AIRCRAFT INSTALLATION COMPRISING A TANK DEFINING A VOLUME CONTAINING A COMPONENT CONTAINING DIHYDROGEN

Abstract

AIRCRAFT INSTALLATION COMPRISING A TANK DEFINING A VOLUME CONTAINING AN ELEMENT CONTAINING DIHYDROGEN The invention relates to an aircraft installation (100), said installation (100) comprising a tank (102) delimiting a volume (104), a reaction box (107) containing a catalyst (108) intended to catalyze an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air, and comprising an inlet (107a) and an outlet (107b), a discharge pipe (112) fluidly connected between the volume (104) and the inlet (107a) of the reaction box (107), a container (106) in which dihydrogen is present and which is arranged in the volume (104), and a discharge pipe (114) fluidly connected to the outlet of the reaction box (107). With such an arrangement, the dihydrogen is consumed, thus preventing its excessive concentration. Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Aircraft installation comprising a tank delimiting a volume containing a dihydrogen-containing element technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of aircraft in which a circuit of pipes, pumps, tanks, etc., is arranged for dihydrogen. More particularly, the invention relates to an installation comprising a tank that defines a volume in which a dihydrogen-containing element is placed, and where the installation includes means external to the tank that ensure an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air to oxidize dihydrogen. The invention also relates to an aircraft comprising at least one such installation. PREVIOUS STATE OF THE ART

[0002] In a known manner, dihydrogen can constitute an alternative to petroleum in the propulsion of vehicles, particularly aircraft. To this end, an aircraft has a dihydrogen tank which supplies a fuel cell to generate electricity which powers an electric motor, or directly a motor that consumes dihydrogen.

[0003] The aircraft then includes a network of pipes, pumps and other components through which the dihydrogen passes. For safety reasons and to limit the risk of dihydrogen leaks, it is known to use, for example, double-walled pipes.

[0004] Some of these components are contained within tanks that have inlet and outlet ports for dihydrogen. Enclosing these components within a tank provides additional containment of dihydrogen in the event of a leak inside the tank. While such an arrangement provides a sufficient level of safety, it may be useful to implement an alternative arrangement that limits the risk of dihydrogen concentrations in the aircraft and, more specifically, in the tank. Description of the invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an aircraft installation comprising a tank that delimits a volume in which an element containing dihydrogen is disposed, and where the installation includes means external to the reservoir and ensuring an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air to oxidize dihydrogen.

[0006] To this end, an aircraft installation is proposed, said installation comprising:

[0007] - a tank delimiting a volume,

[0008] - a reaction box containing a catalyst intended to catalyze a reaction for the oxidation of dihydrogen with air, and comprising an inlet and an outlet,

[0009] - a fluidly connected drain pipe between the volume and the inlet from the reaction box,

[0010] - a container in which dihydrogen is present and which is arranged in the volume, and

[0011] - a fluidly connected discharge pipe to the outlet of the reaction box.

[0012] With such an arrangement, the dihydrogen is consumed, which avoids its excessive concentration.

[0013] Advantageously, the discharge pipe is equipped with a pump arranged to draw the gas present in the discharge pipe from the volume towards the inlet of the reaction box.

[0014] Advantageously, the installation includes a separation system for separating water and gas, where the separation system includes an inlet fluidically connected to the discharge pipe, a first outlet arranged to evacuate water and a second outlet arranged to evacuate gas.

[0015] According to a particular embodiment, the second output is fluidly connected to the volume.

[0016] According to a particular embodiment, the second outlet is fluidly connected to the environment outside the installation.

[0017] Advantageously, the installation includes an additional tank for containing nitrogen and a fluidly connected supply line between the additional tank and the volume.

[0018] Advantageously, the reaction box includes an additional inlet and the installation includes a fluidically connected oxygenation line between a dioxygen source and the additional inlet of the reaction box.

