803results about "Fuel tank safety measures" patented technology

An onboard inert gas generation system includes an evaporator comprising a vessel that receives a hydrocarbon fuel from a fuel tank, separates vapor fuel components from liquid fuel components, establishes a nearly constant fuel vapor composition, and outputs the fuel vapor to be mixed with air prior to combusting the fuel vapor and air mixture in a catalytic reactor. Water is separated from the inert gas produced and the inert gas is introduced into the ullage space of the fuel tank to prevent or reduce possible hazardous conditions in the fuel tank.

An inert gas generating system for generating inert gas on a vehicle having a fuel tank and a fuel tank vent. The system includes an inlet for receiving a flow of gas having a nitrogen component and an oxygen component from a gas source, a heat exchanger downstream from the inlet and in fluid communication with the inlet for cooling gas received from the inlet, and a gas separation module downstream from the heat exchanger and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger for separating gas received from the heat exchanger into a nitrogen-enriched gas flow and an oxygen-enriched gas flow. The gas separation module is adapted to deliver nitrogen-enriched gas from the nitrogen-enriched gas flow to the fuel tank without delivering the nitrogen-enriched gas through the fuel tank vent. The gas separation module is also adapted to deliver nitrogen-enriched gas from the nitrogen-enriched gas flow to the fuel tank vent.

The cut laminate edges of aircraft fuel tanks formed of carbon fiber reinforced polymers are sealed to prevent the exposure of carbon fibers to combustible fuel. The edge seal is produced from a prepreg form using a thermosetting resin matched to the characteristics of the resin used in the laminate. The prepreg form can be applied to the cut laminate edges either before or after the laminate is cured. The edge seal acts a dielectric layer that both electrically insulates the cut laminate edges from the fuel and mechanically contains energetic particles produced at the edges due to lighting strikes or other sources of electrical charges.

A gas generating system comprises an air separation module (ASM) in fluid communication with a nitrogen enriched air (NEA) line and an oxygen enriched air (OEA) line. A valve is positioned in the OEA line and an oxygen sensor is positioned in the NEA line. The valve can be modulated in response to the oxygen sensor to create a backpressure forcing more airflow into the NEA line. The OEA line can be backpressured until a predetermined NEA oxygen concentration is reached.

A gas generation method and apparatus, capable of use in an aircraft, generates oxygen with at least one On Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) and generates an inert gas with at least one On Board Inert Gas Generating System (OBIGGS) and selectively supplies an auxiliary supply of inert gas utilizing a waste gas output of the at least one OBOGS. The inert gas can include nitrogen. An auxiliary source of oxygen can also be provided. Control valves can be used to selectively supply the waste gas output of the at least one OBOGS to the atmosphere or to either of two locations. The oxygen can be used in a passenger compartment of the aircraft and the inert gas used in either a fuel tank or cargo bay of the aircraft.

An inerting system provides air with reduced oxygen content by flowing and directing air through an air separation module. Optimal working pressure for the air separation module is obtained with two compressors. A first compressor elevates air from the aircraft cabin to a second pressure. The second pressure is at an intermediate level below the working pressure of the air separation module. A second compressor elevates air from the second pressure to the working pressure. The second compressor is driven by air that is exhausted through a turbine. The pressure difference between air at the working pressure and air required by the fuel distribution system is used to power the turbine and drive the second compressor.

An on-board inert gas generating system includes a flow control valve modulated according to changes in ambient conditions to minimize changes to oxygen content within a fuel tank. The quality of the nitrogen-enriched air stream that is provided by the air separation module varies in response to flow. Higher flow rates through the air separation module removes less oxygen relative to lower flow rates. The amount of flow through the air separation module that produces the least amount of oxygen within the fuel tank is determined for an ambient pressure and provided by modulating the flow control valve.

An inerting system (10) for an aircraft (12) includes one or more fuel tank circuits (15) associated with fuel tanks (16). An air source (17) supplies pressurized air. A heat exchanger (56) cools the pressurized air. An air separation module (46) is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger (56) and separates inerting gas from the pressurized air. A controller (40) controls flow of the inerting gas from the air separation module (46) to the fuel tanks (16).

The inert gas generating system includes a compressed air source, a cooling air source, and a separation module. The separation module includes first and second inlets and outlets. The first inlet is coupled to the compressed air source. The first outlet is coupled to the first inlet via a bundle of hollow fiber membranes. The second inlet is coupled to the cooling air source, and the second outlet is coupled to the second inlet via a space surrounding the bundle of hollow fiber membranes.

A sensor and system using the sensor for detecting an analyte, where the sensor includes an amorphous fluorinated polymer and a luminescent metal-ligand complex is provided. Sensor systems for monitoring oxygen in environments containing volatile organic solvents are also provided.

