Fuel Oxygen Reduction Unit for Deoxygenation and Coking Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heating fuel without proper conditioning can cause it to coke, forming solid particles that clog fuel system components, and existing systems do not effectively reduce fuel oxygen content to prevent this during prescribed operating conditions.
Innovation Solution
A fuel oxygen reduction unit that includes a contactor, separator, and a stripping gas source to deoxygenate fuel by mixing it with inert gas, separating the mixture, and venting the gas, operated at prescribed conditions like weight on wheels or engine speed to prevent coking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If fuel is heated without proper conditioning, then heat absorption efficiency is improved, but fuel system reliability deteriorates due to coking
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel oxygen reduction unit performs preliminary deoxygenation of fuel before the fuel is heated in the combustion section. By removing oxygen ahead of time through contact with stripping gas, the fuel is conditioned to prevent coking during subsequent heating operations, thus maintaining reliability while enabling efficient heat absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an inert stripping gas (such as nitrogen) into contact with the fuel to create an inert environment that removes oxygen from the fuel. This inert atmosphere prevents oxidative reactions that lead to coking, allowing the fuel to be heated without degrading into solid particles that would clog the fuel system.
2Reliability
If oxygen content in fuel is reduced, then coking prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary stripping gas (inert gas) to remove oxygen from the fuel indirectly. Rather than attempting to remove oxygen directly from the fuel through complex chemical processes, the inert gas acts as a mediator that absorbs oxygen through dissolution and diffusion, simplifying the overall deoxygenation process while effectively preventing coking.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel oxygen reduction unit utilizes pneumatic principles by introducing a gas phase (stripping gas) into contact with the liquid fuel phase. Through gas-liquid contact in a contactor device, oxygen is transferred from the fuel to the stripping gas stream, providing a relatively simple mechanical means to reduce fuel oxygen content without requiring complex chemical treatment systems.
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 unit effectively reduces fuel oxygen content to prevent coking, ensuring safe engine shutdown by minimizing the risk of fuel degradation due to heat soak-back.
Implementation Method 1
a contactor selectively in fluid communication with the stripping gas source, the inlet fuel line, or both to form a fuel/gas mixture
Implementation Method 2
a separator that receives the fuel/gas mixture, the separator configured to separate the fuel/gas mixture into an outlet stripping gas flow and an outlet fuel flow
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel oxygen reduction unit for an engine is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes an inlet fuel line; a stripping gas source; a contactor selectively in fluid communication with the stripping gas source, the inlet fuel line, or both to form a fuel/gas mixture; and a separator that receives the fuel/gas mixture, the separator configured to separate the fuel/gas mixture into an outlet stripping gas flow and an outlet fuel flow; wherein a flow of stripping gas passes through the fuel oxygen reduction unit a single time.