Abstract: A battery thermal management system for an air vehicle includes a liquid heat exchange circuit, an air heat exchange circuit, and a liquid-air heat exchanger. The liquid-air heat exchanger is positioned on the liquid heat exchange circuit and the air heat exchange circuit to exchange heat therebetween. The system includes a coolant pump fluidically connected to the liquid heat exchange circuit, a flow restrictor positioned in the liquid heat exchange circuit, and a battery in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange circuit. A method for controlling a thermal management system for an air vehicle includes sensing a temperature of a battery with a temperature sensor, varying a flow area of a flow path through a liquid heat exchange circuit with the flow restrictor if the temperature is below a pre-determined threshold, and operating a pump to provide heating to the battery if the temperature is below the pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: A method for inerting a protected space. Process water is delivered to an anode of an electrochemical cell where a portion of the process water is electrolyzed to form protons and oxygen. The protons are transferred across the separator to the cathode, and process water is directed through a process water fluid flow path including a first side of a membrane. Gas is transferred to a second side of the membrane to form a de-gassed process water on the first side of the membrane, and the de-gassed process water is recycled to the anode. Air is delivered to the cathode and oxygen is reduced at the cathode to generate oxygen-depleted air. The oxygen-depleted air is directed from the cathode of the electrochemical cell along an inerting gas flow path to the protected space.

Abstract: A method for providing inert gas to a protected space. The method includes: providing air having a pressure greater than or equal to 2 atmospheres absolute pressure to a chemical inert gas generator; producing an inert gas in the chemical inert gas generator; providing the inert gas to a condenser at an elevated pressure; reducing the water content of the inert gas in the condenser; and providing the dried inert gas to a protected space.

Abstract: A battery thermal management system for an air vehicle includes a liquid heat exchange circuit, an air heat exchange circuit in selective fluid communication with ram air, a liquid-air heat exchanger positioned on the liquid heat exchange circuit and the air heat exchange circuit to exchange heat therebetween. The system includes at least one battery in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange circuit. The at least one battery is configured to charge and/or discharge to heat the at least one battery above a pre-determined minimum battery temperature. A method for controlling a thermal management system for an air vehicle includes determining if at least one battery is within a thermal range of operation for heating. The method includes charging and/or discharging the at least one battery to heat the at least one battery if the at least one battery is within the thermal range of operation for heating.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core having a compressor section with a first compressor and a second compressor, a turbine section with a first turbine and a second turbine, and a primary flowpath fluidly connecting the compressor section and the turbine section. The first compressor is connected to the first turbine via a first shaft, the second compressor is connected to the second turbine via a second shaft, and a motor is connected to the first shaft such that rotational energy generated by the motor is translated to the first shaft. The gas turbine engine includes a takeoff mode of operation, a top of climb mode of operation, and at least one additional mode of operation. The gas turbine engine is undersized relative to a thrust requirement in at least one of the takeoff mode of operation and the top of climb mode of operation, and a controller is configured to control the mode of operation of the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: Fire suppression systems for aircraft include an air source, a first ASM configured to generate inert gas from air from the air source and supply inert gas to a fuel tank, and a second ASM configured to generate inert gas from the air from the air source and supply inert gas to a protected space of the aircraft. The second ASM comprises a membrane having inherent microporosity. A controller, in operable communication with the ASMs, is configured to operate the first ASM and not the second ASM during a first state of operation, and in response to a fire detected in the protected space, operate the second ASM to supply an inert gas from the second ASM to the protected space in a second state of operation.

Abstract: A system and method fare disclosed for inerting a protected space. Process water is delivered to an anode of an electrochemical cell where a portion of the process water is electrolyzed to form protons and oxygen. The protons are transferred across the separator to the cathode, and process water is directed through a process water fluid flow path including a first side of a membrane. Gas is transferred to a second side of the membrane to form a de-gassed process water on the first side of the membrane, and the de-gassed process water is recycled to the anode. Air is delivered to the cathode and oxygen is reduced at the cathode to generate oxygen-depleted air. The oxygen-depleted air is directed from the cathode of the electrochemical cell along an inerting gas flow path to the protected space.

Abstract: A system and method for providing dried inert gas to a protected space is disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating inerting gas on vehicles are described. The systems include a proton exchange membrane (PEM) inerting system, a pure water replenishment system configured to provide pure water to the PEM inerting system, wherein the pure water replenishment system is in fluid communication with the PEM inerting system to replenish water lost during operation of the PEM inerting system, and a control system configured to control operation of the pure water replenishment system to automatically replenish pure water to the PEM inerting system.

