Abstract: A system, and associated method, for reducing oxidation of a friction disk may include a braking assembly comprising the friction disk and a coolant loop coupled to the braking assembly, with the coolant loop being configured to circulate liquid coolant from the braking assembly. That is, the coolant loop may be configured to reduce the temperature of the braking assembly, thus reducing the rate/extent of oxidation of the friction disks and potentially enabling the concentration of oxygen around the braking assembly to be reduced.

Abstract: A system for monitoring fuel additives on board a vehicle includes a fuel line carrying fuel from a fuel source to an engine; a fuel additive sensor configured to measure concentration of additives in fuel at a point along the fuel line; a fuel additive dispenser connected in parallel to the fuel line; at least one flow control device for controlling an amount of flow from the fuel line into the fuel additive dispenser; and a controller configured to receive input from the fuel additive sensor and to control the flow control device to adjust the amount of the flow from the fuel line into the fuel additive dispenser.

Abstract: A system, and associated method, for reducing oxidation of a friction disk may include a braking assembly comprising the friction disk and a coolant loop coupled to the braking assembly, with the coolant loop being configured to circulate liquid coolant from the braking assembly. That is, the coolant loop may be configured to reduce the temperature of the braking assembly, thus reducing the rate/extent of oxidation of the friction disks and potentially enabling the concentration of oxygen around the braking assembly to be reduced.

Abstract: A nitrogen generation system includes a heat exchanger for receiving supply air and cooling air and providing temperature conditioned supply air, a flow control valve for controlling a flow of the cooling air through the heat exchanger, and an air separation module for receiving the temperature conditioned supply air and generating nitrogen-enriched air. The nitrogen generation system also includes a sensor for measuring a parameter of the nitrogen-enriched air selected from the group consisting of a temperature, a flow rate, an oxygen concentration, and combinations thereof, and a controller connected to the sensor and the flow control valve for controlling the flow of the cooling air through the heat exchanger based on the parameter of the nitrogen-enriched air measured by the sensor.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for inerting a fuel tank. The system includes a fuel tank and an air separator including a membrane with a permeability differential between oxygen and nitrogen, an air inlet and an inert gas outlet in fluid communication with a first side of the membrane, and a sweep gas inlet and an oxygen-enriched gas outlet in fluid communication with a second side of the membrane. An inert gas flow path is arranged to receive inert gas from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, and to direct inert gas to the fuel tank. A catalytic reactor is arranged to receive a fuel and air, and configured to catalytically react the fuel and oxygen in the air to form an oxygen-depleted gas, and to discharge the oxygen-depleted gas from a reactor outlet. A sweep gas flow path from the reactor outlet to the air separator sweep gas inlet.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for inerting a fuel tank. The system includes a fuel tank and an air separator including an air inlet, a membrane with a permeability differential between oxygen and nitrogen, an oxygen-depleted air outlet, and an oxygen-enriched air outlet. A catalytic reactor is arranged to receive oxygen-depleted air from the oxygen-depleted air outlet and fuel, to react the fuel with oxygen in the oxygen-depleted air, and to discharge an inert gas from a reactor outlet. An inert gas flow path is arranged to receive inert gas from the reactor outlet, or from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, or from the reactor outlet and from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, and to direct inert gas to the fuel tank.

Abstract: An aircraft pressurized air system and method is disclosed. The system includes a compressor that receives and compresses outside air, and an air cycle machine that receives compressed air from the compressor and directs conditioned air to an aircraft pressurized zone. The system also includes a contaminant sensor disposed along an air flow path between the compressor and the aircraft pressurized zone, comprising an optical guide, a metal organic framework on an exterior surface of the optical guide in operative fluid communication with air from the air flow path, a light source in communication with the optical guide at a first end of the optical guide, and a light detector in communication with the optical guide at a second end of the optical guide.

Abstract: A compressor system includes a compressor including a compressor inlet, a compressor outlet, and a bearing assembly, the compressor configured to compress a heat transfer fluid. An additive dispenser is fluidly coupled to the compressor upstream of the bearing assembly. The additive dispenser is configured to controllably release a volume of an additive material into the heat transfer fluid, the additive material configured to lubricate the bearing assembly. A method of lubricating a bearing assembly of compressor includes locating a volume of additive material at an additive dispenser fluidly coupled to a compressor, dispensing a portion of the additive material into the flow of heat transfer fluid at a selected time, flowing the heat transfer fluid containing the additive material to a bearing assembly of the compressor, and lubricating the bearing assembly of the compressor with the additive material.