[0019] Advantageously, the installation includes a control unit, a concentration sensor arranged to measure the concentration of dihydrogen in the discharge pipe and a regulating valve arranged on the oxygenation pipe, where the concentration sensor and the regulating valve are in communication with the control unit, and where the control unit commands the opening of the regulating valve according to the information transmitted by the concentration sensor.

[0020] Advantageously, the installation includes a transfer pipe which passes through the reaction box and which is intended to contain a moving heat transfer fluid.

[0021] The invention also proposes an aircraft comprising at least one installation according to one of the preceding variants. Brief description of the drawings

[0022] The features of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will become clearer upon reading the following description of at least one exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0023] [Fig-1] is a front and cross-sectional view of an aircraft in which an installation according the invention is implemented,

[0024] [Fig.2] is a side view of an installation according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0025] [Fig.3] is a side view of an installation according to a second embodiment of the invention, and

[0026] [Fig.4] is a side view of an installation according to a third embodiment of the invention.

[0027] DETAILED STATEMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS

[0028] Fig. 1 shows an aircraft 10 comprising a fuselage 11, and on either side of the fuselage 11, a wing 12. The aircraft 10 has engines 13 which are supplied with dihydrogen by pipes 14 from a dihydrogen tank which is located for example in the fuselage 11.

[0029] Dihydrogen is used to carry out combustion in the engine 13 or to power a fuel cell located in the vicinity of the engine 13, which is then supplied with electricity from this fuel cell.

[0030] To enable the supply of dihydrogen along the wing 12 and to each of the engines 13, the aircraft 10 generally includes pipes 14, pumps and any other necessary devices. These elements are hereinafter referred to as "containers 106" and dihydrogen is present in each of them.

[0031] The aircraft 10 includes a number of tanks 102 which are distributed in the aircraft 10 and for example on the [Fig.1] in the wing 12. The tank 102 delimits, by its design, a volume 104 in which dihydrogen can accumulate.

[0032] Figure 2 shows an installation 100 according to a first embodiment of Figure 3 shows an installation 100 according to a second embodiment of the invention, and Figure 4 shows an installation 100 according to a third embodiment of the invention. The installation 100 comprises the reservoir 102.

[0033] Although the various embodiments described herein rely on a tank 102 housed in the wing 12, the invention applies equally to any other tank located elsewhere in the aircraft 10. The aircraft 10 may have several installations 100 distributed in different locations.

[0034] The installation 100 also includes at least one container 106 which is arranged in the volume 104, as specified above. The container 106 can be any element or set of elements containing dihydrogen, such as a pump, a heat exchanger, a pipe 14, etc. Here, the pipe 14 enters the volume 104 through a wall of the tank 102.

[0035] The installation 100 includes a reaction box 107 which delimits a closed volume and which has an inlet 107a and an outlet 107b which are at the level of the walls of the reaction box 107 and ensures communication between the inside and outside of the reaction box 107.

[0036] The reaction box 107 contains a catalyst 108 which serves to catalyze an oxidation reaction between dihydrogen and dioxygen, in particular dioxygen from the air.

[0037] The catalyst 108 is for example made up of a support, such as a grid, a plate, etc. covered with a suitable catalytic substance such as alumina and / or cerium oxide and / or a platinum group metal (platinum, palladium, platinum dioxide).

[0038] The installation 100 also includes a drain pipe 112 which is fluidly connected between the volume 104 through an outlet made in a wall of the tank 102 and the inlet 107a of the reaction box 107.

[0039] The installation 100 also includes a discharge pipe 114 which is fluidically connected to the outlet of the reaction box 107.

[0040] Thus, when a leak F of dihydrogen appears at the level of the container 106, the overpressure in the tank 102 causes an evacuation of the gas present, including dihydrogen, in the tank 102 through the evacuation pipe 112. This gas then passes through the reaction box 107 and the dihydrogen reacts with dioxygen to give water which is evacuated through the discharge pipe 114.

[0041] The dihydrogen is then consumed, which prevents its excessive concentration in the reservoir 102.

