Fuel tank testing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12187458-B2
Application number	US-201816184326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 8, 2018
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for testing a fuel tank for an aircraft. Electrical power is sent to an optical data concentrator for the fuel tank for the aircraft from a power supply such that the optical data concentrator sends optical signals to optical sensors inside the fuel tank through optical fibers connecting the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors. The electrical power is sent during a phase of manufacturing of the aircraft. Test data is received from the optical data concentrator by a computer system. The test data is based on optical response signals received from the optical sensors. A determination of states for the optical sensors is made by the computer system using the test data. A graphical indication of the states determined for the optical sensors inside the fuel tank is displayed by the computer system in a graphical user interface on a display system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for testing optical sensors inside a fuel tank for an aircraft at a phase of manufacturing, the method comprising:
sending electrical power to an optical data concentrator for the fuel tank in a fuel tank system for the aircraft from a power supply such that the optical data concentrator sends optical signals to the optical sensors in the fuel tank through optical fibers connecting the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors inside the fuel tank, wherein the optical sensors and the optical fibers are installed inside the fuel tank and wherein the electrical power is sent during the phase of manufacturing of the aircraft;
receiving, by a computer system in communication with the optical data concentrator, test data from the optical data concentrator, wherein the test data is based on optical response signals received from the optical sensors;
determining, by the computer system, states for the optical sensors using the test data, wherein each optical sensor of the optical sensors has a state of at least one of no data, fail, or pass; and
displaying, by the computer system, a fuel tank system map of sensor locations of each optical sensor in the fuel tank, the state determined for each optical sensor of the optical sensors in the fuel tank, and an overall pass/fail display for the fuel tank in a graphical user interface on a display system;
wherein the optical signals sent by the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors is converted into electrical power by photovoltaic converters located within each optical sensor and used to power the optical sensors.

2. The method of claim 1 , connecting the power supply to the optical data concentrator for the fuel tank in the fuel tank system, the optical data concentrator mounted on the fuel tank.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
storing the states for the optical sensors in data structure.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a selection of the fuel tank from fuel tanks for the aircraft, wherein each fuel tank of the fuel tanks has an associated optical data concentrator and associated optical sensors in which the associated optical data concentrator and the associated optical sensors are connected to each other by associated optical fibers, and
wherein sending the electrical power to the optical data concentrator for the fuel tank in the fuel tank system for the aircraft from the power supply such that the optical data concentrator sends the optical signals to the optical sensors in the fuel tank through the optical fibers connecting the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors comprises:
responsive to selecting the fuel tank from the fuel tanks for the aircraft, sending the electrical power to the associated optical data concentrator for the fuel tank for the aircraft from the power supply such that the associated optical data concentrator sends the optical signals to the associated optical sensors inside the fuel tank through the associated optical fibers connecting the associated optical data concentrator to the associated optical sensors.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to a group of the optical sensors having a number of nonconformances, performing, by a human operator, an action to resolve the number of nonconformances in the group of the optical sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each portion of the fuel tank system selectable for testing has an associated optical data concentrator.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is a partially assembled aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank is located in at least one of a wing of the aircraft or a fuselage section of the aircraft.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein computer system is selected from at least one of a server computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or smart glasses.

10. A method for testing optical sensors inside a fuel tank for an aircraft, the method comprising:
sending electrical power to an optical data concentrator for the fuel tank for the aircraft from a power supply such that the optical data concentrator sends optical signals to the optical sensors inside the fuel tank through optical fibers connecting the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors, wherein the optical sensors and the optical fibers are installed inside the fuel tank and wherein the electrical power is sent during a phase of manufacturing of the aircraft, wherein the phase of manufacturing is prior to the fuel tank for the aircraft and the optical data concentrator being connected to avionics for the aircraft;
receiving, by a computer system in communication with the optical data concentrator, test data from the optical data concentrator, wherein the test data is based on optical response signals received from the optical sensors;
determining, by the computer system, states for the optical sensors using the test data, wherein each optical sensor of the optical sensors has a state of at least one of no data, fail, or pass; and
displaying, by the computer system, a graphical indication of the state determined for each optical sensor of the optical sensors inside the fuel tank in a graphical user interface on a display system;
wherein the optical signals sent by the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors is converted into electrical power by photovoltaic converters located within each optical sensor and used to power the optical sensors.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein displaying, by the computer system, the graphical indication of the state determined for each optical sensor of the optical sensors in the fuel tank in the graphical user interface on the display system further comprises:
displaying, by the computer system, a fuel tank system map of sensor locations of each optical sensor in the fuel tank showing the state and location determined for each optical sensor of the optical sensors in the fuel tank in the graphical user interface on the display system.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the sending electrical power is performed during at least one of during the phase of manufacturing or during maintenance.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fuel tank is located in a part selected from a group comprising a wing and a fuselage section.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
storing the states for the optical sensors in data structure.

15. A fuel tank system analyzer comprising:
a power supply that operates to send electrical power to an optical data concentrator for a fuel tank in a fuel tank system for an aircraft such that the optical data concentrator sends optical signals to optical sensors installed inside the fuel tank through optical fibers installed inside the fuel tank, the optical fibers connecting the optical data concentrator to the optical sensors;
a computer system that operates to:
receive test data from the optical data concentrator when the computer system is in communication with the optical data concentrator in which the test data is based on optical response signals received from the optical sensors;
determine states for the optical sensors using the test data, wherein each optical sensor of the optical sensors has a state of at least one of no data, fail, or pass; and
display a graphical indication of the location and the state determined for each optical sensor of the optical sensors in the fuel tank and an overall pass/fail display for the fuel tank in a graphical user interface on a display system; and

wherein the optical signals sent by the optical data concen

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Durr Bryan R
• Jackson Timothy Edward
• Gubler Eric Scott

Classifications

• G01M11/33

  with a light emitter being disposed at one fibre or waveguide end-face, and a light receiver at the other end-face · CPC title

• B64D37/06

  Constructional adaptations thereof · CPC title

• B64D37/005

  Accessories not provided for in the groups B64D37/02 - B64D37/28 · CPC title

• G01F25/20

  of apparatus for measuring liquid level · CPC title

• G01F23/292

  Light {, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet} · CPC title