2013/0677

  comprising on board oxygen generator systems · CPC title

• B01D53/326

  in electrochemical cells · CPC title