INERTING SYSTEM
FIG4 is a schematic illustration of an example embodiment of an PEM electrochemical cell inerting system
Turning to FIG4, an example embodiment of an inerting system 50' with a PEM electrochemical cell 52' onboard an aircraft is shown. As shown in FIG4, air from a compressed air source 54 such as a compressor section of a turbine fan engine is directed along a cathode supply fluid flow path 22 to a PEM electrochemical cell 52'. In some embodiments, some of the compressed air can be diverted to an additional pneumatic load such as an aircraft environmental control system 70. The hot compressed air is then passed through a heat exchanger that receives cooling air 74 from ram air duct 76 to cool the compressed air to a temperature suitable for the PEM electrochemical cell 52' (e.g., 50-120°C). A proton source 78 is directed to the anode side fluid flow path 25 (e.g., hydrogen gas for operation of the cell in fuel cell (power production) mode, or water for operation of the cell in electrolyzer (power consumption) mode). Condenser 58 receives wet inerting gas from the cathode side fluid flow path 22 and cools it with ram cooling air 74 to condense and remove water 80 from the inerting gas. The inerting gas is optionally then directed to a membrane separator 62 with a water-permeable tubular membrane 64 for removal of additional water 66 and subsequently through pressure control device 68 to protected space 56.
schematic
76
oxygen sensor such as check valve
78
ram air discharge
14
cathode
82
membrane
['1. A system for providing inerting gas to a protected space (54), comprising an electrochemical cell (10) comprising a cathode (14) and an anode (16) separated by a separator (12) comprising an ion transfer medium; a cathode fluid flow path (23) in operative fluid communication with a catalyst (14) at the cathode between a cathode fluid flow path inlet and a cathode fluid flow path outlet; a cathode supply fluid flow path (22) between the protected space and the cathode fluid flow path inlet; an anode fluid flow path (25) in operative fluid communication with a catalyst (16) at the anode, including an anode fluid flow path outlet; an electrical connection to a power source or power sink; an inerting gas flow path (24) in operative fluid communication with the cathode flow path outlet and the protected space.', '3. The system of claim 2, wherein the gas treatment module includes any one or combination of: a filter, an adsorbent, a membrane separator, a catalytic combustor, electrostatic precipitator, a scrubber, a condensing separator, and a gas-liquid separator.']