WO2025239884A1

WO2025239884A1 - Memory module for an air separation module

Info

Publication number: WO2025239884A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/029229
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric E. Haberman; Stephen C. Metrulas
Original assignee: Parker Hannifin Corp
Current assignee: Parker Hannifin Corp
Priority date: 2024-05-14
Filing date: 2024-05-14
Publication date: 2025-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-14

Abstract

An air separation system includes an air separation module (ASM) configured to receive air at an inlet of the ASM and produce an inert gas, a sensor configured to measure a condition of the air separation system, and an electronic controller configured to receive an output of the sensor and to determine a performance condition of the ASM as a function of the output of the sensor. The air separation system further includes a memory module in signal communication with the electronic controller configured to receive and store data in an internal memory of the memory module that is a function of the determined performance condition of the ASM. The memory module is physically attached to the ASM, and the memory module is physically isolated from the sensor and the electronic controller.

Description

TITLE: MEMORY MODULE FOR AN AIR SEPARATION MODULE

Field of Invention

The present application relates generally to a memory module of an air separation module (ASM) of a flammability system for storing data regarding a performance condition of the ASM.

Background of the Invention

Aircraft may use an on board inert gas generating system to reduce the oxygen content of the ullage in the fuel tank, and thereby reduce flammability. The system accomplishes this by adding inert gas, such as nitrogen enriched air (NEA), to the ullage. The system may produce NEA using permeable membranes in an air separation module (ASM). Pressurized air enters the ASM inlet and, as the air passes through the membranes, oxygen is separated from the air stream, whereby the remaining air is deemed to be nitrogen enriched. Due to normal levels of gas in the air, if all the oxygen is removed from air, about 98% of the remaining air is nitrogen. In conventional systems, the normal concentrations of oxygen in the NEA are usually above zero.

Pressurized air used for NEA generation will usually originate from either an engine bleed or from another pressure source within the aircraft. With an engine bleed system, compressed hot air is usually cooled by a heat exchanger before being ported or sent to the ASM. At the ASM outlet, the NEA is distributed to the ullage space of the fuel tank or tanks for the purpose of inerting the fuel tanks and reducing flammability exposure.

In various mechanical or electromechanical systems in general, many components require maintenance or replacement based on a so-called “usage parameter”, such as for example the number of operational hours or the number of ON/OFF cycles. ASM implementation represents an exemplary system in which certain components may be subjected to maintenance based on usage parameters, Conventionally, monitoring the usage parameter is performed manually, which places a burden on the operator or maintainer to track the usage parameter for a specific component. If the component is part of a complex system such as an ASM for an aircraft, monitoring and tracking usage data can add significant cost to maintaining the aircraft. Manually recording operational hours for a specific part serial number is further complicated when a component is swapped between aircraft before an applicable maintenance or replacement interval is reached. In some cases, additional complexity may be added if the component is provided as an element of a parts pool that can be interchanged between multiple aircraft and between multiple airlines before maintenance or replacement is required. For components that have a safety-related maintenance interval, such as may be applicable to ASM components, improper tracking of the operational hours can result in a fine to the aircraft operator.

In industries where the maintenance and repair of a component can be a significant part of the business case associated with that component, knowledge of the in-service history experienced by the component can be helpful to determine whether the costs of repairing or replacing the component should be absorbed by the supplier of the component or the user of the component. For example, components that have been installed on aircraft for thousands of flight hours are commonly returned to the component manufacturer or a repair facility for maintenance and repair. In some cases, these components are returned for routine maintenance according to a predefined schedule. In other cases, the components are returned from service due to a diagnostic indication that a fault has occurred and the component requires repair or replacement.

In cases in which a component is returned from service due to a fault indication, it can be desirable to know what the component has experienced and what the component has been exposed to while in service. If it can be demonstrated that the component experienced conditions that were within the bounds of the parameters for which the component was designed, costs of repair or replacement may be shifted to the component manufacturer. Conversely, if it can be demonstrated that the component experienced conditions that were outside of the bounds of the parameters for which the component was designed, cost of repair or replacement may be shifted to user or owner of the component.

