Tanker aircraft capacity extension system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873519-B2
Application number	US-201514824414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2015
Priority date	Aug 12, 2015
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A tanker aircraft capacity extension system shaped to fit within an aircraft cargo area may include a first portable fuel container having a first outlet port adapted to connect to an integral fuel system of the aircraft, and a first inlet port; and a second portable fuel container having a second outlet port adapted to connect to the first inlet port and a second inlet port adapted to connect to a third fuel container; when the second outlet port is connected to the first inlet port and the first outlet port is connected to the integral fuel system of the aircraft, fuel flows from the second fuel container, through the outlet port to the first inlet port into the interior of the first container, and out from the first outlet port of the first container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tanker aircraft capacity extension system shaped to fit within a cargo area of an aircraft, the system comprising:
a first portable fuel container having a first outlet port connected to and communicating with an interior of the first fuel container and adapted to connect to an integral fuel system of the aircraft, and a first inlet port connected to and communicating with the interior of the first fuel container; and
a second portable fuel container having a second outlet port connected to and communicating with an interior of the second fuel container and adapted to connect to the first inlet port of the first fuel container, and a second inlet port connected to and communicating with the interior of the second fuel container and adapted to connect to a third fuel container;
whereby, when the second outlet port of the second fuel container is connected to the first inlet port of the first fuel container, and the first outlet port of the first fuel container is connected to the integral fuel system of the aircraft, fuel flows from the interior of the second fuel container, through the second outlet port to the first inlet port and into the interior of the first fuel container, and out from the interior of the first fuel container through the first outlet port of the first container.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet port includes a first outlet conduit adapted to connect to the integral fuel system of the aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first inlet port includes a first inlet conduit adapted to connect to the second outlet port.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel container and the second fuel container are mounted on first and second movable pallets, respectively, for rolling on and rolling off of the cargo area of the aircraft.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel container is a first rigid tank having a first flexible bladder in the interior thereof, and includes a first source of pressurized inert gas connected to the first flexible bladder to selectively inflate and deflate the first flexible bladder to occupy a space above fuel in the interior of the first container; and
wherein the second fuel container is a second rigid tank having a first flexible bladder in the interior thereof, and includes a second source of pressurized inert gas connected to the second flexible bladder to selectively inflate and deflate the second flexible bladder to occupy a space above fuel in the interior of the second container.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel container and the second fuel container are first and second flexible bladders, respectively.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first and the second flexible bladders are sufficiently flexible to collapse in response to emptying of fuel from the interior of the first fuel container and from the interior of the second fuel container into the integral fuel system of the aircraft.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet port includes a first outlet valve for regulating fuel flow through the first outlet port to the integral fuel system.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first outlet valve is a manually operated one-way valve.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first inlet port includes a first inlet valve for regulating fuel flow through the first inlet port into the interior of the first container.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first inlet valve is a manually operated one-way valve.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first outlet valve connected to the first outlet port to regulate fuel flow from the interior of the first container, a first inlet valve connected to the first inlet port to regulate fuel flow into the interior of the first container, a second outlet valve connected to the second outlet port to regulate fuel flow from the interior of the second container to the first inlet port, and a second inlet valve connected to the second inlet port to regulate fuel flow into the interior of the second container.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a fuel management controller connected to actuate the first outlet valve, the first inlet valve, the second outlet valve, and the second inlet valve; the controller programmed to actuate the first outlet valve, the first inlet valve, the second outlet valve, and the second inlet valve to vary fuel flow between from the second container to the first container to maintain a fuel level in the first container substantially the same as a fuel level in the second container.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a flow meter connected to the first outlet port, a first level sensor in the interior of the first container for sensing the fuel level therein, and a second level sensor in the interior of the second container for sensing the fuel level therein, the flow meter, the first level sensor, and the second level sensor connected to provide data input to the fuel management controller.

15. An aircraft capacity extension system, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular fuel container units shaped to fit within a cargo area of an aircraft, each of the modular fuel container units including a separate pallet for rolling on and off of a cargo area of an aircraft and a fuel container mounted on the pallet;
each of the fuel containers having an outlet conduit connected to and communicating with an interior of that fuel container, and an inlet conduit connected to and communicating with the interior of that fuel container;
each of the outlet conduits is adapted to connect alternatively to the inlet conduit of another one of the plurality of modular fuel container units and to a fuel port in the cargo area of the aircraft connected to an aircraft fuel tank; and
each of the inlet conduits is adapted to connect alternatively to the outlet conduit of another one of the plurality of modular fuel container units and to a source of fuel external to the aircraft;
whereby the fuel containers of the plurality of modular fuel container units are connectable in a chain so that fuel stored in the interior of at least one of the fuel containers flows from the interior of the at least one fuel container, through the outlet conduit of the at least one fuel container, and into an interior of another one of the plurality of fuel containers through the outlet conduit of the another one of the plurality of modular fuel container units.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the outlet conduits includes an outlet valve, and each of the inlet conduits includes an inlet valve, and wherein the inlet valves and the outlet valves regulate fuel flow between fuel containers of the plurality of modular fuel container units, and from the plurality of modular fuel container units to the fuel port.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the inlet valves and the outlet valves are adjustable to regulate fuel levels within each of the containers to maintain a desired center of gravity of the plurality of modular fuel container units within the cargo area of the aircraft as fuel flows therefrom to the aircraft fuel tank.

18. A method for extending a fuel capacity of a tanker aircraft, the method comprising:
mounting a plurality of fuel containers on a plurality of pallets shaped to roll on and off of a cargo area of an aircraft to form a plurality of modular fuel container units;
attaching an outlet conduit and an inlet conduit to each of the fuel containers such that the outlet conduit and the inlet conduit both are attached to and communica

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Perry steven r
• Tingler Henry H

Classifications

• B64D2037/325

  Fuel tanks with provisions for reduction hydraulic ram shocks due to projectile impacts · CPC title

• B64D39/00

  Refuelling during flight · CPC title

• B64D37/24

  using gas pressure · CPC title

• B64D37/06 Primary

  Constructional adaptations thereof · CPC title

• B64D37/04

  Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft · CPC title