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: A selectively permeable membrane device for separating a first fluid from a second fluid in a flow can include a membrane conduit configured to receive the flow and to allow permeation of the first fluid therethrough, and configured to not allow permeation of the second fluid. The device can include a residence time enhancing structure disposed within the membrane conduit and configured to increase residence time of the flow within the membrane conduit.

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: Disclosed is a refrigeration system including a heat transfer fluid circulation loop configured to allow a refrigerant to circulate therethrough, a purge outlet from the heat transfer fluid circulation loop, and at least one gas permeable membrane having a first side in communication with the purge outlet. The membrane includes a porous inorganic material with pores of a size to allow passage of contaminants through the membrane and restrict passage of the refrigerant through the membrane. A retentate return flow path connects the first side of the membrane to the heat transfer fluid circulation loop.

Abstract: A process for densifying an annular porous structure comprising flowing a reactant gas into an inner diameter (ID) volume and through an ID surface of the annular porous structure, flowing the reactant gas through an outer diameter (OD) surface of the annular porous structure and into an OD volume, flowing the reactant gas from the OD volume through the OD surface of the annular porous structure, and flowing the reactant gas through an ID surface of the annular porous structure and into the ID volume.

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: Fuel tank inerting systems are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, an air source arranged to supply air into a reactive flow path, a catalytic reactor having a plurality of sub-reactors along the flow path, and a heat exchanger. The sub-reactors are arranged relative to the heat exchanger such that the flow path passes through at least a portion of the heat exchanger between two sub-reactors along the flow path. At least one fuel injector is arranged relative to at least one sub-reactor. The fuel injector is configured to inject fuel into the flow path at at least one of upstream of and in the respective at least one sub-reactor to generate a fuel-air mixture. A fuel tank ullage supply line fluidly connects the flow path to the fuel tank to supply an inert gas to a ullage of the fuel tank.

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: An internal recycle reactor for catalytic inerting has a monolithic body having a motive fluid duct, a suction chamber, a mixing region, a reactor section, an outlet, and a recycle passage. The suction chamber includes a suction chamber inlet. The mixing region is configured to receive gaseous fluids from the motive fluid duct and the suction chamber inlet to produce a gaseous mixture. The reactor section includes a catalyst and is configured to receive the gaseous mixture from the mixing region. The outlet is configured to deliver an exhaust gas from the reactor section and the recycle passage is configured to deliver a portion of the exhaust gas to the suction chamber inlet.

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 process for densifying an annular porous structure comprising flowing a reactant gas into an inner diameter (ID) volume and through an ID surface of the annular porous structure, flowing the reactant gas through an outer diameter (OD) surface of the annular porous structure and into an OD volume, flowing the reactant gas from the OD volume through the OD surface of the annular porous structure, and flowing the reactant gas through an ID surface of the annular porous structure and into the ID volume.

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 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.

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 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 passive fuel additives dosing system includes a membrane-based contactor within a cartridge, an additive within the membrane-based contactor, a fuel inlet to the cartridge and a fuel outlet from the cartridge. The membrane-based contactor is arranged within the cartridge such that, with fuel in the cartridge, a fuel contact area with the membrane-based contactor is dependent on a fuel flow rate to passively dispense a proportional amount of the additive into the fuel.

Abstract: An internal recycle reactor for catalytic inerting has a monolithic body having a motive fluid duct, a suction chamber, a mixing region, a reactor section, an outlet, and a recycle passage. The suction chamber includes a suction chamber inlet. The mixing region is configured to receive gaseous fluids from the motive fluid duct and the suction chamber inlet to produce a gaseous mixture. The reactor section includes a catalyst and is configured to receive the gaseous mixture from the mixing region. The outlet is configured to deliver an exhaust gas from the reactor section and the recycle passage is configured to deliver a portion of the exhaust gas to the suction chamber inlet.

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: 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 is disclosed for removing ozone from a gas. According to this method, the gas is contacted with an adsorbent that includes a transition metal oxide or metal organic framework to form a treated gas. The treated gas is contacted with a noble metal catalyst to catalytically decompose ozone in the treated gas, thereby forming an ozone-depleted treated gas.