US 11,866,182 B2
Fuel delivery system having a fuel oxygen reduction unit
Daniel Alan Niergarth, Norwood, OH (US); Brandon Wayne Miller, Liberty Township, OH (US); John Michael Pyles, West Chester, OH (US); Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Hamilton, OH (US); Justin Paul Smith, Montgomery, OH (US); and William James Mailander, Beverly, MA (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on May 1, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/864,710.
Prior Publication US 2021/0339878 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F02C 7/22 (2006.01); C25B 1/04 (2021.01); B64D 27/12 (2006.01); B64D 37/32 (2006.01); B64D 13/06 (2006.01); C01B 5/00 (2006.01); B01D 19/00 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 27/12 (2013.01) [B01D 19/0031 (2013.01); B01D 19/0063 (2013.01); B64D 13/06 (2013.01); B64D 37/32 (2013.01); C01B 5/00 (2013.01); C25B 1/04 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0603 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft comprising:
an accessory system; and
a fuel delivery system comprising:
a fuel oxygen reduction unit including a contactor and a separator in serial flow order;
a liquid fuel supply path fluidly coupled to a fuel tank and to the contactor for transporting the liquid fuel from the fuel tank to the contactor;
a stripping gas supply path in airflow communication with the fuel tank and the contactor for transporting a gas from an ullage portion of the fuel tank to the contactor;
a liquid fuel outlet path in fluid communication with a liquid fuel outlet of the separator;
a stripping gas return path in airflow communication with the separator and the ullage portion of the fuel tank for returning the gas back to the fuel tank;
a first gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the stripping gas supply path upstream of the contactor and downstream of the fuel tank;
a second gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the stripping gas return path upstream of the fuel tank downstream of the contactor, and downstream of the first gas oxygen reduction unit such that the contactor is disposed between the first gas oxygen reduction unit and the second gas oxygen reduction unit and the fuel tank is disposed downstream of the second gas oxygen reduction unit such that the fuel tank is disposed between the first gas oxygen reduction unit and the second gas oxygen reduction unit; and
wherein the fuel oxygen reduction unit further comprises a water hydrolysis device for generating a flow of oxygen from the water generated by a first catalyst, and wherein the water hydrolysis device is a water electrolysis device.