Abstract: An aircraft fuel tank flammability reduction method includes feeding pressurized air into an air separation module containing an oxygen separation membrane. The method includes contacting the separation membrane with the air feed, permeating oxygen from the air feed through the separation membrane, and producing nitrogen-enriched air from the air separation module as a result of removing oxygen from the air feed. The NEA from the air separation module is substantially cooled in a NEA flow heat exchanger and the substantially cooled, nitrogen-enriched air is fed into the fuel tank on board the aircraft. An aircraft fuel tank flammability reduction system includes a NEA flow heat exchanger configured to cool substantially the nitrogen-enriched air from the air separation module and a fuel tank on board the aircraft configured to receive the cooled nitrogen-enriched air.

Abstract: An aircraft fuel tank flammability reduction method includes feeding pressurized air into an air separation module containing an oxygen separation membrane. The method includes contacting the separation membrane with the air feed, permeating oxygen from the air feed through the separation membrane, and producing nitrogen-enriched air from the air separation module as a result of removing oxygen from the air feed. The NEA from the air separation module is substantially cooled in a NEA flow heat exchanger and the substantially cooled, nitrogen-enriched air is fed into the fuel tank on board the aircraft. An aircraft fuel tank flammability reduction system includes a NEA flow heat exchanger configured to cool substantially the nitrogen-enriched air from the air separation module and a fuel tank on board the aircraft configured to receive the cooled nitrogen-enriched air.

Abstract: An inert gas generating system for generating inert gas on a vehicle having a fuel tank and a fuel tank vent. The system includes an inlet for receiving a flow of gas having a nitrogen component and an oxygen component from a gas source, a heat exchanger downstream from the inlet and in fluid communication with the inlet for cooling gas received from the inlet, and a gas separation module downstream from the heat exchanger and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger for separating gas received from the heat exchanger into a nitrogen-enriched gas flow and an oxygen-enriched gas flow. The gas separation module is adapted to deliver nitrogen-enriched gas from the nitrogen-enriched gas flow to the fuel tank without delivering the nitrogen-enriched gas through the fuel tank vent. The gas separation module is also adapted to deliver nitrogen-enriched gas from the nitrogen-enriched gas flow to the fuel tank vent.

Abstract: An inert gas generating system for generating inert gas on a vehicle having a fuel tank and a fuel tank vent. The system includes an inlet for receiving a flow of gas having a nitrogen component and an oxygen component from a gas source, a heat exchanger downstream from the inlet and in fluid communication with the inlet for cooling gas received from the inlet, and a gas separation module downstream from the heat exchanger and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger for separating gas received from the heat exchanger into a nitrogen-enriched gas flow and an oxygen-enriched gas flow. The gas separation module is adapted to deliver nitrogen-enriched gas from the nitrogen-enriched gas flow to the fuel tank without delivering the nitrogen-enriched gas through the fuel tank vent. The gas separation module is also adapted to deliver nitrogen-enriched gas from the nitrogen-enriched gas flow to the fuel tank vent.