Abstract: A propulsion system according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes a fuel storage tank that is configured to store a fuel in a compressed state, a power generation device that is configured to consume the fuel and generate an output, a fuel system that is configured to provide the fuel from the fuel storage tank to the power generation device, and an electrochemical compressor that is in communication with the fuel system. The electrochemical compressor is configured to gather residual fuel from the fuel system and communicate the gathered residual fuel to at least one of the power generation device and the fuel storage tank.

Abstract: A battery thermal management system for an air vehicle includes a liquid heat exchange circuit. The system includes at least one battery in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange circuit. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the liquid heat exchange circuit. The controller is configured and adapted to variably select whether heat will be rejected to the liquid heat exchange circuit. The system includes at least one heat exchanger positioned on the liquid heat exchange circuit. The at least one heat exchanger is a liquid-air heat exchanger or a liquid-liquid heat exchanger. A method for controlling a thermal management system for an air vehicle includes determining an expected temperature of at least one battery, and cooling the at least one battery with a cooling device if the expected temperature exceeds a pre-determined expected temperature threshold.

Abstract: A system and method for inerting a fuel tank is disclosed. A fluid including non-condensable gas is directed from a vapor space in the fuel tank to a suction port of an ejector, and a motive fluid is directed to a motive fluid port of the ejector. The motive fluid and the non-condensable gas fluid are combined in the ejector and are directed from an outlet port of the ejector to the fuel tank. An inert gas is provided to the ejector motive fluid port, or to the second flow path, or to the first flow path.

Abstract: A system and method for providing dried inert gas to a protected space is disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for inerting a protected space is disclosed. Process water is delivered to an anode of an electrochemical cell comprising the anode and a cathode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium. A portion of the process water is electrolyzed at the anode to form protons and oxygen, and the protons are transferred across the separator to the cathode. Process water is directed through a process water fluid flow path including a gas outlet and a gas discharge valve in operative fluid communication with the gas outlet. Air is delivered to the cathode and oxygen is reduced at the cathode to generate oxygen-depleted air, and the oxygen-depleted air is directed from the cathode of the electrochemical cell along an inerting gas flow path to the protected space.

Abstract: A system and method of inerting a protected space is disclosed. In the system and method, process water is delivered to an anode of an electrochemical cell comprising the anode and a cathode separated by a separator comprising a proton transfer medium. A portion of the process water is electrolyzed at the anode to form protons and oxygen, and the protons are transferred across the proton transfer medium. Process water is directed to a baffle to form de-gassed process water and the de-gassed process water is recycled to the anode. Air is delivered to the cathode and oxygen is reduced at the cathode to generate oxygen-depleted air. The oxygen-depleted air is directed from the cathode of the electrochemical cell along an inert gas flow path to the protected space.

Abstract: A system for generating electrical power includes an electrochemical cell including a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode including a cathode-side inlet and a cathode-side outlet, and an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode including an anode-side inlet and an anode-side outlet. The system also includes: a reactant source in operative fluid communication with the anode-side inlet; an oxygen generator in operative fluid communication with the cathode-side inlet, including a combustible composition comprising a fuel and a salt that thermally decomposes to release oxygen; and an electrical connection between the electrochemical cell and a power sink.

Abstract: A method of fuel tank inerting includes separating process air into nitrogen-enriched air and oxygen-enriched air with an air separation membrane. A vacuum is applied to the air separation membrane to produce a pressure differential across the air separation membrane. The vacuum is manipulated to vary the pressure differential and vary purity of the nitrogen-enriched air.

Abstract: An ejector assembly for a cooling system of a gas turbine engine may comprise: a tail cone having a tail cone outlet in fluid communication with a cooling air flow of the cooling system; an ejector body defining a mixing section, a constant area section, and a diffuser section; and a nozzle section in fluid communication with an exhaust air flow of the gas turbine engine, the ejector assembly configured to entrain the cooling air flow via the exhaust air flow.

Abstract: A system and method for providing inerting gas to a protected space is disclosed. The system includes an air separation module that includes an air inlet, a membrane with a permeability differential between oxygen and nitrogen, a nitrogen-enriched air outlet, and an oxygen-enriched air outlet. The system also includes an air flow path between an air source and the air separation module inlet, and an inerting gas flow path between the air separation module nitrogen-enriched air outlet and the protected space.

Abstract: Redundant electrochemical systems and methods for vehicles are described. The systems include a first electrochemical device located at a first position on the vehicle wherein the first electrochemical device is configured to generate at least one of inert gas, oxygen, and electrical power and a second electrochemical device located at a second position on the vehicle wherein the second electrochemical device is configured to generate at least one of inert gas, oxygen, and electrical power. The first electrochemical device is configured to operate in a first mode during normal operation of the vehicle and a second mode when the second electrochemical device fails, wherein in the second mode, the first electrochemical device provides the at least one of inert gas, oxygen, and electrical power for at least one vehicle critical system of the vehicle.