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నైరూప్య

Technoeconomic Analysis of an Electrochemical Gas Separation and Inerting System for Aircraft

Ajay K. Prasad*, Utsav Raj Aryal

Inerting of the aircraft fuel tank is performed to reduce the oxygen concentration in the ullage to a safe limit (9% for military aircraft and 12% for commercial aircraft) such that the overall flammability of the tank is reduced. Conventionally, nitrogen generated by an on-board Air Separation Module (ASM) based on selective permeation is used to displace the oxygen in the ullage. We have investigated a different approach comprising an Electrochemical Gas Separation and Inerting System (EGSIS) to produce Nitrogen-Enriched Air (NEA) for fuel tank inerting. EGSIS employs a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell cathode in combination with a PEM electrolyzer anode such that oxygen from the inlet air is reduced to produce NEA at the cathode outlet, and water is dissociated to produce oxygen at the anode outlet. This paper presents a technoeconomic analysis of EGSIS as an on-board inert gas generation system for aircraft by considering both capital and operating expenses. This study reveals that EGSIS is more cost-effective as an ASM for aircraft fuel tank inerting than incumbent hollow fiber membrane systems.