Pressure hull penetrator for submersible vehicles that utilize fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708043-B2
Application number	US-201514602898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2015
Priority date	Jan 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide for in-place refueling of reactant sources for submersible vehicles that utilize fuel cells. In one embodiment, the vehicle includes a pressure hull that maintains a pressure boundary between an interior surface and an exterior surface, and includes a fuel cell. The vehicle includes a reactant source tank for the fuel cell that includes a fill port for transferring a reactant source to the reactant source tank. The vehicle includes a pressure hull penetrator that traverses from the exterior surface to the interior surface utilizing a passage through the pressure hull. The pressure hull penetrator maintains the pressure boundary between the exterior surface and the interior surface. The vehicle includes a fill tube coupled to the fill port of the reactant source tank that traverses through the pressure hull penetrator to the exterior surface, and an electrically non-conductive sleeve surrounding the fill tube.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a vehicle that is configured to submerge in water, the vehicle comprising:
a pressure hull configured to maintain a pressure boundary between an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a fuel cell within the interior surface;
a reactant source tank for the fuel cell within the interior surface that includes a fill port for transferring a reactant source for the fuel cell to the reactant source tank;
a pressure hull penetrator that traverses from the exterior surface to the interior surface utilizing a passage through the pressure hull, wherein the pressure hull penetrator is configured to maintain the pressure boundary between the exterior surface and the interior surface;
a fill tube coupled to the fill port of the reactant source tank that traverses through the pressure hull penetrator to the exterior surface; and
an electrically non-conductive sleeve surrounding the fill tube that is sandwiched between the fill tube and the pressure hull penetrator along the passage through the pressure hull.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the pressure hull penetrator includes a flange that removably couples the pressure hull penetrator to the pressure hull, wherein the flange includes a first surface that mates to the exterior surface of the pressure hull and a second surface disposed away from the exterior surface of the pressure hull.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
a radial seal sandwiched between the passage through the pressure hull and the pressure hull penetrator; and
a face seal sandwiched between the first surface of the flange and the exterior surface of the pressure hull.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
the radial seal and the face seal comprise spring type seals.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:
a pressure cap having an open end with a circular lip and a closed end, wherein the open end is removably coupled to the pressure hull penetrator; and
a face seal sandwiched between the circular lip and the second surface of the flange.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
a material of the radial seal and the face seal comprises Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

7. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:
a first non-conductive end fitting surrounding the fill tube that has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is removably coupled with the pressure hull penetrator proximate to the flange;
a second non-conductive end fitting surrounding the fill tube that has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is removably coupled with the pressure hull penetrator proximate to an intersection between the interior surface of the pressure hull and the passage through the pressure hull.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:
a material of the first and second non-conductive end fittings comprises Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a first O-ring seal sandwiched between the first end of the first non-conductive end fitting and the pressure hull penetrator; and
a second O-ring seal sandwiched between the first end of the second non-conductive end fitting and the pressure hull penetrator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:
a material of the first and second O-ring seals comprises Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a first metal tube fitting surrounding the fill tube having a first end that is removably coupled with the second end of the first non-conductive end fitting, and having a second end that is configured to mechanically clamp to the fill tube to form a seal between the first metal tube fitting and the fill tube; and
a second metal tube fitting surrounding the fill tube having a first end that is removably coupled with the second end of the second non-conductive end fitting, and having a second end that is configured to mechanically clamp to the fill tube to form a seal between the second metal tube fitting and the fill tube.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:
a first O-ring seal sandwiched between the first end of the first metal tube fitting and the second end of the first non-conductive end fitting; and
a second O-ring seal sandwiched between the first end of the second metal tube fitting and the second end of the second non-conductive end fitting.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fuel cell comprises a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) or a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reactant source for the fuel cell comprises an oxidizer or a hydrocarbon fuel.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the oxidizer comprises liquefied oxygen.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the hydrocarbon fuel comprises kerosene.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a material of the pressure hull penetrator and the fill tube comprises metal.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a material of the electrically non-conductive sleeve comprises Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

19. An apparatus comprising:
an electrically conductive pressure hull penetrator that traverses from an exterior surface of a pressure hull for a submersible vehicle to an interior surface of the pressure hull utilizing a passage through the pressure hull;
wherein the pressure hull penetrator includes a flange that removably couples the pressure hull penetrator to the pressure hull along a surface that mates to the exterior surface of the pressure hull;
an electrically conductive fill tube coupled to a reactant source tank for a fuel cell that traverses through a centerline of the pressure hull penetrator to the exterior surface;
an electrically non-conductive sleeve that is sandwiched between the fill tube and the pressure hull penetrator along the passage through the pressure hull;
a radial seal sandwiched between the passage through the pressure hull and the pressure hull penetrator; and
a face seal sandwiched between the surface of the flange and the exterior surface of the pressure hull.

20. An apparatus comprising:
an electrically conductive pressure hull penetrator that traverses from an exterior surface of a pressure hull to an interior surface of the pressure hull utilizing a passage through the pressure hull;
wherein the pressure hull penetrator includes a mounting surface that removably couples the pressure hull penetrator to the pressure hull;
an electrically conductive fill tube coupled to a storage tank that traverses through a centerline of the pressure hull penetrator to the exterior surface;
an electrically non-conductive sleeve that is sandwiched between the fill tube and the pressure hull penetrator along the passage through the pressure hull;
a radial seal sandwiched between the passage through the pressure hull and the pressure hull penetrator; and
a face seal sandwiched between the mounting surface of the pressure hull penetrator and the exterior surface of the pressure hull.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mermelstein Joshua M
• Viloria Wayne A

Classifications

• B63B13/02 Primary

  Ports for passing water through vessels' sides {(jet propulsors with clogging prevention means B63H11/01)} · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• B63G8/08

  Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12) · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• B63H21/38

  Apparatus or methods specially adapted for use on marine vessels, for handling power plant or unit liquids, e.g. lubricants, coolants, fuels or the like ({in outboard drives B63H20/001; } lubricating or cooling machines or engines in general F01 - F04) · CPC title