IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0973374
(2004-10-26)
|
등록번호 |
US-7306646
(2007-12-11)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Parker Hannifin Corporation
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
▼
Improvements in aircraft on-board inert gas generating systems wherein generally excess or surplus compressed airflow from a radial flow centrifugal compressor, produced in order to keep the compressor from surging in predetermined "reduced speed/reduced pressure ratio" operating modes, is utilized
Improvements in aircraft on-board inert gas generating systems wherein generally excess or surplus compressed airflow from a radial flow centrifugal compressor, produced in order to keep the compressor from surging in predetermined "reduced speed/reduced pressure ratio" operating modes, is utilized for at least one of driving a turbofan for conditioning the air separator module inlet air, or warming up/heating an air separator module in the inert gas generating system, thereby utilizing at least some of the energy of this excess/surplus compressed air that would otherwise be wasted. Several preferential operational methods and structural systems are set forth.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. In an aircraft, a method for utilizing surplus compressed elevated temperature air produced in an inert gas generating system, said method comprising: a. initially directing hot air, from a compressor source, thereof, through a heat exchanger within said system; b. cooling sa
What is claimed is: 1. In an aircraft, a method for utilizing surplus compressed elevated temperature air produced in an inert gas generating system, said method comprising: a. initially directing hot air, from a compressor source, thereof, through a heat exchanger within said system; b. cooling said hot air to warm air within said heat exchanger and further directing a first non-surplus portion of said warm air, from said heat exchanger, and through the interiors of multiple permeable membrane bundles encased within an outer shell portion of an air separator module within said system; c. additionally directing a second surplus portion of said warm air into said outer shell portion of said air separator module and around the outer peripheries of said membrane bundles, thereby utilizing at least some of the heat energy of said second portion of said warm air for further warming said air separator module; and d. thereafter exhausting said second surplus portion of said warm air from said outer shell portion of said air separator module. 2. In an aircraft, a method for utilizing excessive compressed hot air produced in an inert gas generating system, said method comprising: a. directing said excess hot compressed air, from a source thereof, into an inlet side of a turbofan turbine; b. utilizing at least some of the energy of said excess hot compressed air for driving said turbofan for heat exchange cooling purposes, thereby cooling said excess hot air to warm air; c. exhausting said warm compressed air from an exit side of said turbine; d. further directing said warm compressed air into an outer shell portion and around the outer peripheries of multiple permeable membrane bundles located in an air separator module within said system; e. utilizing additional energy of said warm compressed air for further warming said air separator module; and f. finally exhausting said warm compressed air from an exit point of said air separator module. 3. A method for utilizing an excess portion of compressed warm air, produced in an aircraft on-board gas generating system, said method comprising the steps of: a. initially directing hot compressed air, from a compressor source thereof, through a heat exchanger within said system; b. reducing the temperature of said hot compressed air to warm air within said heat exchanger and further directing a non-excess portion of said now warm compressed air, from said heat exchanger, into and through the interiors of multiple permeable membrane bundles encased within an outer shell of an air separator module within said system; while c. additionally directing an excess portion of said now warm air into an entry port of said outer shell portion and around the outer peripheries of said membrane bundles, thereby utilizing heat energy of said warm compressed air for further warming said air separator module; and finally d. exhausting said excess portion of said warm compressed air from an exit port of said outer shell portion of said air separator module. 4. A method for utilizing excess compressed hot air, produced in an aircraft on-board inert gas generating system, said method comprising the steps of: a. directing said excess hot compressed air, from a source thereof, into an inlet side of a turbofan turbine; b. utilizing energy of said excess compressed hot air for driving said turbofan for heat exchange purposes while said aircraft is on the ground and/or operating at low altitudes, thereby reducing the temperature of said excess hot air to warm air; c. exhausting said warm compressed air from an exit side of said turbine and further directing said warm compressed air to an entry port in an outer shell portion of an air separator module and around the outer peripheries of multiple permeable membrane bundles situated within said air separator module located within said system; d. utilizing the heat energy of said warm compressed air for warming said separator module; and e. finally exhausting said warm compressed air from an exit port in said outer shell portion of said separator module. 5. A method for utilizing surplus compressed air, at an elevated temperature, produced in an aircraft on-board inert gas generating system, said method comprising: a. directing said surplus air, from a compressor source thereof within said system, into at least one of an inlet side of an aircraft cabin turbofan and an entry port of an outer shell of an air separator module within said system, said surplus air flowing around the outer peripheries of multiple permeable membrane bundles encased within said outer shell portion; b. utilizing at least some of the energy of said surplus compressed air for at least one of driving said turbofan for cooling purposes and for further warming said air separator module; and c. exhausting said surplus compressed air from at least one of an exit side of said turbine and an exit port of said separator module outer shell portion. 