The performance of an air separation module (ASM) tends to degrade as the ASM is operated. Once an ASM degrades beyond a performance threshold, the broader system containing the ASM will no longer meet the requisite certified performance level. Measuring the actual ASM performance on an aircraft is difficult because of the accuracy required of the on-aircraft measurement system. For example, the amount of allowed ASM performance degradation may be about the same as the accuracy tolerance of the system sensors. As a result, many inerting systems have adopted a hard-time replacement interval for the ASM that causes the ASM to be replaced after a specific number of operating hours, and before the ASM is predicted to go out of certification compliance. This process results in ASMs being removed before all of the usable service life has been realized. Moreover, this process requires that aircraft operators accurately track the number of operational hours for each ASM serial number. Replacement ASMs are expensive for aircraft operators. Furthermore, aircraft operators incur additional expense by tracking the operational hours of each ASM for the hard time replacement interval. Therefore, extending the life of an ASM and eliminating the requirement to manually track ASM hours is highly desirable for the aircraft operators.

Summary of Invention

The present application relates a memory module that is mounted to a system component being monitored. By mounting the memory module separately in such manner on the component being monitored, a simple, compact, and cost-effective memory module is maintained that is easily accessible by maintenance personnel. The memory module is configured to store critical data including all or part of the life history of a component on the component itself. The life history data can be useful for multiple purposes, including for example and without limitation, the determination of the usage of the component while the component is in service, the determination of the health of the component while the component is in service, and the determination of the life history of the component after the component has been returned from service.

The memory module of the present application is described principally in connection with monitoring an aircraft air separation module (ASM). The memory module provides enhanced tracking and monitoring of ASM components to extend the useful life of the ASM by eliminating the requirement to manually track ASM hours. In exemplary embodiments in which the memory module is implemented in an ASM, the memory module is physically attached to the ASM and is physically isolated from the ASM sensor. For example, the memory module may be located in a blind pocket formed into the inlet cap of the ASM. Although the memory module is described principally in connection with an ASM, comparable principles may be applied to implementing a memory module for a component in other types of systems.

According to an aspect, an air separation system comprises an air separation module (ASM) configured to receive air at an inlet of the ASM and produce an inert gas; a sensor configured to measure a condition of the air separation system; an electronic controller configured to receive an output of the sensor and to determine a performance condition of the ASM as a function of the output of the sensor; and a memory module in signal communication with the electronic controller, wherein: the memory module is configured to receive and store data in an internal memory of the memory module, the data is a function of the determined performance condition of the ASM, the memory module is physically attached to the ASM, and the memory module is physically isolated from the sensor and the electronic controller.

Embodiments may include one or more of the following additional features, separately or in any combination.

In exemplary embodiments, the ASM includes a blind pocket formed into a component of the ASM, and the memory module is located in the blind pocket.

In exemplary embodiments, the ASM includes: an ASM main body; an inlet cap attached to a first end of the ASM main body, wherein the inlet cap defines the inlet of the ASM; and an outlet cap attached to a second end of the ASM main body, wherein the outlet cap defines an outlet of the ASM, wherein the blind pocket is formed into the inlet cap.

In exemplary embodiments, data stored on the memory module is encrypted. In exemplary embodiments, the memory module further includes an authentication key stored in the memory module, and wherein the authentication key indicates at least one of the memory module is attached to the assigned ASM or the internal storage of the memory module has not been inappropriately modified.

In exemplary embodiments, the memory module further stores a normalized ASM performance parameter correlating to the determined performance condition of the ASM.

In exemplary embodiments, the normalized ASM performance parameter includes at least one of: mass flow of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM; temperature of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM; pressure of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM; ambient pressure; ambient temperature; oxygen concentration of oxygen-enriched air (OEA) exiting the ASM; mass flow of OEA exiting the ASM; temperature of nitrogen enriched air (NEA) at an outlet of the ASM; pressure of NEA at the outlet of the ASM; mass flow of NEA at the outlet of the ASM; or oxygen concentration of NEA at the outlet of the ASM.

In exemplary embodiments, the electronic controller is further configured to retrieve the normalized ASM performance parameter from the memory module and to compare the determined performance condition of the ASM to the normalized ASM performance parameter.

