Patent ID: 8778062

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an air separation module configured to generate an inert gas; a first input for the air separation module, wherein the first input is configured to receive first air; a first output for the air separation module, wherein the first output is configured to output the inert gas from the air separation module; a second output for the air separation module, wherein the second output is configured to output separated air from the air separation module; a flow control system configured to control a flow of air in the air separation module that increases a rate at which the air separation module is warmed to a desired operating temperature for generating the inert gas using a number of ports in the air separation module, the number of ports comprising a second input for the air separation module, the second input configured to receive second air from a heating source; and a pipe downstream from the first output, the pipe configured to divert at least a portion of the inert gas to the air separation module.