REACTION BASED GAS INERTING (RBGI) SYSTEM FOR MULTI FUEL TANK INERTING

The development of a novel reaction based nitrogen inerting system is proposed for reducing ullage Oxygen concentrations below 9% by volume in multiple fuel tanks. The system utilizes solid materials that undergo a chemical reaction to yield high purity nitrogen gas. Furthermore, a unique control system and inerting model algorithm is proposed to adequately supply individual fuel tanks with the appropriate flow rate of nitrogen gas to a tank. A modular based design allows quick servicing of the inerting system and replacing of nitrogen generation units once depleted. This system is a drastic change from permeable membrane based technologies that have inherent disadvantages and have been slow to gain acceptance in military and commercial aircraft applications. During Phase I, Engineering & Scientific Innovations will assemble the key components of the inerting system, primarily from COTS available products. To demonstrate the developed technology, ESI plans to perform a laboratory environment in which multiple fuel tanks are inerted below the 9% Oxygen concentration requirement.