6. The method for utilizing surplus compressed air, at an elevated temperature, of claim 5, further including, initially directing said surplus compressed air from said compressor source thereof through a heat exchanger within said system, and thereafter utilizing heat energy of said surplus compressed air for at least one of further warming and maintaining a predetermined temperature operating range within said air separator module. 7. The method for utilizing surplus compressed air, at an elevated temperature, of claim 5, further including sequentially directing said compressed air to the inlet side of said turbine and the entry port of said outer shell of said air separator module. 8. In an aircraft, an on-board inert gas generating system, including: a. a source of aircraft cabin air; b. a motor-driven radial flow centrifugal compressor, having an input side connected with said source of cabin air, for compressing said cabin air and thereby raising the temperature thereof to a first temperature range, said compressor concomitantly producing a first, variable airflow portion while also producing a second, generally excess, airflow portion in order to keep said compressor from surging in certain predetermined operating modes; c. a heat exchanger, having an upstream side thereof connected with an output side of said compressor, for reducing the temperature of said compressed air first and second airflow portions to a second temperature range; and d. an air separator module of the permeable membrane type, utilizing multiple parallel membrane bundles encased within an outer shell portion, having an input port operatively interconnected with a downstream side of said heat exchanger, for receiving and separating said first airflow portion of said second temperature range compressed air into nitrogen enriched air and oxygen enriched air, wherein the improvement comprises: e. the addition of a conduit, also connecting said heat exchanger downstream side with said air separator module outer shell portion, for directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said second temperature compressed air over and around said multiple membrane bundles, thereby utilizing at least some of the heat energy of said second, excess, airflow portion of said second temperature range compressed air for performing at least one of warming up and maintaining a predetermined temperature operating range within said air separator module, before exiting from said shell portion. 9. The improved aircraft on-board inert gas generating system of claim 8, further including a surge valve, operatively interposed in said conduit, for controlling the flow of said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said second temperature compressed air to said air separator module outer shell portion. 10. The improved aircraft on-board inert gas generating system of claim 8, wherein said second, excess, airflow portion is available since the specific flow rate and pressure requirement for said first variable airflow portion for said air separator module fall outside of the performance envelope of a radial flow centrifugal compressor because, for the pressure requirement thereof for said on-board inert gas generating system, the associated specific flow rate demand for separation in said air separator module is outside of the lower boundary of said performance envelope thereof; therefore, a radial flow centrifugal compressor always produces a second, generally excess, airflow, not needed by said air separator module, which is thus utilized in the manner set forth. 11. In an aircraft, an on-board inert gas generating system, including: a. a source of aircraft cabin air; b. a motor-driven radial flow centrifugal compressor, having an input side connected with said source of cabin air, for compressing said cabin air and thereby raising the temperature thereof to a first temperature range, said compressor concomitantly producing a first variable airflow portion while also producing a second, generally excess, airflow portion in order to keep said compressor from surging in certain predetermined operating modes; c. a heat exchanger, having an upstream side thereof connected with an output side of said compressor, for reducing the temperature of said compressed air first airflow portion to a second temperature range; and d. an air separator module of the permeable membrane type, utilizing multiple, parallel, membrane bundles encased in an outer shell portion, having an input port operatively interconnected with a downstream side of said heat exchanger, for receiving and separating said airflow first portion of said second temperature compressed air into nitrogen enriched air and oxygen enriched air, wherein the improvement comprises: e. the addition of a conduit, connecting an upstream side of said heat exchanger with the inlet side of a turbofan turbine, for directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air to said turbine for driving said turbofan for heat exchanger cooling purposes, thereby utilizing at least some of the energy of said second, excess, airflow portion first temperature compressed air; said system further including a surge valve, operatively interposed in said conduit, for controlling the flow of said second, excess airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air to said turbofan turbine. 12. The improved aircraft on-board inert gas generating system of claim 11, further including the addition of a further conduit, connecting the outlet of said turbofan turbine with said air separator module outer shell portion, for further directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air over and around said multiple membrane bundles, thereby utilizing additional energy of said second, excess, airflow portion first temperature compressed air for performing at least one of warming up and maintaining a predetermined temperature operating range within said separator module, before exiting from said shell portion. 