Parker Aerospace and Phyre Technologies readying catalytic inerting technology for aircraft fuel tanks

Parker Aerospace, a business segment of Parker Hannifin Corporation, has engaged with Phyre Technologies, Inc. to further develop catalytic inerting technology for aerospace applications.

Parker Aerospace and Phyre Technologies signed an exclusive license agreement to validate Phyre's patented catalytic inerting technology. Parker brings more than 50 years of fuel tank inerting expertise as both companies collaborate to bring catalytic inerting to the marketplace.

This innovative concept advances fuel tank inerting technology beyond the current applications in which inert nitrogen gas is generated by pressurizing air separation modules (ASMs) with engine-generated bleed air. With catalytic inerting, ullage air and vapors are pulled from the fuel tank and passed through a catalyst, producing inert Oxygen Depleted Air (ODA). The inert ODA stream is then cooled and dried before being returned to the fuel tank to inert the ullage space. This unique and self-contained system is completely decoupled from the aircraft pneumatic system.

The new alliance between Parker Aerospace and Phyre Technologies follows research and development by Phyre, which culminated in successful demonstrations of the company's “GOBIGGS™” or Green OBIGGS (on-board inert gas generation system) on several military applications. It is considered “green” because the system minimizes unburned hydrocarbons vented from the fuel tank into the atmosphere.

“Parker's work with Phyre will advance the state-of-the-art in fuel tank inerting technology by developing the catalytic inerting concept into a commercially viable reality, said Bryan Jensen, Parker Aerospace's principal engineer for fuel tank inerting. “Catalytic inerting holds the promise of generating inert gas on board the aircraft with a system that does not require a source of high-pressure air. The system would only require interfaces with the fuel tank and aircraft electrical system.

“Bleeding engines to supply a conventional ASM-based inerting system can be particularly burdensome for aircraft powered by engines that have little or no bleed air available, such as turboshafts (helicopters), small turbofans (business jets and unmanned aerial vehicles), and turboprops (short-haul transports).”

Technology moves into expanded testing phase.

“We are excited to be embarking on this advanced development work with Parker. The additional catalyst testing will help confirm system life, as well as expand and verify the operating envelope,” said Stuart Robertson, chief executive officer of Phyre Technologies. “The final catalytic system that will eventually go to market will not only be significantly smaller and lighter, but we anticipate that its maintenance costs will be considerably reduced as well.”