US 12,296,976 B2
Aircraft fuel tank inerting
Pierre Jomain, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
Filed by AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/564,428.
Claims priority of application No. 1814679 (GB), filed on Sep. 10, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0079522 A1, Mar. 12, 2020
Int. Cl. B64D 37/32 (2006.01); B64F 1/28 (2006.01); B64F 5/60 (2017.01)
CPC B64D 37/32 (2013.01) [B64F 1/28 (2013.01); B64F 5/60 (2017.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of controlling inerting in an aircraft comprising a refueled aircraft fuel tank and an aircraft fuel tank inerting system, the aircraft having an immediately forthcoming flight, the method comprising:
providing a temperature value indicative of a temperature of fuel after refueling by measuring the temperature before commencing the immediately forthcoming flight;
based on the temperature, determining whether or not to disable the aircraft fuel tank inerting system for substantially all of the immediately forthcoming flight, and
based on the determination, and prior to the immediately forthcoming flight, either disabling the aircraft fuel tank inerting system by (i) removing one or more parts of the aircraft fuel tank inerting system to only disable the aircraft fuel tank inerting system, (ii) cutting-off power to the aircraft fuel tank inerting system to only disable the aircraft fuel tank inerting system or (iii) preventing flow of gas into and/or out of the aircraft fuel tank inerting system to only disable the aircraft fuel tank inerting system, or not disabling the aircraft fuel tank inerting system.