IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0700458
(2010-06-01)
|
등록번호 |
US-8944384
(2015-02-03)
|
국제출원번호 |
PCT/EP2010/057666
(2010-06-01)
|
§371/§102 date |
20130204
(20130204)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO2011/150967
(2011-12-08)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Travers, Nicolas
- Veyrat-Masson, Antoine
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
4 |
초록
▼
The aircraft refuelling equipment (20) of an aircraft comprises a pipework (22) in which a fuel supply line (13) is connected to a plurality of tank supply lines, fuel tanks connected to tank supply lines of the pipework, first valves (24, 25,26) allowing each fuel tank to be disconnected from the f
The aircraft refuelling equipment (20) of an aircraft comprises a pipework (22) in which a fuel supply line (13) is connected to a plurality of tank supply lines, fuel tanks connected to tank supply lines of the pipework, first valves (24, 25,26) allowing each fuel tank to be disconnected from the fuel supply line, and at least one captor (30) that provides a signal indicative of a pressure or a flow rate. For each of said first valves, a first valve flow parameter can be estimated, using said captor. The equipment further comprises:—at least one actuator associated with each of said first valves, the actuator allowing adjustment of the opening of the associated first valve; and an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the respective actuator-first valve assemblies and adapted to regulate an opening of the first ECU valves, using respective first valve flow parameter data.
대표청구항
▼
1. An aircraft refuelling equipment for an aircraft, the equipment comprising: a pipework comprising a fuel supply line connected to a plurality of tank supply lines;fuel tanks connected to tank supply lines of the pipework and adapted to be refuelled through the fuel supply line);first valves arran
1. An aircraft refuelling equipment for an aircraft, the equipment comprising: a pipework comprising a fuel supply line connected to a plurality of tank supply lines;fuel tanks connected to tank supply lines of the pipework and adapted to be refuelled through the fuel supply line);first valves arranged in said pipework and adapted to allow each fuel tank to be disconnected from the fuel supply line;at least one captor allowing, for each of said first valves, a first valve flow parameter to be estimated, said at least one captor being arranged within the pipework for providing at least one signal indicative of a pressure or a flow rate, said at least one captor comprising at least one pressure captor for sensing a pressure within the pipework and for providing at least one signal indicative of a pressure; wherein each first valve comprises a valve body with a plurality of adjustable positions between a full open position and a closed position, wherein the equipment further comprises: at least one actuator associated with each of said first valves in a respective actuator-first valve assembly and allowing adjustment of an opening of the associated first valve at a defined position of the valve body chosen among the full open position, the closed position and the plurality of adjustable positions therebetween;an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the respective actuator-first valve assemblies,the electronic control unit comprising: a receiving module for receiving position data from said first valves and for estimating the respective first valve flow parameters, using the pressure data and the position data, and a control module adapted to regulate the opening of the first valves, using respective first valve flow parameter data. 2. The equipment according to claim 1, further comprising at least one gauging device associated with at least one of said fuel tanks for measuring a fuel level and for providing at least one signal indicative of the measured fuel level for the corresponding fuel tank, wherein the electronic control unit (ECU) is adapted to regulate said opening, using first valve flow parameter data and fuel level data. 3. The equipment according to claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit (ECU) is adapted to process the signal of said captor and the signal of said gauging device as well as input data indicative of the desired amount of fuel for each of the fuels tanks, and comprises: an algorithm using information resulting from processing of said signals and input data to produce a refuelling parameter allowing to determine the time remaining to complete the refuelling of the corresponding fuel tank; anda control module adapted to generate, as a function of the refuelling parameters, a plurality of control signals each adapted to control said actuator of one of said first valves. 4. The equipment according to claim 3, wherein the control module of the electronic control unit (ECU) is adapted to generate at least one interrupt control signal, if a comparison of a refuelling parameter with a threshold is indicative of an imminent end of the refuelling in a fuel tank, the corresponding actuator being arranged to actuate the associated first valve for gradually disconnecting said fuel tank from the fuel supply line, in response to said interrupt control signal. 5. The equipment according to claim 4, wherein said corresponding actuator is adapted to allow the gradual disconnection to be performed during a period of not less than to 10 seconds. 6. The equipment according to claim 4, wherein said corresponding actuator is adapted to allow the gradual disconnection to be performed during a period not less than a predetermined period. 7. The equipment according to claim 1, wherein each of said first valves is a ball valve provided with an actuator adapted for adjusting in real time the opening of the first valve. 8. The equipment according to claim 1, comprising at least one additional valve directly connected to the fuel supply line and supplying fuel to the pipework via said fuel supply line. 9. The equipment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said fuel tanks is connected on the one hand to one of said first valves actuated by said actuator and on the other hand to a second valve. 10. The equipment according to claim 9, wherein the second valve is actuated by a specific actuator adapted to be controlled by the electronic control unit. 11. The equipment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said fuel tanks is adapted to be supplied with fuel via one of said first valves which is provided with two distinct actuators. 12. The equipment according to claim 1, comprising a selector valve arranged between one of the fuel tanks and a first one of said first valves, wherein a bypass pipe is provided between said selector valve and a second one of said first valves, the selector valve being arranged to select at least one of a plurality of positions, one of which allows said first one of said first valves to be bypassed. 13. The equipment according to claim 1, wherein the pipework is arranged for distributing the flow rate supplied by the fuel supply line between a number N1 of fuels tanks, by using a number N2 of first valves arranged in a wye connection with respect to the fuel supply line, wherein N1≧N2, and using at least one multi-way control valve directly connected to a plurality of the fuel tanks. 