Receiver surge test tool assembly, system, and method
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G05D-016/20
G01L-019/00
F16K-005/06
F16K-031/02
F16K-031/12
B64F-001/28
출원번호
US-0098305
(2016-04-13)
등록번호
US-10067515
(2018-09-04)
발명자
/ 주소
Amos, Michael U.
Garon, David C.
Butterfield, Vincent S.
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
A receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly, system and method for receiver surge pressure testing. The receiver STT assembly has a receiver surge test tool (STT) configured to simulate surge pressure conditions of a receiver aircraft, and to measure one or more surge pressures generated when receivin
A receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly, system and method for receiver surge pressure testing. The receiver STT assembly has a receiver surge test tool (STT) configured to simulate surge pressure conditions of a receiver aircraft, and to measure one or more surge pressures generated when receiving a fuel flow of fuel from a refueling source during the receiver surge pressure testing that is ground based. The receiver STT has a pipe manifold structure with inlet port(s), outlet port(s), and one or more flow lines disposed therebetween. Each flow line includes a flow meter, a pressure transducer, a shutoff valve having varying valve close rates, and a manual back pressure valve. The receiver STT assembly has a control system for controlling open and close positions of the shutoff valve, and the receiver STT, and has a data system for collecting and recording data generated during the receiver surge pressure testing.
대표청구항▼
1. A receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly for receiver surge pressure testing, the receiver STT assembly comprising: a receiver surge test tool (STT) configured to simulate surge pressure conditions of a receiver aircraft, and configured to measure one or more surge pressures generated when recei
1. A receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly for receiver surge pressure testing, the receiver STT assembly comprising: a receiver surge test tool (STT) configured to simulate surge pressure conditions of a receiver aircraft, and configured to measure one or more surge pressures generated when receiving a fuel flow of fuel from a refueling source during the receiver surge pressure testing that is ground based, the receiver STT having a pipe manifold structure comprising: one or more inlet ports configured to receive the fuel flow from the refueling source;one or more outlet ports configured for connection to a fuel return system; andone or more flow lines disposed between the one or more inlet ports and the one or more outlet ports, each flow line configured to move the fuel flow from the one or more inlet ports to the one or more outlet ports, and each flow line comprising: a flow meter for measuring a flow rate of the fuel flow through the flow line;a pressure transducer for measuring the surge pressure of the fuel flow through the flow line;a shutoff valve having varying valve close rates and having two sets of valve position indicators for indicating an open position and a close position; anda manual back pressure valve for adjusting back pressure;a control system coupled to the receiver STT for controlling the open position and the close position of the shutoff valve, and for controlling the receiver STT; anda data system coupled to the receiver STT for collecting and recording data generated during the receiver surge pressure testing. 2. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 further comprising a mobile apparatus coupled to the receiver STT to allow the receiver STT to be mobile. 3. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 further comprising one or more air bleed ports coupled to the receiver STT to prime the receiver STT prior to the receiver surge pressure testing to ensure no air is in the receiver STT; one or more drain ports coupled to the receiver STT to drain residual fuel out of the receiver STT; and a grounding reel configured to ground the receiver STT to prevent static buildup in the one or more flow lines. 4. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 wherein the receiver STT further comprises a temperature probe coupled to one of the one or more inlet ports to measure a temperature of the fuel flow received into the one or more inlet ports. 5. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 wherein the pipe manifold structure comprises four flow lines, including one one-inch diameter flow line, one two-inch diameter flow line, and two four-inch diameter flow lines. 6. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 wherein the flow meter is an ultrasonic flow meter for measuring volumetric flow rate of the fuel flow; the pressure transducer is a dynamic pressure transducer for measuring the surge pressure of the fuel flow; the shutoff valve is a pneumatically actuated ball valve having two regulated air flow paths set to cause valve close rates comprising one of a 2 second valve close rate and a 0.5 second valve close rate; and the manual back pressure valve is a manual butterfly valve for creating back pressures that simulate different receiver aircraft. 7. