Dispatch critical fuel tank inerting system for aircraft

摘要

An air inerting system (20) for supplying nitrogen-enriched air to a fuel tank on a vehicle includes an air separation module (54). The air separation module has an inlet for receiving air to separate oxygen, and an outlet for delivering nitrogen-enriched air to a downstream fuel tank on a vehicle. Downstream parallel flew lines (56,60) of the outlet are each provided with a flow control valve (58). The downstream parallel flow lines reconnect downstream of the flow control valves to provide a source (70) of nitrogen-enriched air to the fuel tank. An air supply line upstream of the air separation module supplies air to at least a pair (34,36;106,108) of upstream parallel lines. Each of the upstream parallel lines are provided with a shut-off valve (38;110). The upstream parallel lines reconnect downstream of the shut-off valves to supply air to a heat exchanger (30;140). Air downstream of the heat exchanger passes to the air separation module (54).