Abstract: Material is provided for forming a part using a manufacturing system. The material includes a plurality of discrete particles. Each of the particles includes a metal powder core encapsulated by a non-metal coating. At least the cores of the particles are adapted to be solidified together by the manufacturing system to form the part.

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 non-uniform catalyst composition along the reactive flow path.

Abstract: Disclosed is a desorber (20) for an air conditioning system with an integrated microemulsion-based air dehumidification system, the desorber having: a desorbing sheet that is wound to form an exterior end (21), an interior end (22), a top end and bottom end, wherein a collection tube (23) is disposed at the interior end and the desorbing sheet has: a plurality of de-entrainment mesh layers extending between the exterior end and the interior end of the desorbing sheet, and a plurality of substantially air impermeable connector layers extending between the exterior end and the interior end of the desorbing sheet, wherein the connector layers are interlaid with the mesh layers between the top end and the bottom end of the desorbing sheet.

Abstract: Fibre optics for distributed environmental condition and/or air quality sensing such as, but not limited to, sensing air quality in enclosed areas of an aircraft such as the passenger cabin. Fibre optics can be used for sensing and for communication and are therefore well suited to the distributed sensing of environmental conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, gas and particulate composition within spaces of the aircraft e.g. the cabin, cargo space, cockpit, electronics bay etc. and in related systems such as the environmental control system (ECS), the cabin recirculation system, bleed air system etc.

Abstract: A gas distribution plate for a chemical vapor deposition/infiltration system includes a body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The body may be hollow and may define an internal cavity. The gas distribution plate may also include a plurality of pass-through tubes extending through the internal cavity, a cavity inlet, and a plurality of cavity outlets. A reaction gas may be configured to flow through the plurality of pass-through tubes and a gaseous mitigation agent may be configured to flow into the internal cavity via the cavity inlet and out of the internal cavity via the plurality of cavity outlets to mix with reaction gas.

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 pressurized air system and method is disclosed. The system includes a compressor that receives and compresses outside air, and an air cycle machine that receives compressed air from the compressor and directs conditioned air to an aircraft pressurized zone. The system also includes a contaminant sensor disposed along an air flow path between the compressor and the aircraft pressurized zone, comprising an optical guide, a metal organic framework on an exterior surface of the optical guide in operative fluid communication with air from the air flow path, a light source in communication with the optical guide at a first end of the optical guide, and a light detector in communication with the optical guide at a second end of the optical guide.

Abstract: A fuel tank inerting system includes a primary catalytic reactor comprising 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 that are mixed to form a combined flow, and to react the combined flow along the reactive flow path to generate an inert gas. The system also includes an input sensor that measures a property of the combined flow before it enters the primary catalytic reactor and an output sensor that measures the property of the combined flow after it exits the primary catalytic reactor.

Abstract: A manufacturing process is provided in which material is supported within a chamber. This material includes a plurality of discrete metal particles and ceramic disposed between at least some of the metal particles. At least a portion of the material is solidified together using an additive manufacturing system to form an object.

Abstract: A moisture removal system for removing moisture from a gas is disclosed including a water absorption vessel with a microemulsion. The system also includes a gas-liquid phase separator in fluid communication with a water absorption vessel gas outlet, a gas outlet for conditioned air in fluid communication with a conditioned space, and a liquid outlet. An optional heat exchanger heats used microemulsion from the water absorption for water desorption in a water desorption vessel. An optional microemulsion regenerator provides thermal regeneration of microemulsion from the water desorption vessel for returning regenerated microemulsion to the water absorption vessel.

Abstract: A method of treating a powder material includes classifying a powder material within a vessel by using a fluidized bed of the powder material to separate smaller particles of the powder material from larger particles of the powder material, and degassing the separated smaller particles and the larger particles within the vessel by heating and fluidizing the larger particles and the separated smaller particles.

Abstract: A method of making an energy storage article having a metal nitride electrode is disclosed where metal nitride is made by nitriding particles of a metal or oxide of a metal selected from vanadium molybdenum, titanium, niobium, tungsten, or combinations including any of the foregoing by contacting the particles with a gas of nitrogen and hydrogen, or ammonia, in a fluidized bed reactor to form particles of metal nitride for the electrode.