14. A method for refuelling an aircraft tank system that comprises a fuel supply line, a pipework, fuel tanks and first valves adapted to allow each fuel tank to be disconnected from the fuel supply line, the method comprising: supplying fuel to the pipework via said fuel supply line with a determined flow rate;distributing the determined flow rate between the fuels tanks; andestimating a first valve flow parameter for each of said first valves, by using at least one captor adapted to provide at least one signal indicative of a pressure or a flow rate, said at least one captor comprising at least one pressure captor for sensing a pressure within the pipework and for providing at least one signal indicative of a pressure; wherein the method further comprises: adjusting opening of the respective first valves by associated actuators, so as to perform the distribution of said determined flow rate, each first valve comprising a valve body with a plurality of adjustable positions between a full open position and a closed position, the opening of the valve being adjusted at a defined position of the valve body chosen among the full open position, the closed position and the plurality of adjustable positions therebetween;receiving position data from said first valves and estimating the respective first valve flow parameters, by a receiving module of an electronic control unit forming part of the aircraft tank system, using the pressure data and the position data; andregulating the opening of the respective first valves by a control module of the electronic control unit using first valve flow parameter data. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: programming a desired amount of fuel for each of the fuel tanks to be refuelled;measuring, for each of the fuel tanks to be refuelled, a fuel level and providing a signal indicative of the fuel level in the fuel tank by at least one gauging device; andregulating said opening by the electronic control unit (ECU), using first valve flow parameter data and fuel level data. 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: for at least one of the fuel tanks to be refuelled, processing the signal indicative of the fuel level in the fuel tank and the signal indicative of the pressure within the pipework, by said electronic control unit (ECU), and producing at least one refuelling parameter allowing to determine for said fuel tank the time remaining to complete the refuelling; andcontrolling said actuators by the electronic control unit (ECU) so as to increase a ratio of distribution in one of the fuel tanks that requires the longest time for the refuelling, in response to at least one control signal from the electronic control unit (ECU). 17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising gradually disconnecting a fuel tank from the fuel supply line so as to anticipate the end of refuelling for the fuel tank to be disconnected, in response to at least one interrupt control signal from the electronic control unit (ECU), the interrupt control signal being generated after a comparison between the refuelling parameter and a threshold. 18. The method according to claim 14, wherein one of the first valves, which is associated with the fuel tank that requires the greatest amount of fuel, is adjusted with an initial opening that can be increased, and wherein a control signal adapted to increase said initial opening is generated by the electronic control as soon as it has been determined that at least one of the following conditions exists for another one of the fuel tanks: the time remaining to complete the refuelling is less than a predetermined value;the remaining fuel amount to be injected in the fuel tank is less than a predetermined value. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the time remaining to complete the refuelling is less than about 60 seconds. 20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the remaining fuel amount to be injected in the fuel tank is less than about 1 tonne. 21. A method for refuelling an aircraft tank system that comprises a fuel supply line, a pipework, fuel tanks and first valves adapted to allow each fuel tank to be disconnected from the fuel supply line, the method comprising: supplying fuel to the pipework via said fuel supply line with a determined flow rate;distributing the determined flow rate between the fuels tanks; andestimating a first valve flow parameter for each of said first valves, by using at least one captor adapted to provide at least one signal indicative of a pressure or a flow rate;adjusting opening of the respective first valves by associated actuators, so as to perform the distribution of said determined flow rate;regulating an opening of the respective first valves by an electronic control unit forming part of the aircraft tank system, using first valve flow parameter data;programming a desired amount of fuel for each of the fuel tanks to be refuelled;measuring, for each of the fuel tanks to be refuelled, a fuel level and providing a signal indicative of the fuel level in the fuel tank by at least one gauging device;regulating said opening by the electronic control unit (ECU), using first valve flow parameter data and fuel level data;for at least one of the fuel tanks to be refuelled, processing the signal indicative of the fuel level in the fuel tank and the signal indicative of the pressure within the pipework, by said electronic control unit (ECU), and producing at least one refuelling parameter allowing to determine for said fuel tank the time remaining to complete the refuelling; andcontrolling said actuators by the electronic control unit (ECU) so as to increase a ratio of distribution in one of the fuel tanks that requires the longest time for the refuelling, in response to at least one control signal from the electronic control unit (ECU). 22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising gradually disconnecting a fuel tank from the fuel supply line so as to anticipate the end of refuelling for the fuel tank to be disconnected, in response to at least one interrupt control signal from the electronic control unit (ECU), the interrupt control signal being generated after a comparison between the refuelling parameter and a threshold. 23. A method for refuelling an aircraft tank system that comprises a fuel supply line, a pipework, fuel tanks and first valves adapted to allow each fuel tank to be disconnected from the fuel supply line, the method comprising: supplying fuel to the pipework via said fuel supply line with a determined flow rate;distributing the determined flow rate between the fuels tanks; andestimating a first valve flow parameter for each of said first valves, by using at least one captor adapted to provide at least one signal indicative of a pressure or a flow rate;adjusting opening of the respective first valves by associated actuators, so as to perform the distribution of said determined flow rate;regulating an opening of the respective first valves by an electronic control unit forming part of the aircraft tank system, using first valve flow parameter data; wherein one of the first valves, which is associated with the fuel tank that requires the greatest amount of fuel, is adjusted with an initial opening that can be increased, and wherein a control signal adapted to increase said initial opening is generated by the electronic control as soon as it has been determined that at least one of the following conditions exists for another one of the fuel tanks: the time remaining to complete the refuelling is less than about 60 seconds,the remaining fuel amount to be injected in the fuel tank is less than about 1 tonne.
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