In exemplary embodiments, the memory module is further configured to store data regarding operational hours of the ASM.

In exemplary embodiments, the ASM includes: an ASM main body; an inlet cap attached to a first end of the ASM main body, wherein the inlet cap defines the inlet of the ASM; and an outlet cap attached to a second end of the ASM main body, wherein the outlet cap defines an outlet of the ASM.

In exemplary embodiments, the memory module is physically attached to at least one of the inlet cap, the ASM main body, or the outlet cap.

In exemplary embodiments, the sensor includes at least one of: a pressure sensor; a flow rate sensor; a temperature sensor; or an oxygen concentration sensor. In exemplary embodiments, the electronic controller is further configured process the output from the sensor prior to electronic controller transmitting the data to the memory module.

According to another aspect, a memory module for an air separation module (ASM), the memory module comprises an interface configured to interact with an electronic controller of the ASM that is configured to interpret output of one or more sensors of the ASM to determine a performance condition of the ASM, wherein the interface is configured to receive data from the electronic controller indicative of the determined performance condition; and an internal memory configured to store the data from the electronic controller, wherein the memory module is physically isolated from the one or more sensors of the ASM and the electronic controller.

In exemplary embodiments, further comprising a memory module body that includes the interface and the internal memory, wherein the memory module body includes holes configured for securing the memory module body to the ASM.

In exemplary embodiments, the memory module body comprises a panel, wherein the interface is on a first side of the panel and the internal memory is on a second side of the panel that is opposite the first side.

In exemplary embodiments, the memory module further includes an authentication key stored in the memory module, and wherein the authentication key indicates at least one of the memory module is attached to the assigned ASM or the internal storage of the memory module has not been inappropriately modified.

According to a further aspect, a memory module comprises an interface configured to interact with an electronic controller that is configured to interpret output of one or more sensors of a system component, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor one or more conditions and the electronic controller is configured to determine a current performance condition of the system component based on the output of the one or more sensors, and wherein the interface is configured to receive data from the electronic controller indicative of the determined current performance condition; an internal memory configured to store the data from the electronic controller, wherein the internal memory further stores an operating history of the system component comprising one or more determined previous performance conditions determined by electronic controller prior to the determined current performance condition, and wherein the internal memory is configured to add the determined current performance condition to the operating history; and a memory module body that includes the interface and the internal memory, wherein the memory module body is attached to the system component, and wherein the memory module body is physically isolated from the one or more sensors of the system component and the electronic controller when the memory module body is attached to the system component.

In exemplary embodiments, data stored on the memory module is encrypted.

In exemplary embodiments, the memory module further includes an authentication key stored in the internal memory of the memory module, and wherein the authentication key indicates at least one of the system components the memory module is attached to is an assigned system component or the internal storage of the memory module has not been inappropriately modified.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features according to aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a drawing depicting an exemplary ASM with a memory module attached to a component of the ASM.

FIG. 2 is a drawing depicting a close-up view of a portion of the ASM of FIG. 1 to illustrate a connection between the memory module and the inlet cap of the ASM.

FIG. 3 is a drawing depicting a close-up view of a portion of the ASM of FIG. 1 with the memory module omitted to illustrate a blind pocket on the inlet cap for attaching the memory module.

FIG. 4 is a drawing depicting a first view of the memory module of FIG. 1 in isolation.

FIG. 5 is a drawing depicting a second view of the memory module of FIG. 1 in isolation.

FIG. 6 is a drawing depicting another exemplary ASM with a memory module attached to a component of the ASM.

Description

Embodiments of the present application will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale.

FIG. 1 is a drawing depicting a portion of an air separation system 100 that includes an air separation module (ASM) 102 in combination with one or more sensors 1 18 and an electronic controller 120. The ASM 102 can be part of on-board inert gas generating system (OBIGGS) to supply nitrogen-enriched air (NEA) to a fuel tank(s) of an aircraft. The ASM 102 includes a memory module 104 attached to the ASM 102. Although the memory module 104 is described principally in connection with implementation in the ASM 102, it will be appreciated that the memory module 104 can be employed for any suitable component of any suitable system where maintenance and repair of a component can be a significant part of the business.

