# US 10,766,760 B2 · Systems and methods for supplying fuel to a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,760 B2 - Document ID: US10766760B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/671,815 - Filed: 2017-08-08 - Published: 2019-02-14 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-08 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Brian Tillotson; Carol Elizabeth Anway - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766760B2 ## CPC - B67D 7/3236: {relating to electrostatic charges} - B67D 7/04: for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants - B67D 7/421: {comprising protective covers, e.g. anti-splash attachments} - B67D 7/425: {including components powered by electricity or light} - F02M 25/00: Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture (adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/00; adding exhaust gases F02M26/00; fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels or on a liquid fuel and another liquid F02M43/00) - H05F 3/06: by means of ionising radiation - B67D 2007/329: {Function indicator devices} - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - H05F: STATIC ELECTRICITY; NATURALLY-OCCURRING ELECTRICITY ## Abstract In an example, a method of supplying fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle includes supplying, via a fuel line, fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle at an initial rate of fuel flow, which causes an electrostatic charge to accumulate on a surface of the fuel in the fuel tank. The method also includes exposing an air medium in the fuel tank to ionizing radiation to increase a level of ionization of an air medium in the fuel tank and increase a rate of dissipation of the electrostatic charge. The method includes determining the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank, and determining an increased rate of fuel flow based on a difference between the determined level of ionization and a baseline level of ionization. The method further includes supplying the fuel to the fuel tank at the increased rate of fuel flow. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of supplying fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle, comprising: supplying, via a fuel line, fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle at an initial rate of fuel flow, wherein supplying the fuel causes an electrostatic charge to accumulate on a surface of the fuel in the fuel tank; exposing, using an ionization radiation source, an air medium in the fuel tank to ionizing radiation to increase a level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank and thereby increase a rate of dissipation of the electrostatic charge accumulated on the surface of the fuel, wherein the ionization radiation source is positioned relative to the fuel tank such that the ionization radiation source transmits the ionizing radiation through an interior space of the fuel tank to increase the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank, wherein the ionization radiation source is configured to expose the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation before supplying, via the fuel line, fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle at the initial rate of fuel flow; responsive to exposing the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation, determining the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank; determining an increased rate of fuel flow based on a difference between the determined level of ionization and a baseline level of ionization, wherein the electrostatic charge accumulated on the surface of the fuel dissipates at an increased rate when the determined level of ionization of the air medium is higher than the baseline level of ionization; and supplying, via the fuel line, the fuel to the fuel tank at the determined increased rate of fuel flow to reduce a time for supplying the fuel to the fuel tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein supplying the fuel at the initial rate comprises supplying the fuel at a rate that maintains the accumulated electrostatic charge below a threshold value when the air medium is at the baseline level of ionization, wherein the threshold value is related to a potential for electrical discharge between the surface of the fuel and a structure of the fuel tank due to the accumulated electrostatic charge, and wherein determining the increased rate of fuel flow comprises determining, based on the determined level of ionization, the increased rate such that the accumulated electrostatic charge remains below the threshold value when supplying the fuel at the increased rate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation comprises: positioning a portable x-ray radiation source on a surface of the vehicle adjacent to the fuel tank; and while positioning the portable x-ray radiation source on the surface of the vehicle, transmitting x-ray radiation from the portable x-ray source to the air medium in the fuel tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein positioning the portable x-ray radiation source comprises positioning the portable x-ray radiation source on a window portion of the surface of the vehicle, wherein the window portion has a higher x-ray radiation transmissivity than a portion of the surface of the vehicle adjacent to the window portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein positioning the portable x-ray radiation source comprises opening a cover to access the window portion, wherein a combination of the cover and the window portion provide a lower x-ray radiation transmissivity into the fuel tank when the cover is closed than the x-ray transmissivity of the window portion alone when the cover is open. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation comprises inserting a nozzle of the fuel line into the fuel tank, wherein the nozzle comprises the ionization radiation source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: prior to inserting the nozzle into the fuel tank, using a shield on the nozzle to limit exposure to the ionizing radiation from the ionization radiation source; and responsive to inserting the nozzle into the fuel tank, retracting the shield on the nozzle to expose the ionization radiation source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the air medium to the ionizing radiation comprises exposing the air medium to at least one of gamma ray radiation, alpha particles, or beta particles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the increased rate of fuel flow based on the difference between the determined level of ionization and the baseline level of ionization comprises determining the increased rate of fuel flow based on the difference between the determined level of ionization and a level of ionization of non-ionized air. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein supplying the fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle comprises supplying the fuel to the fuel tank of an aircraft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation is performed before supplying, via the fuel line, fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle at the initial rate of fuel flow. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ionization radiation source is positioned in the interior space of the fuel tank, and wherein exposing the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation comprises exposing the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation from the ionization radiation source, which is positioned in the interior space of the fuel tank. ### Claim 13 A system for supplying fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle, comprising: a fuel line configured to supply fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle, wherein a flow of the fuel in the fuel line causes an accumulation of an electrostatic charge on a surface of the fuel in the tank; an ionization radiation source configured to expose an air medium in the fuel tank to ionizing radiation; a sensor configured to determine a level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank and generate a sensor signal indicating the determined level of ionization; and a control device in communication with the sensor and configured to: cause the fuel line to supply the fuel to the fuel tank at an initial rate of fuel flow, cause the ionization radiation source to expose the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation and increase the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank, wherein the ionization radiation source is positioned relative to the fuel tank such that the ionization radiation source transmits the ionizing radiation through an interior space of the fuel tank to increase the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank, wherein the ionization radiation source is configured to expose the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation before supplying, via the fuel line, fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle at the initial rate of fuel flow, receive the sensor signal indicating the determined level of ionization, determine an increased rate of fuel flow based on a difference between the determined level of ionization and a baseline level of ionization, wherein the electrostatic charge accumulated on the surface of the fuel dissipates at an increased rate when the determined level of ionization of the air medium is higher than the baseline level of ionization, and cause the fuel line to supply the fuel to the fuel tank at the determined increased rate of fuel flow to reduce a time for supplying the fuel to the fuel tank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the initial rate is configured to maintain the accumulated electrostatic charge below a threshold value when the air medium is at the baseline level of ionization, wherein the threshold value is related to a potential for electrical discharge between the surface of the fuel and a structure of the fuel tank due to the accumulated electrostatic charge, and wherein the control device is configure to determine, based on the determined level of ionization, the increased rate such that the accumulated electrostatic charge remains below the threshold value when the fuel line supplies the fuel at the increased rate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the fuel line comprises a nozzle configured to couple the fuel line to the fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle comprises the ionization radiation source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising a retractable shield configured to limit exposure to the ionizing radiation from the ionization radiation source when the nozzle is decoupled from the fuel tank. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the ionization radiation source is in the fuel tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the ionization radiation source comprises a portable x-ray radiation source configured to transmit x-ray radiation into the fuel tank. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the ionization radiation source is configured to transmit at least one of gamma ray radiation, alpha particles, or beta particles. ### Claim 20 A method of supplying fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle, comprising: supplying, via a fuel line, fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle at an initial rate of fuel flow, wherein supplying the fuel causes an electrostatic charge to accumulate on a surface of the fuel in the fuel tank; exposing, using an ionization radiation source, an air medium in the fuel tank to ionizing radiation to increase a level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank and thereby increase a rate of dissipation of the electrostatic charge accumulated on the surface of the fuel, wherein the ionization radiation source is positioned relative to the fuel tank such that the ionization radiation source transmits the ionizing radiation through an interior space of the fuel tank to increase the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank; responsive to exposing the air medium in the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation, determining the level of ionization of the air medium in the fuel tank; determining an increased rate of fuel flow based on a difference between the determined level of ionization and a baseline level of ionization, wherein the electrostatic charge accumulated on the surface of the fuel dissipates at an increased rate when the determined level of ionization of the air medium is higher than the baseline level of ionization; and supplying, via the fuel line, the fuel to the fuel tank at the determined increased rate of fuel flow to reduce a time for supplying the fuel to the fuel tank, wherein exposing the fuel tank to the ionizing radiation comprises inserting a nozzle of the fuel line into the fuel tank, wherein the nozzle comprises the ionization radiation source, and wherein inserting the nozzle of the fuel line into the fuel tank comprises inserting the ionization radiation source through a fuel inlet of the fuel tank such that the ionization radiation source extends into the interior space of the fuel tank.