Leak detection for aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022517-B2
Application number	US-201916454803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Apr 12, 2019
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a sensor system for retrofitting a water supply of an airplane to detect leakage. The system includes a housing having a first band with an inner diameter sized to receive a necked portion of a valve for consumer access to the water supply. The system includes a first transducer disposed on the first band operable to provide a position measurement corresponding to a relative position between a head of the valve and the necked portion. The system includes a second transducer operable to provide a pressure measurement corresponding to a pressure of a compressed gas in a water tank of the water supply. The system includes a controller having input channels operable to receive the position measurement and the pressure measurement. The controller is operable to indicate a leak condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor system for retrofitting a water supply of an airplane to detect leakage, the system comprising:
a housing including a first band having an inner diameter sized to receive a necked portion of a valve for consumer access to the water supply;
a first transducer disposed on the first band operable to provide a position measurement corresponding to a relative position between a head of the valve and the necked portion;
a second transducer operable to provide a pressure measurement corresponding to a pressure of a compressed gas in a water tank of the water supply;
a controller having input channels operable to receive the position measurement and the pressure measurement, the controller operable to, when the pressure measurement indicates a pressure decrease and the position measurement indicates a closed valve position that prevents water flow, indicate a leak condition;
a third transducer operable to provide outlet flow measurement corresponding to an outlet flow from the water tank, and the controller having an third transducer input channel operable to receive the flow measurement, and responsive to the outlet flow measurement having a value greater than a predetermined flow rate of the valve, indicate the leak condition; and
a fourth transducer operable to provide downstream flow measurement corresponding to a downstream flow from a joint connected to the valve, and the controller having a fourth transducer input channel operable to receive the downstream flow measurement, and responsive to the downstream flow measurement having a different value than a sum of the outlet flow measurement and a premeasured flow rate corresponding to the valve, indicate the leak condition.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the leak condition includes a location associated with the downstream flow measurement.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the first transducer is a limit switch.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the second transducer is a differential pressure sensor.

5. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the first band defines two jaws arranged to meet in a secured position around the necked portion, the two jaws having respective apertures sized to receive a set screw.

6. The sensor system of claim 1 further comprising, a stop valve operable to stop a flow path of the water supply responsive to the leak condition.

7. The sensor system of claim 6 , wherein the leak condition is a control signal for the stop valve.

8. A sensor system tor retrofitting a water supply of an airplane to detect leakage, the system comprising:
a housing including a first band having an inner diameter sized to receive a necked portion of a valve for consumer access to the water supply,
a first transducer disposed on the first band operable to provide a position measurement corresponding to a relative position between a head of the valve and the necked portion;
a second transducer operable to provide a pressure measurement corresponding to a pressure of a compressed gas in a water tank of the water supply; and
a controller having input channels operable to receive the position measurement and the pressure measurement, the controller operable to, when the pressure measurement indicates a pressure decrease and the position measurement indicates a closed valve position that prevents water flow, indicate a leak condition;
wherein the housing includes a second band sized to receive the necked portion and a transducer terminal supported by the second band electrically connected with the first transducer.

9. The sensor system of claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a conduit between the first band and the second band sized to house wire that electrically connects the first transducer and the transducer terminal.

10. The sensor system of claim 8 , wherein the transducer terminal includes a wireless antenna operable to send the position measurement to the controller.

11. A method for detecting a leak in a water supply of an airplane, the method comprising:
receiving a position measurement corresponding to a valve position between ahead of a valve and a necked portion of the valve from a first transducer measuring the valve position;
receiving a pressure measurement corresponding to a pressure of a compressed gas in a water tank of the water supply;
outputting a leak condition when the pressure measurement indicates a pressure decrease and the position measurement indicates a closed valve position that prevents water flow;
receiving an outlet flow measurement corresponding to an outlet flow from the water tank, and outputting the leak condition when the outlet flow measurement has a value greater than a predeterminded flow rate of the valve; and
receiving downstream flow measurement corresponding to a downstream flow from a joint connected to the valve, and outputting the downstream Dow measurement having a different value than a sum of the outlet flow measurement and a premeasured flow rate corresponding to the valve.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, operating a stop valve associated with the water supply to prevent water flow of the water supply.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the leak condition includes a location of associated with the leak condition.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stop valve is associated with the location of the leak condition such that only waterflow associated with the leak condition.

15. A sensor system for retrofitting a water supply of an airplane to detect leakage, the system comprising:
a housing including a first band having an inner diameter sized to receive a necked portion of a valve for consumer access to the water supply;
a first transducer disposed on the first band operable to provide a position measurement corresponding to a relative position between a head of the valve and the necked portion;
a second transducer operable to provide a pressure measurement corresponding to a pressure of a compressed gas in a water tank of the water supply; and
a controller having input channels operable to receive the position measurement and the pressure measurement, the controller operable to, when the pressure measurement indicates a pressure decrease and the position measurement indicates a closed valve position that prevents water flow, operate a stop valve associated with the water supply;
wherein the housing includes a second band size to receive the necked portion and a transducer terminal supported by the second band electrically connected with the first transducer, the transducer terminal having a wireless antenna operable to send the position measurement to the controller.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Maroju Sathyanand
• Subramanian Sanith Kurumpilavu

Classifications

• G01M3/3263

  using a differential pressure detector (G01M3/3245, G01M3/3272 take precedence) · CPC title

• B64F5/60 Primary

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• G01M3/28

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves {; for welds} · CPC title

• Y10T137/0452

  Detecting or repairing leak · CPC title