Patent attributes
An inerting system for a fuel tank containing a liquid fuel and an ullage gas. The inerting system includes a fluid circuit connectable to the fuel tank, an evaporator connected in the circuit, and a reactor connected in the circuit downstream of the evaporator. The evaporator receives a flow of the liquid fuel from the fuel tank and volatilizes at least a portion of the liquid fuel to thereby form a volatilized fuel vapor. The evaporator also receives a flow of the ullage gas from the fuel tank, and permits the ullage gas to sweep away the volatilized fuel vapor downstream with the ullage gas to thereby form a fuel enriched gas mixture containing the ullage gas and the volatilized fuel vapor. The reactor converts at least some of the fuel enriched gas mixture into a non-flammable gas. The circuit supplies at least some of the non-flammable gas to the fuel tank.
