Aircraft Tank Outlet Catalyst for Hydrogen Leak Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft systems using hydrogen for propulsion face challenges in minimizing the risk of hydrogen concentration and leaks, particularly within tanks, despite the use of double-walled pipes and containment measures.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft installation is designed with a tank that includes a catalyst material for oxidizing hydrogen with ambient air, featuring inlet and discharge channels with integrated catalysts to consume hydrogen and maintain safe hydrogen concentrations, supplemented by temperature sensors for leak detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydrogen is stored in tanks with containment measures, then hydrogen containment is improved, but hydrogen concentration risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful accumulation of hydrogen into a beneficial process by introducing a catalyst that promotes hydrogen oxidation. The catalyst transforms the potentially dangerous hydrogen gas into water through chemical reaction, thereby eliminating the harmful concentration risk while maintaining containment structure integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst acts as an intermediary substance between hydrogen and air/oxygen. It facilitates the oxidation reaction by providing a surface for the chemical reaction to occur, enabling hydrogen to react with ambient air without requiring direct contact or additional oxygen supply, thus mediating the safety hazard.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If catalyst is added to oxidize hydrogen, then hydrogen concentration is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire tank complex, the catalyst is applied locally at specific positions where hydrogen accumulation is most likely to occur. The catalyst can be positioned in channels, at tank walls, or in specific zones, providing targeted hydrogen oxidation only where needed, thus minimizing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst system is designed to be self-regulating and automatically activates when hydrogen is present. The oxidation reaction occurs continuously as hydrogen diffuses to the catalyst, eliminating the need for external control systems, sensors, or additional mechanical components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining effective hydrogen consumption.
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 effectively reduces hydrogen concentration by catalyzing its oxidation, ensuring safety by consuming excess hydrogen and providing real-time leak detection through temperature monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
a catalyst intended to catalyze an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air from the tank
Implementation Method 2
an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air from the tank, where the catalyst is fixed at the level of the discharge channel
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature of said catalyst
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to an aircraft installation (100), said installation (100) comprising a tank (102) defining a volume (104) with a high point (104a), through a wall of the tank (102), an outlet channel (112) arranged near the high point (104a), a container (106) in which dihydrogen is present and which is arranged within the volume (104), and a catalyst (108) for catalyzing an oxidation reaction of dihydrogen with air from the tank (102), the catalyst (108) being fixed at the level of the outlet channel (112). With such an arrangement, the dihydrogen is consumed, thus preventing its excessive concentration.