The ASM 102 can take any suitable shape and/or configuration for generating the NEA. In the illustrated embodiment, the ASM 102 includes an ASM main body 106 that is cylindrical with open faces at each end of the ASM main body 106. The ASM 102 further includes an inlet cap 108 attached to an inlet end of the ASM main body 106 to cover at least a portion of the open face at the inlet end of the ASM main body 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet cap 108 includes an opening 1 10 that defines an inlet for the ASM 102. The ASM 102 further includes an outlet cap 112 attached to an outlet end of the ASM main body 106 to cover at least a portion of the open face at the outlet end of the ASM main body 106. Similarly, the outlet cap 112 includes an opening 114 that defines an outlet for the ASM 102. The ASM 102 can also include a waste port 116 to vent waste generated during the air separation process, such as oxygen- enriched air (OEA).

The portion of the air separation system 100 further includes one or more sensors 118 configured to sense a condition(s) of the ASM 102. Different sensors can be used to sense each desired condition and/or a single sensor can be used to sense multiple conditions. For instance, the sensors 118 may comprise an airflow sensor configured to sense velocity of air flow or mass flow rate, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a concentration sensor configured to sense a concentration of an element(s) in the air, and/or the like. The sensor(s) 118 then generates an output based on the sensed condition.

The portion of the air separation system 100 further includes an electronic controller 120 connected to sensor 118 to receive the generated output and process the generated output to determine one or more performance conditions of the ASM 102. A single electronic controller 120 can be connected to all of the sensors 118 and/or multiple electronic controllers can be employed. The electronic controller 120 may include any suitable apparatus, device(s), or machine(s) for processing data and issuing commands. Such as electronic control circuitry that is configured to carry out various control operations relating to control of the components of the air separation system 100. The control circuitry may be special or general purpose circuitry. The controller 120 may include, by way of example, a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. For example, the primary control circuit may include an electronic processor, such as a CPU, microcontroller or microprocessor. The controller 1 0 may include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question. Among their functions, to implement the features described herein, the control circuit and/or electronic processor may comprise an electronic controller that may execute program code for operation of the air separation system 100. It will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art of computer programming, and specifically in application programming for electronic and communication devices, how to program the device to operate and carry out logical functions and instructions associated with the control application. The computer program (also referred to as software or code), may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.

The electronic controller 120 is in signal communication with the memory module 104, and the electronic controller 120 is configured to transmit data to the memory module 104 representative of the determined performance condition(s). The memory module 104 is configured to store the data from the electronic controller 120 in an internal memory.

The data stored in the memory module 104 can be used by the electronic controller 120 as part of an algorithm for health monitoring of the ASM 102, and may be used to determine when the ASM 102 reaches the end of its useful life. The data stored in the memory module 104 can be unique to the ASM 102 to which the memory module 104 is attached. For instance, the data may include an ASM serial number that indicates in the internal memory of the memory module 104 the particular ASM 102 that is tied to the memory module 104.

As noted above, conventionally, a system for tracking performance history of an ASM 102 is cumbersome and prone to error as conventional systems require a user to manually record the operational use of the ASM 102, continually track the location of the ASM 102, and/or determine what modifications, such as repairs, are made to the ASM 102 because the performance history is stored independent of the ASM 102. Moreover, storing performance data in an internal memory of an electronic controller is costly as such implementation requires the electronic controller to constantly travel with the ASM 102. In contrast, by using a memory module 104 to store performance data that is physically attached to the ASM 102 and physically separate from the electronic controller 120, the air separation system 100 allows for the performance data to travel with the ASM 102 while reducing the number of components that travel with the ASM 102. Accordingly, the memory module 104 always remains part of the ASM 102 so that ASM’s performance history remains with the ASM 102. This allows a given ASM to be moved between aircraft without losing its operational history.

