Inert gas distribution system for a fuel tank
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64D-037/02
B65D-090/22
F16K-031/18
출원번호
US-0219389
(2011-08-26)
등록번호
US-8789794
(2014-07-29)
발명자
/ 주소
Krug, David Scott
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소
Yee & Associates, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
A method and apparatus comprising a tube, an opening in the tube, and a valve associated with the opening. The tube is configured to carry an inert gas in a fuel tank. The valve is configured to control an amount of the inert gas that exits the opening based on a level of fuel relative to the openin
A method and apparatus comprising a tube, an opening in the tube, and a valve associated with the opening. The tube is configured to carry an inert gas in a fuel tank. The valve is configured to control an amount of the inert gas that exits the opening based on a level of fuel relative to the opening.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus comprising: a tube configured to carry an inert gas in a fuel tank;an opening in the tube; anda valve associated with the opening, the valve comprising: a substantially cylindrical portion connected to the tube and configured to rotate around the tube to open and close the opening ba
1. An apparatus comprising: a tube configured to carry an inert gas in a fuel tank;an opening in the tube; anda valve associated with the opening, the valve comprising: a substantially cylindrical portion connected to the tube and configured to rotate around the tube to open and close the opening based on a position of the cylindrical portion; anda float structure connected to the cylindrical portion, the float structure buoyant in the fuel, movement of the float structure rotating the cylindrical portion, and the valve configured to control an amount of the inert gas that exits the opening based on a level of fuel relative to the opening, such that when a fuel level is below a first level the valve is closed, when the fuel level is at a second level, relatively higher than the first level, the valve is partially open, and when the fuel level is at a third level, relatively higher than the second level, the valve is fully open. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is located in a wing of an aircraft. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wing has one of a positive dihedral and a negative dihedral. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tube comprises a number of openings in addition to the opening to form a plurality of openings; a number of valves associated with the number of openings in the plurality of openings, and the fuel tank comprises a number of compartments, each of the plurality of openings and the plurality of valves disposed in an individual compartment in the number of compartments, and the wing characterized by a dihedral and fuel level such that a first portion of the number of valves in the number of compartments are open and a second portion of the number of valves in the number of compartments are closed. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tube is located between a root of a wing and a tip of the wing. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a tab extending through an opening in the cylindrical portion and a rotational movement of the cylindrical portion between an open position and a closed position is restricted by the tab. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the float structure causes the cylindrical portion to rotate to close the opening when the level of fuel is lower than the opening by a selected amount. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an inert gas generator, wherein the inert gas generator is configured to send the inert gas into the tube at a desired flow rate. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inert gas is selected from one of nitrogen, neon, argon, helium, krypton, xenon, radon, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon dioxide, and air with reduced oxygen content. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is located in a platform selected from one of a mobile platform, a stationary platform, a land-based structure, an aquatic-based structure, a space-based structure, a vehicle, an aircraft, a surface ship, a tank, a personnel carrier, a train, a spacecraft, a space station, a satellite, a submarine, an automobile, a power plant, a bridge, a dam, a manufacturing facility, and a building. 11. A fuel tank system comprising: a fuel tank having a number of compartments, the number of compartments positioned in a wing of an aircraft having a positive dihedral;an inert gas system having a tube positioned in the number of compartments, the tube having a number of openings disposed in the number of compartments and configured for an inert gas in the fuel tank system to pass into the number of compartments of the fuel tank; anda valve system having a number of valves disposed in the number of compartments, a valve in the number of valves comprising: a cylindrical portion configured to be connected to the tube and configured to rotate around the tube to open and close the openings based on a position of the cylindrical portion; anda float structure connected to the cylindrical portion, wherein the float structure is configured to be buoyant in the fuel and to rotate the cylindrical portion depending on a fuel level in the number of compartments, the valve system configured to control an amount of the inert gas that flows from the openings into the fuel tank based on a level of fuel in the fuel tank;wherein the number of valves are configured to manage the delivery of inert gas to the number of compartments based on a level of fuel in each compartment, such that when a fuel level in a first compartment is below a first level the valve is closed, when the fuel level in a second compartment is at a relatively higher level than the first compartment the valve is partially open, and when the fuel level in a third compartment is at a relatively higher level than the second compartment the valve is fully open. 12. The fuel tank system of claim 11, wherein the inert gas system includes a tube having a plurality of openings and wherein the valve system comprises a plurality of valves associated with the plurality of openings, a fuel level in a first number of compartments is different than the fuel level in a second number of compartments, and a first number of valves in the first number of compartments are open and a second number of valves in a second number of compartments are closed. 13. The fuel tank system of claim 11, wherein the tube comprises a number of tabs extending through the number of openings in the tube and a rotational movement of the cylindrical portion between an open position and a closed position is restricted by the tab. 14. A method of managing an inert gas in a fuel tank, the method comprising: sending the inert gas into a tube extending into the fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank has a number of compartments, the tube has a number of openings in the number of compartments, and a number of valves are disposed in the number of compartments, the fuel level in the number of compartments being at a different level;raising and lowering a number of floats connected to the number of valves with respect to a fuel level so as to rotate a number of cylindrical members in the number of valves; andcontrolling an amount of the inert gas flowing from the openings using a valve system based on a level of fuel relative to the openings, such that when a fuel level in a first compartment is below a first level the valve is closed, when the fuel level in a second compartment is at a relatively higher level than the first compartment the valve is partially open, and when the fuel level in a third compartment is at a relatively higher level than the second compartment, the valve is fully open. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the amount of the inert gas flowing from the openings using the valve system based on the level of fuel relative to the openings comprises: closing an opening in the openings with a valve in the valve system when a selected level for the level of fuel is reached; andsetting the number of valves to be fully open when a fuel level in each compartment is at a desired level below the valve. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein closing the opening in the openings with the valve in the valve system when the selected level for the level of fuel is reached comprises: closing the opening in the openings with the valve in the valve system when the selected level for the level of fuel is one of a first level below the opening, a second level at the opening, and a third level above the opening.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Cozens, Simon John; Brown, Jeffrey Mark; Van, Michel Tran, Aircraft and fuel venting system therefor.
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