Advanced carbon dioxide fuel tank inerting system with desulfurization

• US 7,628,965 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Yates, Stephen F., Zaki, Rehan, Johnson, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung; Jennifer A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEIFU, LESSANEWORK T
• Application Number:
  US11/556,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20080107571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 422/211, 422/212, 422/217, 422/222, 422/171, 422/172, 422/173, 422/144, 961/08, 961/30
• US Class Current: 422/217
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/22 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/30 Sulfur compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40011 Methods relating to the process cycle in pressure or temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/50 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

A gas generating system comprises a catalytic reactor in fluid communication with a sulfur separator. The catalytic reactor oxidizes a fuel to provide a supply of carbon dioxide. The sulfur separator removes sulfur components from the stream before or after the fuel is oxidized. A portion of the hot exhaust gas from the catalytic reactor can be used to regenerate an adsorption bed of the sulfur separator.

Claims

1. A carbon dioxide generating system comprising:

a catalytic reactor;

a sulfur separator sub-system positioned in flow communication with said catalytic reactor to receive a desulfurized outlet flow from said catalytic reactor; and

a regeneration line positioned between the sulfur separator sub-system and said catalytic reactor to direct the desulfurized outlet flow to the sulfur separator sub-system.

2. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, wherein said sulfur separator sub-system includes at least one adsorption column.

3. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel supply sub-system in flow communication with said catalytic reactor.

4. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 3, wherein said fuel supply sub-system includes an evaporator.

5. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 3, wherein said carbon dioxide generating system is designed to inert a fuel tank;

and wherein said fuel supply sub-system is in flow communication with the ullage space of said fuel tank.

6. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, wherein said sulfur separator sub-system includes a permeable membrane.

7. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, wherein said sulfur separator sub-system is designed to provide a desulfurized flow to said catalytic reactor.

8. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, wherein said catalytic reactor is designed to provide a first portion of outlet flow to said sulfur separator sub-system.

9. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, further comprising an air line in flow communication with said catalytic reactor.

10. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 1, wherein said sulfur separator sub-system includes a compressor.

11. An inert gas generating system comprising:

at least one adsorption column;

a catalytic reactor in flow communication with said adsorption column, said catalytic reactor designed to provide a first portion of outlet flow and a second portion of outlet flow; and

a regeneration sub-system positioned between and in flow communication with said catalytic reactor and said adsorption column, said regeneration sub-system adapted to direct said second portion of outlet flow to said adsorption column.

12. The inert gas generating system of claim 11, wherein said regeneration sub-system comprises a regeneration line and a regeneration valve operationally connected to said regeneration line.

13. The inert gas generating system of claim 11, further comprising a recuperator heat exchanger designed to receive said first portion of outlet flow.

14. The inert gas generating system of claim 11, further comprising a water separator designed to receive said first portion of outlet flow.

15. A carbon dioxide generating system comprising:

an evaporator;

a sulfur separator sub-system in fluid communication with said evaporator, said sulfur separator sub-system designed to receive a supply of fuel from said evaporator and designed to provide a desulfurized flow;

a catalytic reactor sub-system in fluid communication with said sulfur separator sub-system, said catalytic reactor sub-system designed to receive said desulfurized flow and designed to provide a first portion of outlet flow and a second portion of outlet; and

a regeneration line positioned between said sulfur separator sub-system and said catalytic reactor sub-system, said regeneration line designed to direct said second portion of outlet flow to said sulfur separator sub-system.

16. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 15, further comprising an air supply sub-system in flow communication with said catalytic reactor sub-system.

17. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 16, wherein said air supply sub-system is in thermal contact with a recuperator heat exchanger of said catalytic reactor sub-system.

18. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 16, further comprising a fuel air mixer in flow communication with said air supply sub-system and designed to mix a supply of air from said air supply sub-system with said desulfurized flow.

19. The carbon dioxide generating system of claim 15, further comprising a fuel heater operationally connected to said evaporator.