[0042] The movement of the gas in the discharge pipe 112 can therefore be passive due to the suppression, but preferably it is active. The discharge pipe 112 is then equipped with a pump 116 arranged to move the gas present in the discharge pipe 112 from the volume 104 to the inlet 107a of the reaction box 107.

[0043] To ensure that most of the dihydrogen is evacuated through the evacuation channel 112, preferably, the volume 104 has a high point 104a and the evacuation channel 112 opens into the volume 104 at the high point 104a.

[0044] To treat what comes out of the reaction box 107, the installation 100 includes a separation system 118. The separation system 118 is a water / gas separator which ensures the separation of water in liquid phase and gas, which together constitute the mixture present in the discharge pipe 114.

[0045] The separation system 118 comprises an inlet 118a, a first outlet 118b, and a second outlet 118c. The inlet 118a of the separation system 118 is fluidly connected to the discharge pipe 114, which supplies it with a water / gas mixture. The first outlet 118b discharges the water, and the second outlet 118c discharges the gas. A filter 139 can be installed at the outlet of the second outlet 118c to filter the gas.

[0046] The first outlet 118b is for example fluidly connected to a water recovery tank 119 on board the aircraft 10.

[0047] In the first and second embodiments of the invention, the second outlet 118c is fluidly connected to the volume 104, here, through a recirculation pipe 120a which is fluidly connected at the level of an inlet made in a wall of the tank 102. Here, the filter 139 is installed on the recirculation pipe 120a.

[0048] In the third embodiment of the invention, the second outlet 118c is fluidically connected to the external environment of the installation 100 via an outlet pipe 120b, for example the gas, which is essentially dioxygen (or even dinitrogen as described below) and water vapor, is discharged outside the aircraft 10. Here, the filter 139 is installed on the outlet pipe 120b.

[0049] In the embodiments described above, the reservoir 102 is filled with air and therefore with dioxygen which reacts with dihydrogen when together they arrive in the reaction box 107 through the discharge pipe 112.

[0050] According to a particular embodiment of the second and third embodiments of the invention, the installation 100 comprises an additional tank 202 which contains nitrogen and a supply line 204 which is fluidically connected between the additional tank 202 and the volume 104 through an additional inlet made in a wall of the tank 102.

[0051] Nitrogen then fills the reservoir 102 and the air is then replaced by nitrogen.

[0052] In this case, to carry out the oxidation of dihydrogen in the reaction box 107, the latter includes an additional inlet 107c. The installation 100 further includes an oxygenation line 206 which is fluidly connected between a dioxygen source and the additional inlet 107c of the reaction box 107. Thus, dioxygen is supplied to the reaction box 107 to react with the dihydrogen which arrives in the reaction box 107 via the discharge line 112.

[0053] The oxygen source can be a suitable tank carried on board the aircraft or the ambient air in which the aircraft 10 is operating. Preferably, the oxygen is dry air supplied by an oxygen pump 138 mounted on the oxygenation line 206.

[0054] For the oxidation reaction to be optimal, it is preferable to control the ratio between dihydrogen and oxygen present in the reaction box 107. Thus, the installation 100 includes a control unit 220, a concentration sensor 222 and a regulating valve 224.

[0055] The concentration sensor 222 is arranged on the discharge pipe 112 to measure the concentration of dihydrogen in the gas mixture circulating in the discharge pipe 112 in order to determine the amount of oxygen to be injected into the catalyst 107 through a controlled opening of the regulating valve 224.

[0056] The regulating valve 224 is arranged on the oxygenation pipe 206 and depending on its degree of opening, more or less dioxygen will enter the reaction box 107.

[0057] The concentration sensor 222 and the control valve 224 are in communication with the control unit 220. The control unit 220 receives information from the concentration sensor 222 regarding the dihydrogen concentration measured in the discharge pipe 112, and the control unit 220 commands the opening of the control valve 224. Thus, the control unit 220 commands the opening of the control valve 224 according to the dihydrogen concentration information transmitted by the concentration sensor 222.