Moreover, the memory module 104 may additionally be simplified by offloading data interpretation logic from the memory module 104 onto the electronic controller 120 such that the memory module 104 is a simplified data storage component. By off-loading the logic onto the electronic controller 120, the manufacturing costs and size of the memory module 104 can be reduced. Additionally, by physically isolating the memory module 104 from the sensors 118, the air separation system 100 can prevent unintended contamination of the memory module 104 that can be caused by air flowing around the sensor 118. Moreover, the physical isolation of the memory module 104 from the other electronics components reduces the need to insulate the memory module 104 with respect to the air flowing through the ASM 102. Furthermore, physically isolating or separating the memory module 104 from the electronic controller 120 and the sensors 118 simplifies replacing the memory module 104.

In addition to storing the performance condition data from the electronic controller 120, the memory module 104 can be further configured to store a normalized ASM performance parameter that can be used by the electronic controller 120. For instance, the electronic controller 120 can retrieve the parameter and compare the determined performance condition of the ASM 102 to develop a performance degradation trend over time. The normalized parameter can take into account information received from the sensors 118 of the ASM 102 and/or other information sources, such as information from aircraft avionics and/or other values calculated by the electronic controller 120. The normalized ASM performance parameter may include mass flow of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM 102, temperature of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM 102, pressure of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM 102, ambient pressure around the ASM 102, ambient temperature around the ASM 102, oxygen concentration of the OEA exiting the ASM 102, mass flow of the OEA exiting the ASM 102, temperature of the NEA at an outlet of the ASM 102, pressure of the NEA at the outlet of the ASM 102, mass flow of the NEA at the outlet of the ASM 102, and/or oxygen concentration of the NEA at the outlet of the ASM 102.

One or more of the normalized ASM performance parameters can also have overlapping information. Using this overlapping information, additional assessments can be made as to the health of the sensors 118. For instance, each of the output from the sensors 118 can also be examined for trends in relation to the normalized ASM performance parameter. If one of the determined performance conditions is deviating differently than expected, then that sensor 118 can be flagged as needing a maintenance action. For instance, if the oxygen concentration trended in a different direction than would be expected based on the other input parameters, then there is a high probability that the accuracy of an oxygen sensor is drifting outside of its tolerance threshold.

Additionally, the memory module 104 can be used to track operational hours of the ASM 102, which is useful if there is a hard-time replacement interval assigned to the ASM 102. As noted above, when an ASM 102 includes a hardtime replacement interval, the aircraft operators must accurately track the operational hours of each ASM 102 and the operators can be subjected to fines for noncompliance. Accordingly, the memory module 104 can be configured to automatically store operational hours of the ASM 102 and the electronic controller 120 can be configured to report this information to the aircraft operator thereby eliminating the requirement to manually track the operational hours of the ASM 102. Any suitable interface can be used for connecting the memory module 104 and the electronic controller 120. For instance, the connection between the memory module 104 and the electronic controller 120 may be wired, wireless, and/or the like. As an example, the electronic controller 120 can use a “1 -wire” data interface protocol to interface with the memory module 104. However, the interface is not limited to “1 -wire” and could be any other suitable interface that allows for read/write/delete functionality between the electronic controller 120 and the memory module 104, such as USB connection, a fiberoptic connection, a wireless connection (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.), and/or the like.

To protect the data stored in the memory module 104 from unauthorized access, the data stored in memory module 104 may be encrypted. The data can be encrypted by the electronic controller 120 prior to the data being transmitted to the memory module 104 and/or the data can be encrypted by the memory module 104 once received. The data can be decrypted by an electronic controller after reading the encrypted data from the memory module 104 and/or the data can be decrypted by the memory module 104 when an authorized electronic controller is connected to the memory module 104.

Additionally, the memory module 104 may include one or more authentication keys stored in the internal memory that can be read by the electronic controller 120 to determine whether the ASM 102 is the assigned ASM 102 that corresponds to the data stored in the memory module 104. Additionally or alternatively, the authentication key(s) further includes information that indicates whether the internal memory has been tampered with or not.

The memory module 104 can be physically attached to any suitable location on the ASM 102, and different locations may be selected for different configurations. In the illustrated embodiment in FIG. 1 , the memory module 104 is attached to an exterior of the inlet cap 108 and spaced from the opening 110 that defines the inlet of the ASM 102. In another embodiment, the memory module 104 can be attached to the ASM main body 106 or to the outlet cap 1 12.