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 wherein the refueling source is an uncertified refueling tanker aircraft to be certified for aerial refueling clearance, and wherein a test set of surge pressure data obtained when the receiver STT receives fuel from the uncertified refueling tanker aircraft is compared against a baseline set of surge pressure data obtained from receiver surge pressure testing, when the receiver STT receives fuel from a certified refueling tanker aircraft, to obtain comparison data used to verify that surge pressures of the test set of surge pressure data are less than, or equal to, surge pressures of the baseline set of surge pressure data. 8. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 wherein the control system comprises one or more of a control system unit (CSU) comprising a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a receiver surge test tool (STT) human-machine interface (HMI), a power source, one or more computers with one or more computer processors, one or more control connections, and one or more software programs. 9. The receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly of claim 1 wherein the receiver STT further comprises one or more drive connection ports configured to connect to a valve control system comprising one of a pneumatic system, a hydraulic system, and an electrical system, to drive closure of each shutoff valve. 10. A receiver surge test tool (STT) system for receiver surge pressure testing, the system comprising: a refueling source having a supply of fuel and one or more fuel pumps configured to initiate a fuel flow of the fuel out of the refueling source and through an elongated refueling tube coupled to the refueling source;an adapter assembly having a first portion connected to the elongated refueling tube and having a second portion, the adapter assembly configured to receive the fuel flow from the elongated refueling tube into the first portion, and configured to move the fuel flow from the first portion to the second portion; anda receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly comprising: a receiver surge test tool (STT) coupled to the second portion of the adapter assembly, the receiver STT configured to simulate surge pressure conditions of a receiver aircraft, and configured to measure one or more surge pressures generated when receiving the fuel flow during the receiver surge pressure testing that is ground based, the receiver STT comprising: a pipe manifold structure comprising: an inlet port configured to receive the fuel flow from the adapter assembly;one or more outlet ports; andone or more flow lines disposed between the inlet port and the one or more outlet ports, each flow line configured to move the fuel flow from the inlet port to the one or more outlet ports, and each flow line comprising a flow meter, a pressure transducer, a shutoff valve having varying valve close rates and having two sets of valve position indicators for indicating an open position and a close position, and a manual back pressure valve;a temperature probe coupled to the inlet port to measure a temperature of the fuel flow received into the inlet port; andone or more drive connection ports configured to connect to a valve control system comprising one of a pneumatic system, a hydraulic system, and an electrical system, to drive closure of each shutoff valve;a fuel return system connected to the one or more outlet ports of the receiver STT, the fuel return system configured to receive the fuel flow from the receiver STT and configured to move the fuel flow to a fuel reservoir;a control system coupled to the receiver STT and to the adapter assembly, for controlling the open position and the close position of the shutoff valve, for controlling the receiver STT, and for controlling the adapter assembly; anda data system coupled to the receiver STT and the adapter assembly, for collecting and recording data generated during the receiver surge pressure testing. 11. The receiver surge test tool (STT) system of claim 10 further comprising one or more air bleed ports coupled to the receiver STT to prime the receiver STT prior to the receiver surge pressure testing to ensure no air is in the receiver STT; one or more drain ports coupled to the receiver STT to drain residual fuel out of the receiver STT; and a mobile apparatus coupled to the receiver STT and having a grounding reel configured to ground the receiver STT to prevent static buildup in the one or more flow lines. 12. The receiver surge test tool (STT) system of claim 10 wherein the refueling source is an uncertified refueling tanker aircraft to be certified for aerial refueling clearance, and wherein a test set of surge pressure data obtained when the receiver STT receives fuel from the uncertified refueling tanker aircraft is compared against a baseline set of surge pressure data obtained from receiver surge pressure testing, when the receiver STT receives fuel from a certified refueling tanker aircraft, to obtain comparison data used to verify that surge pressures of the test set of surge pressure data are less than, or equal to, surge pressures of the baseline set of surge pressure data. 13. The receiver surge test tool (STT) system of claim 10 wherein the refueling source is a refueling tanker aircraft and the elongated refueling tube is an aircraft boom attached to a tail portion of the refueling tanker aircraft. 