Method of suppressing coke in endothermic fuel processing

Abstract

A fuel system for a propulsion system includes a fuel deoxygenating device and a catalytic module containing catalytic materials. The fuel deoxygenating device removes dissolved oxygen from the fuel to prevent formation of insoluble materials that can potentially foul the catalyst and block desirable catalytic reactions that increase the usable cooling capacity of an endothermic fuel.

1 . A method of inhibiting coke formation of an endothermic fuel for a propulsion system comprising the steps of:
 a) removing dissolved oxygen from fuel; and   b) initiating catalytic reactions of the fuel after said removal of the dissolved oxygen.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising preventing the formation of insoluble materials on catalytic material by removing the dissolved oxygen from the fuel. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , comprising heating the catalytic material to temperatures promoting endothermic decomposition of fuel. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , comprising directing decomposition of the fuel toward the formation of preferred combustible products. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the fuel after decomposition comprises a greater heat sink capability than the fuel prior to decomposition. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , comprising creating a partial pressure differential across a gas permeable membrane to diffuse oxygen from said fuel. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , comprising supporting the gas permeable membrane on a porous substrate and drawing diffused oxygen through the porous substrate away from the fuel. 
     
     
         8 . A method of inhibiting coke formation of an endothermic fuel for a propulsion system comprising the steps of:
 c) removing dissolved oxygen from fuel; and   d) initiating endothermic decomposition of the fuel after said removal of the dissolved oxygen.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the step of initiating endothermic decomposition utilizes a catalytic material and the method includes the step of preventing formation of insoluble materials on the catalytic material by removing the dissolved oxygen from the fuel. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , comprising heating the catalytic material to temperatures promoting endothermic decomposition of fuel. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , comprising directing decomposition of the fuel toward the formation of preferred combustible products. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the fuel after decomposition comprises a greater heat sink capability than the fuel prior to decomposition. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , comprising creating a partial pressure differential across a gas permeable membrane to diffuse oxygen from said fuel. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , comprising supporting the gas permeable membrane on a porous substrate and drawing diffused oxygen through the porous substrate away from the fuel.