US 12,486,039 B2
Aircraft fuel system
Michael Joseph Murray, Wyoming, OH (US); Victor Moreno Patan, Querétaro (MX); and Brandon W. Miller, Middletown, OH (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on May 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/316,450.
Application 18/316,450 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/059,515, filed on Nov. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0174375 A1, May 30, 2024
Int. Cl. B64D 37/32 (2006.01); B01D 53/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/14 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01); A62C 3/08 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 37/32 (2013.01) [B01D 53/00 (2013.01); B01J 19/14 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F23R 3/28 (2013.01); A62C 3/08 (2013.01); B01D 2257/104 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
at least one engine; and
a fuel system including (a) a first fuel storage tank arranged to store a first fuel, (b) a second fuel storage tank arranged to store a reduced oxygen fuel, (c) a fuel tank inerting system arranged to provide a reduced oxygen gas through a fuel contained within the second fuel storage tank to generate the reduced oxygen fuel within the second fuel storage tank, and (d) a fuel oxygen reduction unit that generates a deoxygenated fuel from the first fuel stored in the first fuel storage tank and provides the deoxygenated fuel to the second fuel storage tank such that the fuel contained within the second fuel storage tank is the deoxygenated fuel,
wherein the second fuel storage tank includes a fuel tank sparging system, the fuel tank sparging system being in airflow communication with the fuel tank inerting system and providing the reduced oxygen gas into the deoxygenated fuel within the second fuel storage tank to generate the reduced oxygen fuel.
 
13. An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
at least one engine; and
a fuel system including (a) a first fuel storage tank arranged to store a first fuel, (b) a second fuel storage tank arranged to store a reduced oxygen fuel, (c) a fuel tank inerting system arranged to provide a reduced oxygen gas through a fuel contained within the second fuel storage tank to generate the reduced oxygen fuel within the second fuel storage tank, (d) a first gas supply line providing a flow of an oxygen rich gas from an ullage of the first fuel storage tank to the fuel tank inerting system, (e) a first gas return line providing a flow of the reduced oxygen gas from the fuel tank inerting system to the ullage of the first fuel storage tank, (f) a second gas supply line providing a flow of an oxygen rich gas from an ullage of the second fuel storage tank to the fuel tank inerting system, (g) a second gas return line providing a flow of the reduced oxygen gas from the fuel tank inerting system to the ullage of the second fuel storage tank, and (h) a third gas return line providing a flow of the reduced oxygen gas from the fuel tank inerting system to a fuel tank sparging system, the fuel tank sparging system providing a flow of the reduced oxygen gas into the first fuel stored in the second fuel storage tank to generate the reduced oxygen fuel.