14. The receiver surge test tool (STT) system of claim 13 wherein the first portion of the adapter assembly comprises a boom test unit (BTU) comprising a receptacle for connection to the aircraft boom, and wherein the second portion of the adapter assembly comprises a connector hose having a first end connected to the BTU and a second end connected to the inlet port of the receiver STT. 15. The receiver surge test tool (STT) system of claim 10 wherein the flow meter is an ultrasonic flow meter for measuring volumetric flow rate of the fuel flow; the pressure transducer is a dynamic pressure transducer for measuring the surge pressure of the fuel flow; the shutoff valve is a pneumatically actuated ball valve having two regulated air flow paths set to cause valve close rates comprising one of a 2 second valve close rate and a 0.5 second valve close rate; and the manual back pressure valve is a manual butterfly valve for creating back pressures that simulate different receiver aircraft. 16. A method of using a receiver surge test tool (STT) system to conduct receiver surge pressure testing to certify an uncertified refueling tanker aircraft for aerial refueling clearance, the method comprising the steps of: providing the receiver surge test tool (STT) system having a receiver surge test tool (STT) configured to simulate surge pressure conditions of a receiver aircraft;using the receiver STT system to conduct receiver surge pressure testing, that is ground based, of a certified refueling tanker aircraft, to obtain a baseline set of surge pressure data comprising baseline data of surge pressures generated in the receiver STT, when the receiver STT receives fuel from the certified refueling tanker aircraft;using the receiver STT system to conduct receiver surge pressure testing, that is ground based, of the uncertified refueling tanker aircraft, to obtain a test set of surge pressure data comprising test data of surge pressures generated in the receiver STT, when the receiver STT receives fuel from the uncertified refueling tanker aircraft;comparing the test set of surge pressure data against the baseline set of surge pressure data to obtain a set of comparison data;using the set of comparison data to verify that the surge pressures of the test set of surge pressure data are less than, or equal to, the surge pressures of the baseline set of surge pressure data; andcertifying the uncertified refueling tanker aircraft for aerial refueling clearance, if the surge pressures of the test set of surge pressure data are less than, or equal to, the surge pressures of the baseline set of surge pressure data. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein providing the receiver surge test tool (STT) system further comprises providing the receiver STT system comprising: an aircraft boom attached to one of the certified refueling tanker aircraft and the uncertified refueling aircraft tanker;a boom test unit (BTU) comprising a receptacle configured for connection to the aircraft boom, and a connector hose having a first end connected to the BTU and a second end connected to the receiver STT; anda receiver surge test tool (STT) assembly comprising: the receiver surge test tool (STT) comprising a pipe manifold structure with an inlet port, one or more outlet ports, one or more flow lines disposed between the inlet port and the one or more outlet ports, a temperature probe coupled to the inlet port to measure a temperature of the fuel received into the receiver STT, and one or more drive connection ports configured to connect to a valve control system;a fuel return system connected to the one or more outlet ports of the receiver STT, the fuel return system configured to receive the fuel from the receiver STT;a control system coupled to the receiver STT and to the BTU, for controlling an open position and a close position of a shutoff valve on each of the one or more flow lines, for controlling the receiver STT, and for controlling the BTU; anda data system coupled to the receiver STT and the BTU, for collecting and recording the test data and the baseline data generated during the receiver surge pressure testing. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein each flow line of the receiver STT comprises a flow meter for measuring a flow rate of a fuel flow of the fuel; a pressure transducer for measuring the surge pressure of the fuel flow of the fuel; the shutoff valve comprising a pneumatically actuated ball valve having two regulated air flow paths set to cause valve close rates comprising one of a 2 second valve close rate and a 0.5 second valve close rate; and a manual back pressure valve for adjusting back pressure. 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more drive connection ports of the receiver STT are configured to connect to the valve control system comprising one of a pneumatic system, a hydraulic system, and an electrical system, to drive closure of the shutoff valve on each of the one or more flow lines. 20. The method of claim 16 wherein prior to using the receiver STT system to conduct receiver surge pressure testing of the certified refueling tanker aircraft and the uncertified refueling tanker aircraft, performing one or more receiver surge test tool (STT) checkouts comprising one of a calibration, a boom test unit (BTU) surge test, and a high flow surge test.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Cutler, Theron L.; Shelly, Mark A., Aerial refueling system.
Carns, James A.; Cutler, Theron L.; Shelly, Mark A.; Van Kampen, Benjamin P., Systems and methods for distributing loads from fluid conduits, including aircraft fuel conduits.
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