Any suitable technique can be employed for attaching the memory module 104 to the ASM 102. Illustrated in FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment in which the memory module 104 is bolted onto the inlet cap 108 via one or more bolts 200. In another embodiment, the memory module 104 can be attached to the ASM 102 via other types of fasteners such as adhesives, welding, hook-and- loop, or by any other suitable attachment device.

The ASM 102 may additionally include one or more structures specifically configured for attaching the memory module 104 to the ASM 102. For instance, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inlet cap 108 includes a protrusion 202 that defines an attachment location for the memory module 104. Specifically, the protrusion 202 defines a blind pocket 204 that is spaced from the opening 110 of the inlet cap 108 and any sensors associated with the ASM 102.

The memory module 104 can take any suitable shape and/or configuration and different configurations can be employed depending on the component the memory module 104 is attached. Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrated is an exemplary embodiment of the memory module 104 configured for use with the ASM 102. The memory module 104 includes a panel 400 that includes one or more holes 402 for receiving the bolts 200 (FIG. 2) to attach the memory module 104 to the inlet cap 108. A first side 404 of the panel 400 (FIG. 4) includes a connector 406 for establishing a connection between the memory module 104 and the electrical connector 120. The connector 406 can take any suitable shape and size.

A second side 500 of the panel 400 (FIG. 5) includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 502 that includes the internal memory of the memory module 104. The PCB 500 can be in communication with the connector 406, such as through the panel 400, such that the PCB 500 can communicate with the electronic controller 120. By including the PCB 500 on only one side of the panel 400 and shaping the protrusion 202 (FIG. 3) with the circular indent, the memory module 104 and ASM 102 can be configured to shield the PCB 500 (and by extension the internal memory) from an outside environment.

As noted above, although the memory module is described principally in connection with an ASM, comparable principles may be applied to implementing a memory module for a component in other types of systems. Generally, while a monitored component is in service, data may be written to the memory module by another electronic device, usually an electronic controller. The data may include measured performance levels of the component, conditions to which the component is exposed, or any other pertinent data that may be useful for health determination or other diagnostics. The data may be written in real-time or at various intervals that depend on the nature of the data and its variability.

While the component is in service, the data may be read by the controller and used to determine the health of the component. The health of the component may either correspond to a current performance state, or be used as part of predictive health monitoring to determine how the performance of the device is trending and/or how much life is left in the component. Also, the data may be read by the controller and used to calculate other parameters, or make control adjustments based on the data or the calculations made from the data.

In the specific example of implementation in an ASM, the memory module is used to store ASM performance metrics that are used as part of an ASM health monitoring algorithm and are used to determine when an ASM reaches the end of its useful life. The raw data stored on each individual ASM is unique to that ASM serial number, and by storing the data on the ASM the data access is simplified by the physical attachment to that ASM. The memory module therefore remains part of the ASM so that the performance history remains with the ASM. This allows an ASM to be moved between aircraft without losing the ASM operational history.

The data can also be used for predictive health monitoring to give aircraft operators prior warning to an impending ASM failure. A normalized ASM performance parameter can be stored on the memory module to develop a performance degradation trend over time. The normalized parameter can take into account some or all of the following parameters provided by system sensors and/or information received from the aircraft avionics and/or calculated values. The parameters may include ASM inlet mass flow, ASM inlet temperature, ASM inlet pressure, ambient pressure, ambient temperature, ASM OEA oxygen concentration, ASM OEA mass flow, ASM NEA outlet temperature, ASM NEA outlet pressure, ASM NEA outlet mass flow and ASM NEA outlet oxygen concentration.

Some of the saved parameters have overlapping effects on the ASM performance. Using this overlapping information, additional assessments can be made as to the health of the system sensor. For instance, each of the system sensor input data can also be examined for trends in relation to the normalized ASM performance parameter. If one of the parameters is deviating differently from expected, then that sensor can be flagged as needing a maintenance action. For instance, if the oxygen concentration trended in a different direction from would be expected based on the other input parameters, then there is a high probability that the oxygen sensor accuracy is drifting outside of its tolerance threshold.

