Fuel system for an aircraft
AssigneeGulfstream Aerospace Corporation
InventorGregg Wozniak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel system for an aircraft is provided including a fuel tank configured to receive fuel and a fuel pump. The fuel pump includes a motor disposed proximate the fuel tank. The fuel pump further includes a power supply in electrical communication with the motor and disposed outside the fuel tank. The fuel pump further includes an impeller disposed within the fuel tank and rotatably coupled to the motor. The impeller includes a shaft having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end with the motor coupled to the first end. The shaft has a resistivity greater than the resistivity of the fuel tank between the first end and the second end to minimize electrical transfer between the motor and the fuel.
Claims18
A fuel system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a fuel tank configured to receive fuel;
- a fuel pump, comprising;
- a motor disposed proximate the fuel tank,
- a power supply in electrical communication with the motor and disposed outside the fuel tank,
- an impeller disposed within the fuel tank and rotatably coupled to the motor, the impeller comprising a shaft having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end with the motor coupled to the first end, and the shaft having a resistivity greater than the resistivity of the fuel tank between the first end and the second end to minimize electrical transfer between the motor and the fuel, wherein the shaft comprises a first portion, a second portion, and an isolator portion that is disposed between the first and second portions, wherein the first portion includes the first end and the second portion includes the second end, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are made of an electrically conductive material and the isolator portion is made of an electrically inert material;
- and
- an isolator component disposed between the motor and the fuel tank and having a resistivity greater than the resistivity of the fuel tank to minimize electrical transfer between the motor and the fuel, wherein the isolator component extends outwardly from the isolator portion of the shaft to form a wall that is disposed on the fuel tank to form a barrier between the fuel tank and the motor.
An aircraft comprising a fuel system, the fuel system comprising:
- a fuel tank disposed in the aircraft and configured to receive fuel;
- a fuel pump, comprising;
- a motor disposed proximate the fuel tank,
- a power supply in electrical communication with the motor and disposed outside the fuel tank,
- an impeller disposed within the fuel tank and rotatably coupled to the motor, the impeller comprising a shaft having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end with the motor coupled to the first end, and the shaft having a resistivity greater than the resistivity of the fuel tank between the first end and the second end to minimize electrical transfer between the motor and the fuel, wherein the shaft comprises a first portion, a second portion, and an isolator portion that is disposed between the first and second portions, wherein the first portion includes the first end and the second portion includes the second end, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are made of an electrically conductive material and the isolator portion is made of an electrically inert material;
- and
- an isolator component disposed between the motor and the fuel tank and having a resistivity greater than the resistivity of the fuel tank to minimize electrical transfer between the motor and the fuel, wherein the isolator component extends outwardly from the isolator portion of the shaft to form a wall that is disposed on the fuel tank to form a barrier between the fuel tank and the motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.