[0058] Since the oxidation of dihydrogen releases a large amount of heat, it is advantageous to recover this heat for use elsewhere in the aircraft 10. To this end, in all the embodiments described above, the installation 100 includes a transfer pipe 130 that passes sealed through the reaction box 107, and this transfer pipe 130 contains a moving heat transfer fluid. The reaction box 107 then acts as a heat exchanger between the flow arriving through the discharge pipe 112 and the transfer pipe 130.

[0059] To ensure that in each pipe 112, 120a, 206, 204, the flow occurs only in the intended direction, a non-return valve 134a-d is installed on said pipe.

[0060] It may be necessary to close one or more pipes 112, 120a, 206, 204. For this purpose, each pipe 112, 120a, 206, 204 is equipped with a shut-off valve 136a-d controlled by the control unit 220. On the oxygenation pipe 206, the shut-off valve 136c is the regulating valve 224.

[0061] The control unit 220 constitutes a hardware platform which presents, connected by a communication bus: a processor or CPU (“Central Processing Unit” in English), a RAM (Read-Only Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory) or EEPROM (Electrically-Erasable Programmable ROM) type memory, a storage unit, such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or a storage media reader, such as an SD (Secure Digital) card reader, and an interface manager in connection with the control valve 224 and the concentration sensor 222.

[0062] The processor is capable of executing instructions loaded into RAM from read-only memory, external memory, a storage medium (such as an SD card), or a communication network. When the control unit 220 is powered on, the processor is capable of reading instructions from RAM and executing them. These instructions form a computer program causing the processor to implement all or part of the steps and operations described herein.

[0063] All or part of the steps and operations described herein can thus be implemented in software form by the execution of a set of instructions by a programmable machine, for example a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or a microcontroller, or be implemented in hardware form by a dedicated machine or electronic component (chip) or a dedicated set of electronic components (chipset), for example an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). Generally, the hardware platform comprises electronic circuitry adapted and configured to implement the operations and steps described herein.

Claims

Demands

1. Aircraft (10) installation (100), said installation (100) comprising: - a tank (102) delimiting a volume (104), - a reaction box (107) containing a catalyst (108) intended to catalyze an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air, and comprising an inlet (107a) and an outlet (107b), - a discharge pipe (112) fluidly connected between the volume (104) and the inlet (107a) of the reaction box (107), - a container (106) in which dihydrogen is present and which is arranged in the volume (104), and - a discharge pipe (114) fluidly connected to the outlet of the reaction box (107).

2. Installation (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the discharge pipe (112) is equipped with a pump (116) arranged to drive the gas present in the discharge pipe (112) from the volume (104) to the inlet (107a) of the reaction box (107).

3. Installation (100) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a separation system (118) for separating water and gas, wherein the separation system (118) comprises an inlet (118a) fluidly connected to the discharge pipe (114), a first outlet (118b) arranged to discharge water and a second outlet (118c) arranged to discharge gas.

4. Installation (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second outlet (118c) is fluidly connected to the volume (104).

5. Installation (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second outlet (118c) is fluidly connected to the environment external to the installation (100).

6. Installation (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises an additional tank (202) intended to contain dinitrogen and a supply line (204) fluidly connected between the additional tank (202) and the volume (104).

7. Installation (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the reaction box (107) comprises an additional inlet (107c) and in that the installation (100) comprises an oxygenation line (206) fluidly connected between a source of dioxygen and the additional inlet (107c) of the reaction box (107).

8. Installation (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a control unit (220), a concentration sensor (222) arranged to measure the concentration of dihydrogen in the discharge pipe (112) and a control valve (224) arranged on the oxygenation pipe (206), wherein the concentration sensor (222) and the control valve (224) are in communication with the control unit (220), and wherein the control unit (220) commands the opening of the control valve (224) according to the information transmitted by the concentration sensor (222).

9. Installation (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a transfer pipe (130) which passes through the reaction box (107) and which is intended to contain a moving heat transfer fluid.

10. Aircraft (10) comprising at least one installation (100) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Images