Linerless, conformable composite tank structure for aircraft water and waste

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447723-B2
Application number	US-202017598113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A linerless composite tank for a waste or water system on board an aerospace vehicle includes a monolithic tank body having a first composite material co-cured with a second composite material. The first composite material includes a first resin and the second composite material includes a second resin that is different from the first resin. The first composite material forms an innermost surface of the monolithic tank body defining a tank chamber of the monolithic tank body. A method of manufacturing the linerless composite tank includes providing a mold having a desired interior shape of the monolithic tank, applying the first composite material to the mold, applying the second composite material to the mold, and co-curing the first composite material with the second composite material to form the monolithic composite tank.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a monolithic composite tank body for a waste or water system on board an aerospace vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a mold comprising a desired interior shape of the monolithic composite tank body wherein the mold comprises at least three co-linear formations that form at least three co-linear openings on a first side of a monolithic composite tank body, and wherein the openings are configured to be in fluid communication with at least one sink, toilet, faucet, piping, or tubing, wherein the first side is a longest side of a plurality of sides of the monolithic tank body;
applying a first curable composite material to the mold, wherein the first curable composite material comprises a first resin;
applying a second curable composite material to the mold comprising the first curable composite material, wherein the second curable composite material comprises a second resin that is different from the first resin;
co-curing the first curable composite material with the second curable composite material to form the monolithic composite tank body;
removing the mold; and
performing a second curing process on the monolithic tank body after the monolithic tank body is removed from the mold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first resin comprises a thermoset material, and wherein applying the first curable composite material comprises applying the thermoset material to the mold.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermoset material comprises polyurethane, and wherein applying the thermoset material comprises applying the polyurethane to the mold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second resin comprises a thermoplastic material, and wherein applying the second curable composite material comprises applying the thermoplastic material to the mold.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises epoxy, and wherein applying the thermoplastic material comprises applying the epoxy to the mold.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second curable composite material further comprises at least one reinforcement fiber incorporated in the second resin, and wherein applying the second curable composite material comprises applying the second resin comprising the at least one reinforcement fiber to the mold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the first curable composite material to the mold comprises applying the first curable composite material such that the first curable composite material directly contacts a surface of the mold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first resin comprises polyurethane and wherein the second resin comprises epoxy.

Assignees

• Mag Aerospace Ind Llc

Inventors

• Salcepuedes Edita
• Nakhla Mario
• Spain David
• Mohan Sabarrish
• Lal Misri

Classifications

• B29C70/0035

  comprising two or more matrix materials · CPC title

• B64D11/02

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• B29L2031/7172

  Fuel tanks, jerry cans · CPC title

• B29L2031/7154

  Barrels, drums, tuns, vats · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title