Fuel Oxygen Reduction Unit for Aircraft Gas Turbine Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft gas turbine engines face inefficiencies due to fuel coking issues caused by high heat, which can be mitigated by reducing oxygen content in fuel, but existing fuel oxygen reduction systems are not optimized for maximum efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fuel oxygen reduction unit is designed with a stripping gas flowpath and liquid fuel flowpath, utilizing a contactor and separator or membrane-based system to transfer oxygen from liquid fuel to gas, and an oxygen conversion unit to extract oxygen for external use, reducing fuel oxygen content and generating usable oxygen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If fuel is heated to high temperatures to improve combustion efficiency, then energy efficiency is improved, but fuel coking occurs causing system reliability deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing oxygen from fuel before combustion occurs. The fuel oxygen reduction unit extracts oxygen from the liquid fuel in advance, preventing coking from occurring during high-temperature combustion. This proactive approach allows the fuel to withstand high combustion temperatures without degrading into carbon deposits that would harm system reliability.
2Reliability
If oxygen is removed from fuel to prevent coking, then fuel system reliability is improved, but additional equipment complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel oxygen reduction unit serves multiple functions: it removes oxygen from fuel to prevent coking, and simultaneously generates a concentrated oxygen stream that can be utilized by other aircraft systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate oxygen generation equipment, thereby offsetting the added complexity with operational benefits and potential weight savings from eliminated redundant systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the fuel itself as the source material for oxygen extraction. By processing the fuel that is already present in the aircraft, the system eliminates the need for external oxygen tanks or separate oxygen generation equipment. The fuel serves dual purposes: as combustion material and as the source of extractable oxygen, making the system self-sufficient.
3Reliability
If traditional oxygen tanks are used to provide oxygen for aircraft systems, then oxygen supply reliability is improved, but aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft's existing fuel supply serves dual purposes: providing combustion material for the engines and serving as the source material for generating oxygen for aircraft systems. This eliminates the need for separate oxygen tanks, directly reducing aircraft weight while maintaining oxygen supply reliability through the fuel oxygen reduction unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the oxygen that is naturally present in fuel, the system recovers and concentrates it for useful purposes. The fuel oxygen reduction unit extracts oxygen from the fuel, concentrating it into a usable form that can supply aircraft systems, thereby converting what would be a waste product into a valuable resource and eliminating the need for heavy oxygen storage tanks.
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
This configuration allows for higher temperature fuel operation with reduced coking risk, eliminating the need for heavy oxygen tanks and providing a usable oxygen supply for aircraft systems.
Implementation Method 1
a means for transferring an amount of oxygen from a liquid fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath
Implementation Method 2
membrane-based system to transfer oxygen from liquid fuel to gas
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel oxygen reduction unit assembly for a fuel system is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit assembly includes: a fuel oxygen reduction unit located downstream from the fuel source and defining a stripping gas flowpath and a liquid fuel flowpath, the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprising a means for transferring an amount of oxygen from a liquid fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath; and an oxygen conversion unit in flow communication with the stripping gas flowpath configured to extract a flow of oxygen from a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath, the oxygen conversion unit defining an oxygen outlet configured to provide the extracted flow of oxygen to an external system.