Systems and methods for selective control of fuel tanks
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F15D-001/00
B60K-015/077
B64D-037/00
B60K-015/03
출원번호
US-0712635
(2015-05-14)
등록번호
US-9989077
(2018-06-05)
발명자
/ 주소
Chan, Alistair K.
Cheatham, III, Jesse R.
Chin, Hon Wah
Hyde, Roderick A.
Ishikawa, Muriel Y.
Kare, Jordin T.
Mankin, Max N.
Myhrvold, Nathan P.
Pan, Tony S.
Petroski, Robert C.
Tegreene, Clarence T.
Touran, Nicholas W.
Tuckerman, David B.
Urzhumov, Yaroslav A.
Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
Wood, Victoria Y. H.
출원인 / 주소
Elwha LLC
대리인 / 주소
Foley & Lardner LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
17
초록▼
A fuel tank includes a port and an open-cell foam. The open-cell foam is configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel. The open-cell foam is configured to selectively release the liquid fuel when a surfactant is applied to the op
A fuel tank includes a port and an open-cell foam. The open-cell foam is configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel. The open-cell foam is configured to selectively release the liquid fuel when a surfactant is applied to the open-cell foam to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel tank, comprising: a port;an open-cell foam configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; anda surfactant supply source including a surfactant;wherein the surfactant supply source is configured to apply the surfactant to
1. A fuel tank, comprising: a port;an open-cell foam configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; anda surfactant supply source including a surfactant;wherein the surfactant supply source is configured to apply the surfactant to at least one of the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel so as to selectively release the liquid fuel from the fuel tank. 2. The tank of claim 1, wherein the port is configured to provide a flow channel out of the tank for the released liquid fuel. 3. The tank of claim 1, wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within the fuel tank. 4. The tank of claim 1, wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within a flow conduit of the port. 5. The tank of claim 1, wherein the open-cell foam is homogeneous. 6. The tank of claim 1, wherein the tank defines an interior space, and wherein the open-cell foam substantially occupies the interior space. 7. The tank of claim 1, wherein the open-cell foam is a liner disposed on an interior wall of the tank defining an open area within the tank. 8. The tank of claim 1, wherein an interior portion of the open-cell foam includes a flow channel configured to direct liquid fuel from the interior portion to a portion of the open-cell foam located near the port. 9. The tank of claim 1, wherein the open-cell foam is configured to release the liquid fuel near the port. 10. The tank of claim 1, wherein the open-cell foam is configured such that the surfactant exits the tank through the port along with the amount of liquid fuel released from the foam. 11. The tank of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to selectively control a flow of the surfactant from the surfactant supply source to the port. 12. The tank of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to prevent the flow of the surfactant to the port in response to receiving an alert signal. 13. The tank of claim 1, further comprising an inverse surfactant supply configured to provide an inverse surfactant to prevent liquid fuel from being released from the open-cell foam at an area where the surfactant was previously applied. 14. The tank of claim 1, wherein the surfactant includes a powder. 15. The tank of claim 1, further comprising a surfactant supply tank configured to hold the surfactant. 16. The tank of claim 15, wherein the surfactant supply tank is located remotely from the fuel tank. 17. An airplane fuel tank system, comprising: a fuel tank, the fuel tank comprising: a port, andan open-cell foam configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; anda surfactant supply system including a surfactant; in fluidic communication with the fuel tank;wherein the surfactant supply system is configured to provide the surfactant to the fuel tank to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel such that an amount of liquid fuel is selectively released from the open-cell foam. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the port is configured to provide a flow channel out of the fuel tank for the released liquid fuel. 19. A method of controlling a flow of liquid fuel from a fuel tank, comprising: containing a liquid fuel within an open-cell foam of a fuel tank by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel;applying a surfactant near a port of the fuel tank to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; andreleasing the liquid fuel from the open-cell foam through the port of the fuel tank. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the port is configured to provide a flow channel out of the tank for the released liquid fuel. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the surfactant is applied to the open-cell foam. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the surfactant is applied to the liquid fuel. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within the fuel tank. 24. The method of claim 19, wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within a flow conduit of the port. 25. The method of claim 19, wherein the tank defines an interior space, and wherein the open-cell foam substantially occupies the interior space. 26. The method of claim 19, wherein an interior portion of the open-cell foam includes a flow channel, and wherein releasing the liquid fuel from the open-cell foam includes directing the liquid fuel from the interior portion to a portion of the open-cell foam near the port via the flow channel. 27. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the surfactant near the port includes locally applying the surfactant to the open-cell foam near the port. 28. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid fuel is released from the open-cell foam while applying the surfactant. 29. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the surfactant includes selectively controlling a flow of the surfactant by a computer controller. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the computer controller is configured to prevent the flow of the surfactant in response to receiving an alert signal. 31. The method of claim 19, further comprising applying an inverse surfactant to the open-cell foam at an area where the surfactant was previously applied to prevent liquid fuel from being released. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein applying the inverse surfactant includes increasing the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel. 33. The method of claim 19, wherein the surfactant is stored in a surfactant supply tank.
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