Systems and methods for controlling a fuel tank environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969549-B2
Application number	US-201414223749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 24, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A system for controlling an environment within a fuel tank is provided. The system includes a conduit with a plurality of vents, wherein the conduit defines a path through the fuel tank, and wherein the conduit is configured to direct a flow of air along the path and out the plurality of vents.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling an environment within a fuel tank, the fuel tank comprising an inlet and at least one bay, the system comprising:
a conduit comprising:
a distal end, a proximal end, and a length extending between the distal end and the proximal end; and
a plurality of vents distributed about the length, the conduit defining a path, from the proximal end to the distal end, through the fuel tank, the length of the conduit configured to be placed within the at least one bay via the inlet to direct a flow of air from the proximal end, along the path, toward the distal end, and out the plurality of vents to deliver the flow of air throughout the at least one bay.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one sensor configured to measure at least one of temperature and relative humidity within the fuel tank; and
a controller comprising a processor, the processor programmed to receive, from the at least one sensor, a current measure of the at least one of the temperature and the relative humidity within the fuel tank.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
receive a user-selected time duration over which a sealant applied within the fuel tank is to cure; and
control a temperature of the flow of air and a humidity within the flow of air to achieve the user-selected time duration to cure the sealant.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor configured to measure a level of volatile organic compounds within the fuel tank, and wherein the processor is further programmed to increase a velocity of the flow of air when the level of the volatile organic compounds exceeds a threshold level.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to adjust a velocity of the flow of air based on an identified time and/or a rate at which air within the fuel tank is being pulled out of the fuel tank through one or more vents on an exterior wall of the fuel tank.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
count a number of humans within the fuel tank; and
increase a velocity of the flow of air and/or decrease the temperature of the flow of air based on the number of humans within the fuel tank to enable the temperature to be at or below a safe temperature threshold.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
determine that a human is not within the fuel tank;
increase the temperature within the fuel tank to a maximum temperature threshold; and
increase the relative humidity within the fuel tank to a maximum relative humidity threshold.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:
receive historic fuel tank environment data, the historic fuel tank environment data comprising temperature and relative humidity data from defined locations within a plurality of fuel tanks; and
define the path of the conduit based on the historic fuel tank environment data.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine positions along the conduit for each of the plurality of vents based on the historic fuel tank environment data and a location of a sealant within the fuel tank.

10. A method for controlling an environment within a fuel tank, the fuel tank comprising an inlet and at least one bay, the method comprising:
placing a length of a conduit within the at least one bay of the fuel tank via the inlet, the length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the conduit defining a path, from the proximal end to the distal end, through the fuel tank;
receiving a current measure of at least one of a temperature and a relative humidity within the fuel tank; and
adjusting, based on the current measure, one or more of a temperature of a flow of air and a humidity within the flow of air directed, from the proximal end and toward the distal end, through a plurality of vents distributed along the length of the conduit to deliver the flow of air throughout the at least one bay.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a user-selected time duration over which a sealant applied within the fuel tank is to cure; and
controlling a temperature of a flow of air and a humidity within the flow of air directed through a plurality of vents along a conduit that defines a path through the fuel tank to achieve the user-selected time duration for the sealant to cure.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising adjusting a velocity of the flow of air based on the user-selected time duration or a rate at which air within the fuel tank is being pulled out of the fuel tank through one or more vents on an exterior wall of the fuel tank.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, from at least one sensor, a current level of volatile organic compounds within the fuel tank; and
increasing a velocity of the flow of air when the current level of the volatile organic compounds exceeds a threshold level.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
counting a number of humans within the fuel tank; and
increasing a velocity of the flow of air and/or decrease the temperature of the flow of air based on the number of humans within the fuel tank to enable the temperature to be at or below a safe temperature threshold.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving historic fuel tank environment data, the historic fuel tank environment data comprising temperature and relative humidity data from defined locations within a plurality of fuel tanks; and
defining the path of the conduit based on the historic fuel tank environment data.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining positions along the conduit for each of the plurality of vents based on the historic fuel tank environment data and a location of a sealant within the fuel tank.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining that a human is not within the fuel tank;
increasing the temperature within the fuel tank to a maximum temperature threshold; and
increasing the relative humidity within the fuel tank to a maximum humidity threshold.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions for controlling an environment within a fuel tank, the fuel tank comprising an inlet and at least one bay within which a length of a conduit is placed via the inlet, the conduit defining a path, from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, through the fuel tank, the instructions causing a processor to perform the steps of:
receiving a current measure of at least one of a temperature and a relative humidity within the fuel tank; and
adjusting, based on the current measure, one or more of a temperature of a flow of air and a humidity within the flow of air directed, from the proximal end and toward the distal end, through a plurality of vents distributed along the length of the conduit to deliver the flow of air throughout the at least one bay.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform the steps of:
receiving a user-selected time duration over which a sealant applied within the fuel tank is to cure; and
controlling a temperature of a flow of air and a humidity within the flow of air directed through a plurality of vents along a conduit that defines a path through the fuel tank to achieve the user-selected time duration for the sealant to cure.

20. The non-

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Heath Jonathan Christopher

Classifications

• B64F5/45

  Repairing leakages in fuel tanks · CPC title

• B64D37/005 Primary

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

• B64F5/60

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B65D90/34 Primary

  Venting means (vehicle fuel tanks characterised by venting means B60K15/035) · CPC title