13. In an aircraft, an on-board inert gas generating system, including: a. a source of aircraft cabin air; b. a motor-driven radial flow centrifugal compressor, having an input side connected with said source of cabin air, for compressing said cabin air and thereby raising the temperature thereof to a first temperature range, said compressor concomitantly producing a first variable airflow portion while also producing a second, generally excess, airflow portion in order to keep said compressor from surging during certain predetermined operating modes; c. a heat exchanger, having an upstream side thereof connected with an output side of said compressor, for reducing the temperature of said compressed air first airflow portion to a second temperature range; and d. an air separator module of the permeable membrane type, utilizing multiple, parallel membrane bundles encased within an outer shell portion, having an input port operatively interconnected with a downstream side of said heat exchanger, for receiving and separating said airflow first portion of said second range compressed air into nitrogen enriched air and oxygen enriched air, wherein the improvement comprises: e. the addition of a first conduit, connecting an upstream side of said heat exchanger with the inlet side of a turbofan turbine, for directing said second, excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air to said turbine for driving said turbofan for heat exchanger cooling purposes, thereby utilizing at least some of the energy of said second, generally excess, airflow portion first temperature compressed air; and f. the addition of a second conduit, connecting the outlet of said turbofan turbine with said air separator module outer shell portion, for further directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air over and around said multiple membrane bundles, thereby utilizing additional energy of said second, generally excess, airflow portion first temperature compressed air for performing at least one of warming up and maintaining a predetermined temperature operating range within said air separator module, before exiting from said shell portion. 14. The improved aircraft on-board inert gas generating system of claim 13, further including a surge valve, operatively interposed in said first conduit, for controlling the flow of said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air to said turbofan turbine. 15. In an aircraft, an on-board inert gas generating system, including: a. a source of aircraft cabin air; b. a motor-driven radial flow centrifugal compressor, having an input side connected with said source of cabin air, for compressing said cabin air and thereby raising the temperature thereof to a first temperature range, said compressor concomitantly producing a first, variable airflow portion while also producing a second, generally excess, airflow portion in order to keep said compressor from surging in certain predetermined operating modes; c. a heat exchanger, having an upstream side thereof connected with an output side of said compressor for reducing the temperature of at least said compressed air first airflow portion to a second temperature range; and d. an air separator module of the permeable membrane type, utilizing multiple parallel membrane bundles encased within an outer shell portion, having an input port operatively interconnected with the downstream side of said heat exchanger, for receiving and separating said first airflow portion of said second temperature range compressed air into nitrogen enriched air and oxygen enriched air, wherein the improvement comprises: e. the addition of at least one conduit, connecting at least one of the heat exchanger downstream side with said air separator module outer shell portion, for directing said second, generally excess airflow portion of said second temperature compressed air over and around said multiple membrane bundles, and connecting an upstream side of said heat exchanger with the inlet side of a turbofan turbine, for directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air to said turbine for driving said turbofan for heat exchanger cooling purposes, thereby utilizing at least some of the energy of said excess airflow portions for at least one of warming up/maintaining a predetermined temperature operating range within said air separator module and for driving said turbofan; said system further including a surge valve, operatively interposed in one of said at least one conduits for controlling the flow of said excess flow portions. 16. In an aircraft, an on-board inert gas generating system, including: a. a source of aircraft cabin air; and b. a motor-driven radial flow centrifugal compressor, having an input side connected with said source of cabin air, for compressing said cabin air and thereby raising the temperature thereof to a first predetermined temperature range, said compressor producing a first variable airflow portion while concurrently producing a second, generally excess, airflow portion in order to keep said compressor from surging in certain predetermined operating ranges, wherein the improvement comprises: c. the addition of a conduit, connecting an output side of said compressor with the inlet side of a turbofan turbine, for directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said compressed air to said turbine for driving said turbofan for heat exchanger cooling purposes, thereby utilizing at least some of the energy of said second, excess, airflow portion; said system further including: d. a heat exchanger, having an upstream side thereof connected with the output side of said compressor, for reducing the temperature of said compressed air first airflow portion to a second temperature range; and e. an air separator module of the permeable membrane type, utilizing multiple, parallel membrane bundles encased within an outer shell portion, having an input port operatively connected with a downstream side of said heat exchanger, for receiving and separating said airflow first portion of said second range compressed air into nitrogen enriched air and oxygen enriched air, wherein the improvement further comprises: f. the addition of a further conduit, connecting the outlet side of said turbofan turbine with said air separator module outer shell portion, for further directing said second, generally excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air over and around said multiple membrane bundles, thereby utilizing additional energy of said second, generally excess, airflow portion first temperature compressed air for performing at least one of warming up and maintaining a predetermined temperature operating range within said air separator module, before exiting from said shell portion. 17. The improved aircraft on-board inert gas generating system of claim 16, further including a surge valve, operatively interposed in at least one of said conduits, for controlling the flow of said second excess, airflow portion of said first temperature compressed air.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.