Air Separation Module Wear Leveling in Fuel Inerting Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inerting fuel systems in airplanes face inefficiencies in utilizing air separation modules, leading to uneven wear and increased maintenance costs due to inconsistent usage of air separation modules during flight operations.
Innovation Solution
An inerting fuel system with a controller that implements wear leveling algorithms to distribute air flow equally among multiple air separation modules, ensuring each module receives a substantially similar level of wear, thereby extending operational time and reducing maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air separation modules are used continuously without rotation, then nitrogen enriched air production is maintained, but wear becomes uneven and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically rotates which air separation modules are active based on their wear levels. The controller monitors wear for each module and selectively opens valves to direct air flow to modules with lower wear, creating a dynamic load distribution that prevents any single module from becoming excessively worn while maintaining continuous nitrogen enriched air production.
2Productivity
If multiple air separation modules are used, then system capacity increases, but wear distribution becomes uneven leading to higher maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by treating each air separation module individually based on its specific wear condition. The controller monitors wear levels for each module separately and selectively activates specific modules based on their individual wear states, ensuring that modules with lower wear are utilized more heavily while protecting modules with higher wear, thereby optimizing overall system productivity while minimizing maintenance costs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves uniform wear across air separation modules, allowing for simultaneous replacement and reducing maintenance costs while maintaining system efficiency and operational time.
Implementation Method 1
air separation modules configured to separate oxygen from the inlet air when received
Data Source
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AI summary
Inerting fuel systems and methods for inerting fuel tanks are disclosed. An inerting fuel system (100) may include an air inlet passage (111) to receive inlet air, air separation modules (160) to separate oxygen from the inlet air when received, and air separation module valves (150) coupled between the air inlet passage and the air separation modules. The air separation module valves are associated with the air separation modules such that opening of one of the air separation module valves passes a portion of inlet air from the air inlet passage to the air separation module associated with that air separation module valve. A controller (190) selectively opens the air separation module valves such that each of the air separation modules receives a substantially equal level of wear.