The memory module is also useful if there is a hard-time replacement interval assigned to the ASM and predictive or on-condition health monitoring is not being used. When an ASM is assigned a hard-time replacement interval, replacement becomes a maintenance requirement necessary for certification and requires the aircraft operators to accurately track the operational hours of each ASM. Commercial operators can be subjected to fines for noncompliance. The ASM memory module automatically records the ASM operational hours and can report this information to the aircraft operator thereby eliminating the requirement to manually track ASM operational hours.

The electronic controller that is part of the inerting system contains the logic to read and write to the memory device and contains all the health monitoring related logic. The memory device only stores data, it does not contain any logic to process the data. The inerting controller uses a “1 -wire” data interface protocol to interface with the memory module. The interface is not limited to “1 -wire” and could be any other interface that allows for read/write/delete functionality.

The data stored on the memory module is encrypted. This prevents unauthorized reads/writes to the module. There are also authentication keys stored on the module to ensure that the ASM is authentic and the memory hasn’t been tampered with.

As noted above, the memory module 104 described above is employed in an ASM 102 that is used in an on-board inert gas generating system (OBIGGS) that includes a plurality of sensors. Illustrated in FIG. 6 is an exemplary embodiment where an air separation system 600 includes the ASM 102 with different sensors arranged at different locations on the ASM 102. Similar to the embodiments described above, a memory module 602 is attached to the inlet cap 108 of the ASM 102. The memory module 602 may be similar in design to the embodiment described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5 and/or can vary. The air separation system 600 includes a pressure sensor 604 mounted on a block 606 that measures a pressure of air entering the inlet of the ASM 102. The air can come from any suitable source, such as compressed air, which may be received from bleed air from the aircraft engine. As such, the air from the air source may have a normal composition according to the environment. Typically, the bleed air from the aircraft engine is hot air relative to the external aircraft environment. It is understood that in some embodiments according to the present disclosure, other compressed air sources may be utilized, such as atmospheric air compressed via a compressor driven by a prime mover, or the like.

The air separation system 600 further includes a temperature sensor 608 and airflow sensor 610 that sense temperature and mass flow of the air, respectively, at the inlet of the ASM 102. As seen in FIG. 6, the block 606 is attached to the inlet of the ASM 102 and is configured to turn the air 90° to enter the inlet of the ASM 102. The pressure sensor 604, the temperature sensor 608, and the airflow sensor 610 are in communication with the block 606 to sense the corresponding characteristics of the air at the inlet.

The air separation system 600 further includes an oxygen sensor 612 to detect oxygen concentration in the oxygen-enriched air (OEA) exiting via the waste port 116 and/or in the nitrogen-enriched air (NEA) exiting the outlet of the ASM 102.

An electronic controller 614 is connected to pressure sensor 604, the temperature sensor 608, the airflow sensor 610, and/or the oxygen sensor 612 to receive output(s) generated in response to sensing one or more characteristics of the air. The electronic controller 614 can then detect an operating condition(s) of air separation system 600 and can then write this operating condition(s) into the internal memory of the memory module 602. As noted above, although the above-described embodiments of the memory module are configured for use with an ASM component (e.g., memory module 104), the memory module can be configured for use with a component where tracking an operating parameter of the component is necessary.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a "means") used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e. , that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1 . An air separation system comprising: an air separation module (ASM) configured to receive air at an inlet of the ASM and produce an inert gas; a sensor configured to measure a condition of the air separation system; an electronic controller configured to receive an output of the sensor and to determine an performance condition of the ASM as a function of the output of the sensor; and a memory module in signal communication with the electronic controller, wherein: the memory module is configured to receive and store data in an internal memory of the memory module, the data is a function of the determined performance condition of the ASM, the memory module is physically attached to the ASM, and the memory module is physically isolated from the sensor and the electronic controller.

2. The air separation system of claim 1 , wherein the ASM includes a blind pocket formed into a component of the ASM, and the memory module is located in the blind pocket.

