Abstract: An aircraft inert gas generating system includes a fuel source, an air-fuel mixing unit configured to receive an amount of the fuel and an amount of air an create an air-fuel mixture, and a catalytic oxidation unit downstream of the air-fuel mixing unit and configured to receive and react the air-fuel mixture. The system further includes a condenser downstream of and in flow communication with the catalytic oxidation unit and a cabin exhaust circuit in flow communication with the condenser and configured to provide cabin exhaust air at a first temperature to the condenser. In an alternative embodiment, a pressurized air circuit can provide a stream of cooling air to the condenser. The pressurized air circuit includes a source of pressurized air and a chiller downstream of the source and configured to bring the pressurized air to a first temperature.

Abstract: A method for startup of a catalytic oxidation unit includes flowing air from an air source into the catalytic oxidation unit, recycling air from an outlet of the catalytic oxidation unit to an inlet of the catalytic oxidation unit through a recycle duct, and flowing a fuel from a fuel source into the catalytic oxidation to cause a catalytic reaction.

Abstract: An aircraft inert gas generating system includes a fuel source configured to supply fuel, a stream of reaction air having a first temperature, an air-fuel mixing unit configured to receive an amount of the fuel and an amount of the reaction air stream to create an air-fuel mixture, and a catalytic oxidation unit configured to receive and react the air-fuel mixture. The stream of reaction air includes an amount of mixing air from a mixing air source, and the mixing air source includes a primary heat exchanger of an aircraft ram circuit and a cooling air extraction element proximate the heat exchanger. The mixing air can alternatively include cool air from a heat sink air source.

Abstract: A fuel tank inerting system is disclosed. In addition to a fuel tank, the system includes a catalytic reactor with an inlet, an outlet, a reactive flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and a catalyst on the reactive flow path. The catalytic reactor is arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank and air from an air source, and to react the fuel and air along the reactive flow path to generate an inert gas. The system also includes an inert gas flow path from the catalytic reactor to the fuel tank. The system also includes (a) an air distributor in the catalytic reactor arranged to distribute air along the reactive flow path, or (b) non-uniform catalyst loading or non-uniform catalyst composition along the reactive flow path, or both (a) and (b).

Abstract: An environmental control system of an aircraft includes a ram air circuit including a ram air shell having a heat exchanger positioned therein and a dehumidification system arranged in fluid communication with the ram air circuit. A plurality of expansion devices is arranged in fluid communication with the ram air circuit and the dehumidification system. At least one of the expansion devices is a simple cycle expansion device.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting and fire suppression systems and methods for an aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and a fire suppression inert gas supply system arranged to direct the inert gas to a fire suppression system, wherein the fire suppression inert gas supply system includes a fire suppression inert gas supply controller to control a flow of inert gas to the fuel tank and the fire suppression system.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and a heating duct connected to the second reactant source, wherein a thermal energy of the second reactant is employed to heat the first reactant source.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for an aircraft. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and a heating duct thermally connected to the catalytic reactor and arranged in thermal communication with the first source to provide heat to the first source to generate the first reactant.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank and arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first and second reactants from the first and second sources, respectively, to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, a heat exchanger arranged between the catalytic reactor and the fuel tank and downstream of the catalytic reactor, the heat exchanger arranged to at least one of condense and cool an output from the catalytic reactor to separate out an inert gas and a byproduct, and a cool air source arranged to supply cool air to the heat exchanger and then the catalytic reactor to provide thermal control of the catalytic reactor.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and an inert gas recycling system located downstream of the catalytic reactor and upstream of the fuel tank, wherein the inert gas recycling system is arranged to direct a portion of the inert gas to the catalytic reactor.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and a back pressure flow restrictor positioned within or along a fuel tank supply line and downstream of the catalytic reactor, the back pressure flow restrictor arranged to maintain high-pressure operation of the catalytic reactor.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, wherein the second reactant source is a source of ambient air, and a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and wherein the first reactant is directly injected from the first reactant source without the use of a heater.

Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems and methods for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a first reactant source fluidly connected to the fuel tank, the first source arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank, a second reactant source, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from the first source and a second reactant from the second source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill a ullage space of the fuel tank, and a cool air source arranged to supply cool air to the catalytic reactor to provide thermal control of a reaction within the catalytic reactor, wherein the cool air is discharged from at least one of a cabin of the aircraft and an environmental control system of the aircraft.

Abstract: Aircraft fuel tank inerting systems and methods are provided. The aircraft fuel tank inerting systems include a fuel tank having fuel therein, an evaporator container fluidly connected to the fuel tank and arranged to receive inerting fuel from the fuel tank, the evaporator container evaporating the inerting fuel to generate a first reactant, a second reactant source arranged to supply a second reactant, and a catalyst fluidly connected to the evaporator container and arranged to receive the first reactant and the second reactant, wherein the catalyst includes a catalyst material to induce a chemical reaction between the first reactant and the second reactant to generate an inert gas, wherein the inert gas is supplied into an ullage of the fuel tank.

Abstract: A fuel tank inerting system is provided including an air flow comprising air from a first source having a first temperature and air from a second source having a second temperature. The second temperature is cooler than the first temperature. At least one separating module is configured to separate an inert gas from the air flow.

Abstract: A system and method that comprises an air cycle machine, a flow of bleed air, at least one heat exchanger, and an inlet configured to supply the flow of the bleed air is provided. The bleed air directly flows from a source to mix with recirculated air downstream of a compressor of the air cycle machine in accordance with a high pressure mode or a recirculation chilling mode. The system and method can also utilize the recirculated air flowing from the chamber to drive or maintain the air cycle machine in accordance with the above modes.

Abstract: Aircraft air separation systems having a compressed air source arranged to supply compressed air, an air separation module arranged to receive air from the compressed air source, the air separation module arranged to separate air into nitrogen enriched air and oxygen enriched air, wherein the nitrogen enriched air is supplied to a fuel tank of the aircraft, and a source of mixing air arranged to fluidly supply the mixing air at a location between the compressed air source and the air separation module such that the mixing air is selectively mixed with the compressed air to generate treated air that is supplied to the air separation module.

Abstract: A system and method that comprises an air cycle machine, a flow of bleed air, at least one heat exchanger, and an inlet configured to supply the flow of the bleed air is provided. The bleed air directly flows from a source to either a compressor of the air cycle machine or the at least one heat exchanger in accordance with a high pressure, low pressure, or pressure boost operation mode. The system and method also can also utilize recirculated air flowing from the chamber to drive or maintain the air cycle machine in accordance with the above modes.

Abstract: A system and method that comprises an air cycle machine, a flow of bleed air, at least one heat exchanger, and an inlet configured to supply the flow of the bleed air is provided. The bleed air directly flows from a source to mix with recirculated air downstream of a compressor of the air cycle machine in accordance with a high pressure mode or a recirculation chilling mode. The system and method can also utilize the recirculated air flowing from the chamber to drive or maintain the air cycle machine in accordance with the above modes.