Methods and apparatus for cryogenic fuel bayonet transfers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10843808-B2
Application number	US-201615364126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2016
Priority date	Nov 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for cryogenic fuel bayonet transfers are disclosed. A disclosed example fuel transfer system includes a fuel tank. The example fuel transfer system also includes a bayonet receptacle extending into an internal volume of the fuel tank, where the bayonet receptacle is to receive a fuel transfer bayonet to fill the fuel tank with fuel and a fuel discharge bayonet to discharge the fuel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel transfer system comprising:
a fuel tank;
a bayonet receptacle extending into an internal volume of the fuel tank, the bayonet receptacle having an opening to receive a fuel transfer bayonet to fill the fuel tank with fuel and to receive a fuel discharge bayonet to discharge the fuel; and
an exchange portion disposed within the internal volume, the exchange portion including a check valve and a relief valve, the check valve for filing the internal volume with the fuel via the fuel transfer bayonet, the relief valve for emptying the fuel from the internal volume via the fuel discharge bayonet, wherein pressure from the fuel exiting the fuel transfer bayonet opens the check valve when the fuel transfer bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle and the check valve remains closed when the fuel discharge bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle, and wherein a pressure relief path of the fuel discharge bayonet fluid biases the relief valve to an open position when the fuel discharge bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle.

2. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the check valve extends from the exchange portion.

3. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 wherein the relief valve extends from the exchange portion.

4. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 3 , wherein the check valve and the relief valve are oriented substantially perpendicular to one another within the fuel tank.

5. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 , further including an insulation layer at least partially surrounding the bayonet receptacle.

6. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank is disposed within an unmanned aircraft, and wherein the fuel discharge bayonet is to discharge the fuel to a fuel cell of the unmanned aircraft.

7. An electric aircraft comprising:
a fuel tank;
at least one bayonet receptacle extending into an internal volume of the fuel tank, the at least one bayonet receptacle having an opening to receive a fuel transfer bayonet to fill the fuel tank and a fuel discharge bayonet to discharge fuel from the fuel tank, the fuel transfer bayonet and fuel discharge bayonet different from one another; and
an exchange portion disposed within the internal volume, the exchange portion including a check valve and a relief valve, the check valve for filing the internal volume with the fuel via the fuel transfer bayonet, the relief valve for emptying the fuel from the internal volume via the fuel discharge bayonet, wherein pressure from the fuel exiting the fuel transfer bayonet opens the check valve when the fuel transfer bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle and the check valve remains closed when the fuel discharge bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle, and wherein a pressure relief path of the fuel discharge bayonet fluid biases the relief valve to an open position when the fuel discharge bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle.

8. The electric aircraft as defined in claim 7 , further including a cylindrical portion of the fuel tank at least partially surrounding the at least one bayonet receptacle.

9. The electric aircraft as defined in claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical portion includes an insulating material or a vacuum.

10. The electric aircraft as defined in claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical portion extends from a main body portion of the fuel tank.

11. The electric aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the at least one bayonet receptacle includes first and second bayonet receptacles, the first bayonet receptacle to receive the fuel transfer bayonet, the second bayonet receptacle to receive the fuel discharge bayonet.

12. The electric aircraft as defined in claim 11 , wherein the first bayonet receptacle is oriented at an angle of approximately 40 to 50 degrees from the second bayonet receptacle.

13. The electric aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the electric aircraft is an unmanned aircraft.

14. A method comprising:
placing a fuel transfer bayonet in an opening of a bayonet receptacle of a fuel tank, wherein an exchange portion is disposed within an internal volume of the fuel tank, the exchange portion including a check valve and relief valve;
providing fuel to the internal volume of the fuel tank via the fuel transfer bayonet, wherein pressure from the fuel exiting the fuel transfer bayonet opens the check valve;
removing the fuel transfer bayonet; and
placing a fuel discharge bayonet in the opening of the bayonet receptacle to discharge the fuel from the fuel tank wherein when the fuel discharge bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle, the check valve remains closed, and wherein a pressure relief path of the fuel discharge bayonet fluid biases the relief valve to an open position when the fuel discharge bayonet is inserted into the bayonet receptacle.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 , further including coupling a tube associated with the fuel discharge bayonet to a fuel cell of an electric vehicle.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 , wherein placing the fuel transfer bayonet defines a fluid discharge path through the check valve disposed within the internal volume of the fuel tank.

17. The method as defined in claim 14 , wherein placing the fuel transfer bayonet and the fuel discharge bayonet are inserted into an insulated sleeve.

18. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the relief valve is located at a first distance from the opening of the bayonet receptacle, and wherein the check valve is located at a second distance from the opening of the bayonet receptacle, the second distance different than the first distance.

19. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 , further including a first shoulder of the bayonet receptacle, wherein second and third shoulders of the fuel transfer bayonet and the fuel discharge bayonet, respectively, are to contact the first shoulder of the bayonet receptacle.

20. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 19 , wherein the fuel transfer bayonet includes a first distal portion extending from the second shoulder at a first length, and wherein the fuel discharge bayonet includes a second distal portion extending from the third shoulder at a second length, the first length greater than the second length.

21. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the check valve extends along a longitudinal axis of the bayonet receptacle, and wherein the relief valve extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

22. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fuel discharge bayonet includes a vaporization bayonet to convert liquid in the fuel tank to gas.

23. The fuel transfer system as defined in claim 22 , wherein the liquid includes liquid hydrogen and the gas includes gaseous hydrogen.

24. An electric aircraft comprising:
a fuel tank; and
at least one bayonet receptacle extending into an internal volume of the fuel tank, the at least one bayonet receptacle having an opening to receive a fuel transfer bayonet to fill the fuel tank and a fuel discharge bayonet to discharge fuel from the fuel tank, the fuel transfer bayonet and fuel discharge bayonet different from one another, wherein the at least one bayonet receptacle includes first and second bayonet receptacles, the first bayonet receptacle to receive the fuel transfer bayonet, the second bayonet receptacle to receive the fuel discharge

Assignees

• Insitu Inc

Inventors

• Knapp Jeffrey H

Classifications

• B64U50/13

  using external fans or propellers · CPC title

• B64U30/10

  Wings · CPC title

• B64U50/32

  generated by fuel cells · CPC title

• B64U10/25

  Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title