Parker Aerospace and Phyre Technologies Readying Catalytic Inerting Technology for Aircraft Fuel Tanks

FARNBOROUGH, England

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

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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.

Cutting-edge evolution of fuel tank inerting.

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.”

About Parker Aerospace. Parker Aerospace is a global leader in the research, design, manufacture, and service of flight control, hydraulic, fuel and inerting, fluid conveyance, thermal management, lubrication, and pneumatic systems and components for aerospace and other high-technology markets. Its product lines include primary and secondary flight control actuation, power generation and control components, thrust-reverser actuation systems, electrohydraulic servovalves, electric motor-driven hydraulic pumps, fuel pumps and valves, refueling, defueling, and aerial refueling equipment, fuel tank inerting systems; tank pressure and vent controls, level and flow control equipment; motor-operated valves and fuel equipment, lubrication oil reservoirs, lubrication and scavenge pumps, fuel measurement and management systems, thermal management products, cockpit instrumentation, lightning-safe products, pneumatic subsystems and components, water subsystems and components, fluid metering delivery and atomization devices, wheels, brakes, and fluid conveyance products such as hoses, tubes, disconnects, and fittings. It is an operating segment of Parker Hannifin Corporation.

About Parker Hannifin. With annual sales of approximately $13 billion in fiscal year 2015, Parker Hannifin is the world’s leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets. The company has operations in 50 countries around the world. Parker has increased its annual dividends paid to shareholders for 59 consecutive years, among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit the company’s web site at http://www.parker.com, or its investor information web site at http://www.phstock.com.

About Phyre Technologies. Founded in 2004, Phyre Technologies, Inc. is a privately held San Diego area based research and development company. Phyre specializes in catalyst-based oxygen removal systems for both liquids and gasses. The company has developed patented and patent pending technologies for the removal of dissolved oxygen and other gasses from various liquids. Phyre also holds patents for the removal of oxygen and fuel vapor from fuel storage vessels and fuel tanks.

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Parker Aerospace
Brian King, +1 (714) 458-7416
brian.king@parker.com
or
Phyre Technologies, Inc.
Stuart Robertson, +1 (619) 448-0904
info@phyre.net