3. The air separation system of claim 2, wherein the ASM includes: an ASM main body; an inlet cap attached to a first end of the ASM main body, wherein the inlet cap defines the inlet of the ASM; and an outlet cap attached to a second end of the ASM main body, wherein the outlet cap defines an outlet of the ASM, wherein the blind pocket is formed into the inlet cap.

4. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -3, wherein data stored on the memory module is encrypted.

5. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -4, wherein the memory module further includes an authentication key stored in the memory module, and wherein the authentication key indicates at least one of the ASM the memory module is attached to is an assigned ASM or the internal storage of the memory module has not been inappropriately modified.

6. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -5, wherein the memory module further stores a normalized ASM performance parameter correlating to the determined performance condition of the ASM.

7. The air separation system of claim 6, wherein the normalized ASM performance parameter includes at least one of: mass flow of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM; temperature of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM; pressure of inlet air at the inlet of the ASM; ambient pressure; ambient temperature; oxygen concentration of oxygen-enriched air (OEA) exiting the ASM; mass flow of OEA exiting the ASM; temperature of nitrogen enriched air (NEA) at an outlet of the ASM; pressure of NEA at the outlet of the ASM; mass flow of NEA at the outlet of the ASM; or oxygen concentration of NEA at the outlet of the ASM.

8. The air separation system of any of claims 6-7, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to retrieve the normalized ASM performance parameter from the memory module and to compare the determined performance condition of the ASM to the normalized ASM performance parameter.

9. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -8, wherein the memory module is further configured to store data regarding operational hours of the ASM.

10. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -9, wherein the ASM includes: an ASM main body; an inlet cap attached to a first end of the ASM main body, wherein the inlet cap defines the inlet of the ASM; and an outlet cap attached to a second end of the ASM main body, wherein the outlet cap defines an outlet of the ASM.

11 . The air separation system of claim 10, wherein the memory module is physically attached to at least one of the inlet cap, the ASM main body, or the outlet cap.

12. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -11 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of: a pressure sensor; a flow rate sensor; a temperature sensor; or an oxygen concentration sensor.

13. The air separation system of any of claims 1 -12, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to process the output from the sensor prior to electronic controller transmitting the data to the memory module.

14. A memory module for an air separation module (ASM), the memory module comprising: an interface configured to interact with an electronic controller of the ASM that is configured to interpret output of one or more sensors of the ASM to determine a performance condition of the ASM, wherein the interface is configured to receive data from the electronic controller indicative of the determined performance condition; and an internal memory configured to store the data from the electronic controller, wherein the memory module is isolated from the one or more sensors of the ASM.

15. The memory module of claim 14, further comprising a memory module body that includes the interface and the internal memory, wherein the memory module body includes holes configured for securing the memory module body to the ASM.

16. The memory module of claim 15, wherein the memory module body comprises a panel, wherein the interface is on a first side of the panel and the internal memory is on a second side of the panel that is opposite the first side.

17. The memory module of claim 14-16, wherein the memory module further includes an authentication key stored in the memory module, and wherein the authentication key indicates at least one of the ASM the memory module is attached to is an assigned ASM or the internal storage of the memory module has not been inappropriately modified.

18. A memory module comprising: an interface configured to interact with an electronic controller that is configured to interpret output of one or more sensors of a system component, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor one or more conditions and the electronic controller is configured to determine a current performance condition of the system component based on the output of the one or more sensors, and wherein the interface is configured to receive data from the electronic controller indicative of the determined current performance condition; an internal memory configured to store the data from the electronic controller, wherein the internal memory further stores am operating history of the system component comprising one or more determined previous performance conditions determined by electronic controller prior to the determined current performance condition, and wherein the internal memory is configured to add the determined current performance condition to the operating history; and a memory module body that includes the interface and the internal memory, wherein the memory module body is attached to the system component, and wherein the memory module body is physically isolated from the one or more sensors of the system component and the electronic controller when the memory module body is attached to the system component.

19. The memory module of claim 18, wherein data stored on the memory module is encrypted.

20. The memory module of any of claims 19-20, wherein the memory module further includes an authentication key stored in the internal memory of the memory module, and wherein the authentication key indicates at least one of the system components the memory module is attached to is an assigned system component or the internal storage of the memory module has not been inappropriately modified.