Patent ID: 9604730
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: A62C,B64D,F02C,F05D,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Claim:
1. A system for inerting a fuel tank of an aircraft, comprising: a first compressor fluidly coupled to the fuel tank for removing an air and fuel vapor mixture from an ullage of the fuel tank; a fuel processor fluidly coupled to the first compressor and configured to receive the air and fuel vapor mixture and to generate hydrogen from the air and fuel vapor mixture; a fuel cell fluidly coupled to the fuel processor and configured to receive the hydrogen as anode fuel to produce electricity, the fuel cell generating an exhaust product; a combustor fluidly coupled to the fuel cell and configured to combust the exhaust product to produce combustion gas; and a first heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the combustor and configured to cool the combustion gas into inerting gas for the fuel tank.