ASSEMBLY FOR FUEL DEOXYGENATOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a permeable membrane system for removing dissolved oxygen from fuel to suppress coke formation. SOLUTION: An oxygenator 10 is provided with an exhaust tube 14 arranged along the axis 15 of a housing 12 and a permeable membrane 22 spirally wound about the exhaust tube 14. The permeable membrane 22 has first and second ends 24, 26. The permeable membrane 22 is disposed between a membrane spacer 42 and a fuel channel spacer 44. The membrane spacer 42 defines an exhaust passage 30 for dissolved oxygen 38 to move toward the exhaust tube 14 and out of the deoxygenator 10. The fuel channel spacer 44 defines a fuel passage 28 through which fuel flows axially through the deoxygenator from an inlet 18 to an outlet 20. An oxygen partial pressure differential is generated across the permeable membrane 22 by a vacuum source 40 to draw the dissolved oxygen 38 from fuel in the fuel passage 28. The dissolved oxygen 38 is then allowed to flow through openings 34 of the exhaust tube 14 and out of the open end 32. Both ends of the exhaust passage 30 in the axial direction are sealed by a seal 54. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT