Systems and methods for selective control of fuel tanks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989077-B2
Application number	US-201514712635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2015
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A fuel tank includes a port and an open-cell foam. The open-cell foam is configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel. The open-cell foam is configured to selectively release the liquid fuel when a surfactant is applied to the open-cell foam to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel tank, comprising:
a port;
an open-cell foam configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; and
a surfactant supply source including a surfactant;
wherein the surfactant supply source is configured to apply the surfactant to at least one of the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel so as to selectively release the liquid fuel from the fuel tank.

2. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the port is configured to provide a flow channel out of the tank for the released liquid fuel.

3. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within the fuel tank.

4. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within a flow conduit of the port.

5. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell foam is homogeneous.

6. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the tank defines an interior space, and wherein the open-cell foam substantially occupies the interior space.

7. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell foam is a liner disposed on an interior wall of the tank defining an open area within the tank.

8. The tank of claim 1 , wherein an interior portion of the open-cell foam includes a flow channel configured to direct liquid fuel from the interior portion to a portion of the open-cell foam located near the port.

9. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell foam is configured to release the liquid fuel near the port.

10. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell foam is configured such that the surfactant exits the tank through the port along with the amount of liquid fuel released from the foam.

11. The tank of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively control a flow of the surfactant from the surfactant supply source to the port.

12. The tank of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to prevent the flow of the surfactant to the port in response to receiving an alert signal.

13. The tank of claim 1 , further comprising an inverse surfactant supply configured to provide an inverse surfactant to prevent liquid fuel from being released from the open-cell foam at an area where the surfactant was previously applied.

14. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant includes a powder.

15. The tank of claim 1 , further comprising a surfactant supply tank configured to hold the surfactant.

16. The tank of claim 15 , wherein the surfactant supply tank is located remotely from the fuel tank.

17. An airplane fuel tank system, comprising:
a fuel tank, the fuel tank comprising:
a port, and
an open-cell foam configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; and

a surfactant supply system including a surfactant; in fluidic communication with the fuel tank;
wherein the surfactant supply system is configured to provide the surfactant to the fuel tank to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel such that an amount of liquid fuel is selectively released from the open-cell foam.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the port is configured to provide a flow channel out of the fuel tank for the released liquid fuel.

19. A method of controlling a flow of liquid fuel from a fuel tank, comprising:
containing a liquid fuel within an open-cell foam of a fuel tank by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel;
applying a surfactant near a port of the fuel tank to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel; and
releasing the liquid fuel from the open-cell foam through the port of the fuel tank.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the port is configured to provide a flow channel out of the tank for the released liquid fuel.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the surfactant is applied to the open-cell foam.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the surfactant is applied to the liquid fuel.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within the fuel tank.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the open-cell foam is disposed within a flow conduit of the port.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the tank defines an interior space, and wherein the open-cell foam substantially occupies the interior space.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein an interior portion of the open-cell foam includes a flow channel, and wherein releasing the liquid fuel from the open-cell foam includes directing the liquid fuel from the interior portion to a portion of the open-cell foam near the port via the flow channel.

27. The method of claim 19 , wherein applying the surfactant near the port includes locally applying the surfactant to the open-cell foam near the port.

28. The method of claim 19 , wherein the liquid fuel is released from the open-cell foam while applying the surfactant.

29. The method of claim 19 , wherein applying the surfactant includes selectively controlling a flow of the surfactant by a computer controller.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the computer controller is configured to prevent the flow of the surfactant in response to receiving an alert signal.

31. The method of claim 19 , further comprising applying an inverse surfactant to the open-cell foam at an area where the surfactant was previously applied to prevent liquid fuel from being released.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein applying the inverse surfactant includes increasing the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel.

33. The method of claim 19 , wherein the surfactant is stored in a surfactant supply tank.

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Chan Alistair K
• Cheatham Iii Jesse R
• Chin Hon Wah
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Mankin Max N
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Pan Tony S
• Petroski Robert C
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Touran Nicholas W
• Tuckerman David B
• Urzhumov Yaroslav A
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• B60K15/077

  with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation · CPC title

• F15D1/008 Primary

  comprising fluid injection or suction means · CPC title

• B60Y2306/01

  Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection · CPC title

• B60K2015/03375

  to improve security · CPC title

• B64D37/00 Primary

  Arrangements in connection with fuel supply for power plant (refuelling during flight B64D39/00) · CPC title