Antivortex device for multi-outlet liquid reservoir

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9260205-B2
Application number	US-201313741526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2013
Priority date	Jan 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A liquid reservoir with a sump includes at least two outlet ports in fluid communication with a fluid conduit. An anti-vortex device includes a first plate extending across the at least two outlet ports and a second plate coupled to the first plate and extending substantially perpendicular to the first plate. The anti-vortex device is configured to disrupt formation of a vortex formed by liquid passing from the reservoir through said outlet ports.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid reservoir, comprising:
a sump including at least two outlet ports in fluid communication with a fluid conduit, the at least two outlet ports defined in a surface of a central portion of the sump;
an anti-vortex device including a first plate and a second plate each oriented generally perpendicular to the surface of the central portion, the first plate extending across the at least two outlet ports and the second plate coupled to the first plate and extending substantially perpendicular to the first plate, wherein the second plate comprises at least two co-planar segments defining a gap therebetween, the gap being oriented over the central portion;
wherein the anti-vortex device is configured to disrupt formation of a vortex formed by liquid passing from the reservoir through said outlet ports.

2. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid reservoir is a tank for storing liquid propellant for a rocket.

3. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , further comprising a top plate coupled to each of the first plate and the second plate.

4. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , wherein the first plate is positioned over a central axis of each of the outlet ports.

5. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first plate and the second plate include a plurality of perforations such that each of the first plate and the second plate have a porosity of about 20% to about 40%.

6. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , wherein the second plate is comprised of at least two segments that are each coupled to the first plate by at least one stringer.

7. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , further comprising two transverse plates, each of the transverse plates oriented substantially perpendicular to the first plate and each being positioned over one of the outlet ports.

8. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate are coupled to a support post.

9. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one liquid level sensor for determining a quantity of liquid in the reservoir.

10. The liquid reservoir according to claim 1 , further comprising a support ring coupled to each of the first plate and the second plate, the support ring configured to increase the rigidity of the anti-vortex device.

11. An anti-vortex device for suppressing the formation of a vortex created by a liquid flowing through at least two outlet ports defined in a surface of a central portion of a sump, the device comprising:
a first plate extending across each of the outlet ports, the first plate oriented generally perpendicular to the surface of the central portion and substantially aligned with a central axis of each outlet port,
a second plate extending substantially perpendicular to the first plate, the second plate oriented generally perpendicular to the surface of the central portion, wherein the second plate comprises at least two co-planar segments defining a gap therebetween, the gap being oriented over the central portion, and
a top plate coupled to each of the first plate and the second plate.

12. The anti-vortex device according to claim 11 , wherein the first plate includes a first cut-out substantially centered over one of the outlet ports and a second cut-out substantially centered another of the outlet ports.

13. The anti-vortex device according to claim 11 , wherein each of the first plate and the second plate are perforated to a porosity of about 20% to about 40%.

14. The anti-vortex device according to claim 11 , further comprising a first transverse plate oriented substantially perpendicular to the first plate and extending across one of the outlet ports and a second transverse plate oriented substantially perpendicular to the first plate and extending across another of the outlet ports.

15. The anti-vortex device according to claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of stringers coupled to the first plate and the second plate, the stringers configured to increase the rigidity of the anti-vortex device.

16. A method of suppressing a vortex from being formed in a liquid exiting at least two outlet ports defined in a surface of a central portion of a liquid reservoir, the method comprising:
positioning an anti-vortex device over the outlet ports, the anti-vortex device including a first plate and a second plate each oriented generally perpendicular to the surface, the second plate substantially perpendicular to the first plate, wherein the second plate includes at least two co-planar segments defining a gap therebetween, the gap being oriented over the central portion,
wherein the anti-vortex device is positioned such that the first plate extends across each of the outlet ports, and is substantially aligned with a central axis of each outlet port.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising coupling a top plate to the first plate and the second plate.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising coupling a plurality of stringers to the first plate and the second plate to increase the rigidity of the anti-vortex device.

19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising coupling a liquid level sensor to the anti-vortex device.

20. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising positioning the first plate in the reservoirs such that a lower surface of the first plate corresponds to a contour of a sump of the liquid reservoir.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Grayson Gary David
• Addison Stephen Michael

Classifications

• B64G1/402 Primary

  Propellant tanks; Feeding propellants · CPC title

• Y10T137/86348

  Tank with internally extending flow guide, pipe or conduit · CPC title

• F02K9/605

  Reservoirs · CPC title

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title