An aircraft cabin air treatment system configured in accordance with the invention utilizes oxygen enriched air, which is produced as a byproduct of an onboard inert gas generation system. The oxygen enriched air is released into an environment under ambient pressure conditions, i.e., at a relatively low absolute pressure compared to the cabin pressure. The low pressure oxygen enriched air is compressed with a cabin air compressor, and the outside air is routed back into the cabin. The cabin air compressor functions to generate oxygen enriched outside air and to maintain the desired pressurization of the cabin.

An aircraft fuel system architecture which reduces the fleet-wide flammability exposure of the fuel tanks. In one embodiment, the aircraft center fuel tank fuel is cooled at certain times in a flight to reduce its flammability exposure to be similar to that of an unheated conventional metal wing fuel tank. Aircraft fuel tanks that have adjacent heat sources are also insulated to minimize heat flow into the fuel. Fuel tanks that have lower cooling properties, such as composite wing tanks are cooled at certain times during flight such that their temperatures are reduced to be similar to metal wing tanks when the fuel is flammable. A fuel tank that is pressurized relative to outside pressure at altitude having a lower flammability exposure than unpressurized tanks is combined with the cooling of fuel in the tank to reduce the fleet-wide flammability exposure of the fuel tank to be similar to that of an unpressurized metal wing tank. Fuel is cooled by recirculating flow from a tank, passing through a heat exchanger and returning to the tank to be cooled. The heat exchanger is optionally cooled by flow of air from the outside of the aircraft, or by conditioned air from the aircraft environmental control system. The system is controlled by start and stop of fuel flow to the various tanks by means of a system controller. The controller uses sensors in the fuel tanks to command flow only when required to reduce the flammability exposure of the fuel tanks.

A method and apparatus for lighting protection. In one advantageous embodiment a method forms a lighting protection system on a composite surface of an aircraft. A dielectric coating is formed on the composite surface in which the dielectric coating covers a metal feature exposed on the composite surface. A metal adhesion promoter is applied in a pattern on the dielectric coating and over additional areas of the composite surface, including a grounding feature to form a metal adhesion promoter layer. A metal coating is formed on the metal adhesion promoter layer to create a path from an area including the metal feature to the grounding feature.

A method and apparatus for controlling inert gas generation. An apparatus comprises an air separation module and an air flow control system. The air separation module is configured to separate an inert gas from air input into the air separation module. The air flow control system is configured to control the flow of the air into the air separation module.

An air separation system and method wherein the outlet of a primary air separation module (one or more modules or bundles of fiber membranes) is split into two flow paths, a low flow path and a high flow path. The outlet of a secondary air separation module (one or more modules or bundles of fiber membranes) is split into two flow paths, a mid flow path and a high flow path, the latter being joined with the high flow of the primary air separation module. Flow along the primary low flow passes through a low-flow orifice, flow along the secondary mid-flow path passes through a mid-flow orifice, and flow along the high flow paths of both the primary and secondary air separation modules is joined together for passage through a shutoff valve and a high flow orifice. This configuration allows for three different flow modes of operation.

A system and process is provided to deplete or remove oxygen in the ullage of a fuel tank to reduce the oxygen/fuel vapor ratio below a lower explosion limit by exposing the ullage compounds to an oxygen removal catalyst active at a relatively low temperature. The oxygen removal catalyst may be a non-precious metal catalyst. A selective reaction of the oxygen by the catalyst forms primarily alcohols, aldehydes, and/or ketones and produces less than about 5% water by volume. The selective reaction, occurring at the relatively low temperature, reduces the risk of flammability of the fuel.

A system for detecting and suppressing a fire condition in a storage unit. The system comprises a transmitter associated with the storage unit and configured to transmit a first signal upon detection of the fire condition, at least one receiver configured to detect the first signal and configured to provide a second signal indicating detection of the fire condition, and a fire suppression device configured to discharge a fire suppressant material into the storage unit upon detection of the fire condition. There may also be a plurality of storage units, a plurality of transmitters, and a plurality of receivers. An individual transmitter and an individual receiver may be associated with each of the plurality of storage units. Each of the storage units may be located at a predetermined position relative to the individual receiver associated with the storage unit. The second signal from a receiver may be provided to a control panel that in response to the second signal identifies the storage unit experiencing the fire condition. The present invention is also directed at a fire suppression and indication system for use in an aircraft. The aircraft includes a cockpit, a control panel in the cockpit, and a storage area. The system includes a plurality of storage units located at predetermined positions in the storage area. a transmitter associated with each storage unit and configured to transmit a first signal upon detection of the fire condition, at least one receiver configured to detect the first signal and configured to provide a second signal indication detection of the fire condition, and a fire suppression device configured to discharge a fire suppressant material into the storage unit upon detection of the fire condition.