Aircraft nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64D-033/00
B64D-013/02
B64D-037/32
B01D-053/00
출원번호
US-0866619
(2015-09-25)
등록번호
US-10040567
(2018-08-07)
발명자
/ 주소
Loftis, Richard J.
Armatorio, Andrew L.
Hart, Colin W.
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소
Miller, Matthias & Hull LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
2
초록▼
Systems and methods provide for a nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system. According to one aspect, the system includes an NGS and an oxygen distribution processor coupled to the NGS. The NGS creates nitrogen enriched air as the primary product for fuel tank use, and oxygen enriched air a
Systems and methods provide for a nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system. According to one aspect, the system includes an NGS and an oxygen distribution processor coupled to the NGS. The NGS creates nitrogen enriched air as the primary product for fuel tank use, and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product. The oxygen distribution processor is operative to determine a number of flight parameters, and from those parameters, provide an oxygen distribution command to an oxygen distribution valve in order to prevent the oxygen enriched air from being distributed, to route the oxygen enriched air to the ambient environment, or to route the oxygen enriched air to an aircraft engine to increase combustion efficiency.
대표청구항▼
1. A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system, comprising: a nitrogen generation system (NGS) operative to create nitrogen enriched air as a primary product and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product, androute the nitrogen enriched air to a fuel tank of an aircraft;an oxygen distributi
1. A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system, comprising: a nitrogen generation system (NGS) operative to create nitrogen enriched air as a primary product and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product, androute the nitrogen enriched air to a fuel tank of an aircraft;an oxygen distribution valve communicatively coupled to the NGS to receive the oxygen enriched air therefrom and selectively positionable to prevent any distribution of the oxygen enriched air from the NGS, to direct the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft, or to direct the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an engine of the aircraft; andan oxygen distribution processor communicatively coupled to the NGS and to the oxygen distribution valve, and operative to determine a plurality of flight parameters;determine from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration, a second oxygen distribution configuration, and a third oxygen distribution configuration;in response to determining the selection of the first oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the ambient environment surrounding the aircraft;in response to determining the selection of the second oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft; andin response to determining the selection of the third oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to close the oxygen distribution valve to prevent distribution of the oxygen enriched air to either the ambient environment or the engine of the aircraft. 2. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of flight parameters comprises determining a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight. 3. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 2, wherein determining the plurality of flight parameters comprises determining at least a current altitude, an ambient air pressure, and an ambient air temperature. 4. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 2, wherein the first oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to the fuel tank of the aircraft. 5. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 4, wherein the phase of flight comprises a descent phase or climb phase of flight. 6. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 4, wherein routing the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the ambient environment surrounding the aircraft comprises positioning the oxygen distribution valve to prevent the oxygen enriched air from entering the engine of the aircraft and allow the oxygen enriched air to flow to the ambient environment. 7. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 2, wherein the second oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to the fuel tank of the aircraft. 8. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 7, wherein the phase of flight comprises a cruise phase of flight. 9. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 7, wherein routing the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft comprises positioning the oxygen distribution valve to allow the oxygen enriched air to enter the engine of the aircraft and prevent the oxygen enriched air to flow to the ambient environment. 10. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 9, wherein the oxygen enriched air is provided directly to a compressor of the engine. 11. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 9, wherein the oxygen enriched air is provided directly to a combustion chamber of the engine. 12. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system of claim 1, wherein the oxygen distribution processor is further operative to: in response to determining the selection of the third oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to close output paths between the NGS and the ambient environment and between the NGS and the engine. 13. A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system, comprising: a nitrogen generation system (NGS) operative to create nitrogen enriched air as a primary product and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product, and to route the nitrogen enriched air to a fuel tank of an aircraft;an oxygen distribution valve communicatively coupled to the NGS to receive the oxygen enriched air therefrom and selectively positionable to prevent any distribution of the oxygen enriched air from the NGS, to direct the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft, or to direct the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an engine of the aircraft;an oxygen distribution processor communicatively coupled to the NGS and the oxygen distribution valve;a memory communicatively coupled to the oxygen distribution processor; andan oxygen distribution application (i) which executes in the oxygen distribution processor and (ii) which, when executed by the oxygen distribution processor, causes the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine a plurality of flight parameters;determine from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration, a second oxygen distribution configuration, and a third oxygen distribution configuration;in response to determining the selection of the first oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals from the oxygen distribution processor to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the ambient environment surrounding the aircraft;in response to determining the selection of the second oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals from the oxygen distribution processor to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft, andin response to determining the selection of the third oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals from the oxygen distribution processor to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to close the oxygen distribution valve to prevent distribution of the oxygen enriched air to either the ambient environment or the engine of the aircraft. 14. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 13, wherein causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine the plurality of flight parameters comprises causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight. 15. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 14, wherein the first oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft. 16. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 14, wherein the second oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft. 17. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 16, wherein causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft comprises causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to a compressor of the engine. 18. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 16, wherein causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to the engine of the aircraft comprises causing the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to a combustion chamber of the engine. 19. The nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system of claim 13, wherein the oxygen distribution application further causes the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to: in response to determining the selection of the third oxygen distribution configuration, transmitting signals from the oxygen distribution processor to the oxygen distribution valve to cause the oxygen distribution valve to close output paths between the NGS and the ambient environment and between the NGS and the engine. 20. A computer-implemented method for distributing oxygen enriched air generated as a secondary product by a nitrogen generation system (NGS) of an aircraft, the computer-implemented method comprising: determining a plurality of flight parameters;determining from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration, a second oxygen distribution configuration, and a third oxygen distribution configuration;in response to determining the selection of the first oxygen distribution configuration, causing an oxygen distribution valve to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft;in response to determining the selection of the second oxygen distribution configuration, causing the oxygen distribution valve to route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an engine of the aircraft, andin response to determining the selection of the third oxygen distribution configuration, closing the oxygen distribution valve to prevent distribution of the oxygen enriched air to either the ambient environment or the engine of the aircraft. 21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein determining the plurality of flight parameters comprises determining a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight. 22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the first oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft. 23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the second oxygen distribution configuration comprises a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft. 24. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, the method further comprising: in response to selecting the third oxygen distribution configuration, causing the oxygen distribution valve to close output paths between the NGS and the ambient environment and between the NGS and the engine. 25. A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system, comprising: a nitrogen generation system (NGS) operative to create nitrogen enriched air as a primary product and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product, androute the nitrogen enriched air to a fuel tank of an aircraft; andan oxygen distribution processor communicatively coupled to the NGS and operative to determine a plurality of flight parameters comprising determining a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight;determine from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration and a second oxygen distribution configuration, the second oxygen distribution configuration comprising a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to the fuel tank of the aircraft;in response to selecting the first oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft; andin response to selecting the second oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to a compressor of an engine of the aircraft, and position a shut-off valve to allow the oxygen enriched air to enter the compressor of the engine of the aircraft and prevent the oxygen enriched air to flow to the ambient environment. 26. A nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system, comprising: an oxygen distribution processor communicatively coupled to a nitrogen generation system (NGS) of an aircraft;a memory communicatively coupled to the oxygen distribution processor; andan oxygen distribution application (i) which executes in the oxygen distribution processor and (ii) which, when executed by the oxygen distribution processor, causes the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine a plurality of flight parameters comprising cause the nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution computer system to determine a plurality of real-time aircraft or environmental characteristics measured during a phase of flight;determine from the plurality of flight parameters, a selection of an oxygen distribution configuration associated with the NGS, the oxygen distribution configuration comprising a first oxygen distribution configuration and a second oxygen distribution configuration, the second oxygen distribution configuration comprising a configuration in which less than a maximum quantity of nitrogen enriched air is provided to a fuel tank of the aircraft;in response to selecting the first oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to an ambient environment surrounding the aircraft; andin response to selecting the second oxygen distribution configuration, route the oxygen enriched air from the NGS to a compressor of an engine of the aircraft.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Snow, Jr., Donald Ray; Smith, David Michael, Fuel saving inert gas generation system.
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