초록 ▼

A modular, on-board, inert gas generating system for aircraft is disclosed in which main components such as a heat exchanger, filter, air separation module, and turbocharger are provided in a modular unit sized to provide a variable flow of nitrogen-enriched air to the aircraft spaces to be inerted.

A modular, on-board, inert gas generating system for aircraft is disclosed in which main components such as a heat exchanger, filter, air separation module, and turbocharger are provided in a modular unit sized to provide a variable flow of nitrogen-enriched air to the aircraft spaces to be inerted. For different inert gas requirements, for example in larger aircraft, multiple modular units may be provided without redesigning the basic system. A method for inerting fuel tanks, cargo holds and other void spaces using the modular approach and turbocharged engine bleed air is also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An inerting system, comprising: multiple modular units, each modular unit comprising: an air separation module configured to receive an air flow from a pressurized air source, said air separation module generating a flow of nitrogen-enriched air from said air flow; a turbine communica

We claim: 1. An inerting system, comprising: multiple modular units, each modular unit comprising: an air separation module configured to receive an air flow from a pressurized air source, said air separation module generating a flow of nitrogen-enriched air from said air flow; a turbine communicating with said flow of nitrogen-enriched air and powered thereby; and a compressor disposed in said air flow between the air separation module and said source and said compressor being rotated by said turbine to increase the pressure of said air flow to the air separation module. 2. The inerting system of claim 1, wherein the air separation module is sized to provide predetermined flow rate and purity level of the nitrogen-enriched air based on the increased air pressure. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filter disposed between the air separation module and pressurized air source. 4. The inerting system of claim 3, further comprising a first heat exchanger mounted in said modular unit in communication with said filter and configured to be connected to the compressor, thereby providing a temperature conditioned increased air pressure to the filter. 5. The inerting system of claim 4, further comprising a second heat exchanger mounted in said modular unit in communication with said compressor and configured to be connected to the source of pressurized air, thereby providing a temperature conditioned pressurized air to the compressor. 6. The inerting system of claim 4, further comprising: a source of cooling air for said heat exchanger; a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of the temperature conditioned increased air pressure; and a temperature modulation valve configured to control a flow of the cooling air based on said temperature. 7. The inerting system of claim 4, further comprising: a source of cooling air for said heat exchanger; a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of the temperature conditioned increased air pressure; and a jet pump configured to control a flow of the cooling air based on said temperature. 8. The inerting system of claim 5, wherein the first heat exchanger communicates with a source of cooling air for cooling the compressed air and the second heat exchanger communicates with the source of cooling air for cooling the pressurized air. 9. The inerting system of claim 8, wherein the first and second heat exchangers and air separation module are sized to meet the predetermined flow rate and purity level without a temperature sensor in the air flow through the system. 10. The inerting system of claim 8, wherein the cooling air is provided by a ram air source. 11. The inerting system of claim 8, wherein the cooling air is provided by an National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) scoop. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of pressurized air comprises aircraft engine bleed air. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is mounted in an aircraft having a requirement for nitrogen-enriched air inerting gas, said system comprising a number of said modular units producing a combined flow rate sufficient to meet said requirement. 14. The inerting system of claim 13, wherein said air separation module in each modular unit is sized, in combination with all other modular units, to meet the predetermined flow rate and purity level based on the increased air pressure. 15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a first heat exchanger mounted in said modular unit in communication with said filter and configured to be connected to the compressor, thereby providing a temperature conditioned increased air pressure to the filter. 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a second heat exchanger configured to receive the engine bleed air, said heat exchanger communicating with the compressor to provide a flow of temperature conditioned air thereto. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein said first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger, and said air separation module in each of said modular units are sized, in combination with all other modular units, to meet the predetermined flow rate and purity level based on the increased air pressure. 18. The inerting system of claim 1, wherein said multiple modular units are connected in parallel. 19. A modular system for inerting a space, comprising: multiple modular units connected in parallel and configured to communicate nitrogen-enriched air to a space in a combined quantity sufficient to meet a flow requirement for inerting said space, wherein each said modular unit comprises: an air separation module configured to be connected to a source of air, said air separation module generating a flow of nitrogen-enriched air corresponding to at least a portion of said flow requirement; a turbine disposed in said flow of nitrogen-enriched air; and a compressor disposed to receive said air from said source and deliver it to the air separation module at an increased pressure, said compressor being driven by said turbine. 20. An inerting system comprising at least one modular unit, said at least one modular unit further comprising: an air separation module configured to receive engine bleed air from a pressurized air source and to produce a nitrogen-enriched air flow and an oxygen-enriched air flow; a first turbine configured to communicate with said nitrogen-enriched air flow and powered thereby; a second turbine configured to communicate with said oxygen-enriched air flow and powered thereby; a first compressor disposed between said air separation module and said air source and said first compressor configured to be rotated by said first turbine to compress said engine blood air before said air separation module receives said engine bleed air; and a second compressor disposed between said air separation module and said air source and said second compressor configured to be rotated by said second turbine to further compress said engine bleed air before said air separation module receives said engine bleed air. 21. The modular unit of claim 20, further comprising a filter disposed between the air separation module and said pressurized air source. 22. The modular unit of claim 21, further comprising a heat exchanger mounted in said modular unit in communication with said filter and configured to be connected to said first and second compressors, thereby providing a temperature conditioned increased air pressure to the filter. 23. The modular unit of claim 20, wherein said second compressor is configured to be coaxial to said first compressor. 24. An inerting system, comprising: multiple air separation modules, each air separation module configured to receive compressed air from a pressurized air source and to produce a nitrogen-enriched air flow and an oxygen-enriched air flow; a first turbine configured to communicate with said multiple nitrogen-enriched air flows and powered thereby; a first compressor disposed between said multiple air separation modules and said air source and said first compressor being rotated by said first turbine to compress said engine bleed air before said multiple air separation modules receive said engine bleed air; a second turbine configured to communicate with said multiple oxygen-enriched air flows and powered thereby; and a second compressor disposed between said multiple air separation modules and said air source, said second compressor configured to be rotated by said second turbine to further compress said engine bleed air before said multiple air separation modules receive said engine bleed air.