# US 2003/0213871 A1 · Flammable fluid line shroud

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2003/0213871 A1
- Document ID: US20030213871A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 10/147,392
- Filed: 2002-05-16
- Published: 2003-11-20
- Earliest claimed: 2002-05-16
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Mark E. Howe; Kevin L. Loss; B. Kelly Sheahan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20030213871A1

## CPC

- F02C 7/222: {Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds}
- B64D 37/00: Arrangements in connection with fuel supply for power plant (refuelling during flight B64D39/00)
- F05D 2260/602: Drainage
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method and apparatus contains and drains leakage from fluid system piping on a mobile platform such as an aircraft. A generally U-shaped channel is formed having outwardly oriented edge flanges and either integral or attached end plates. A pair of drain connections is disposed adjacent to each end plate. A group of fluid lines including at least one flammable fluid line is loaded within the U-shaped channel. A cover plate having outwardly oriented edge flanges aligning with the U-shaped channel edge flanges is positioned over the U-shaped channel. The edge flanges of both the cover plate and the U-shaped channel are joined with a seal such that a fluid-tight assembly results. Fluid leakage from any of the group of enclosed fluid lines discharges through the pair of drain connections. One of the end plates forms a firewall connectable to an engine firewall boundary.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid containment enclosure for a moving platform, said enclosure comprising:
a shroud having a fluid tight seal formed about an enclosed volume;
said enclosed volume containing at least one fluid system having a group of selected fluid lines;
said shroud having at least one drain connection for discharging leakage from said selected fluid lines to a discharge location off said platform; and
said shroud and said group of selected fluid lines forming a module, said module having connectable fluid line fittings for installation of said module onto said platform.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising:
said shroud being formed of two elements, a lower generally C-shaped channel and an upper cover; and
said lower C-shaped channel and said upper cover connected by a sealable joint forming a fluid tight boundary.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The enclosure of claim 2, wherein said sealable joint is formed as a pair of mechanically fastened flanges having one of a gasket and a sealing material disposed there between.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The enclosure of claim 3, further comprising:
said shroud having at least one internal fluid line support member, each said member disposed at an interval therein; and
each support member having fluid passages allowing said leakage to drain to any one of said at least one drain connections.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The enclosure of claim 2, further comprising:
said at least one fluid system including at least one flammable fluid system;
said lower C-shaped channel having a firewall end disposable between said shroud and an aircraft firewall boundary; and
said firewall end forming a high temperature containment boundary between said at least one flammable fluid system and said aircraft firewall boundary.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The enclosure of claim 5, further comprising:
said firewall end having a plurality of mechanical fittings attached thereto;
each mechanical fitting having a shroud facing end including a mechanical retention feature, and an aircraft system facing end; and
each of said plurality of fluid lines being connected to said shroud facing end of a select one of said mechanical fittings using its mechanical retention feature.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The enclosure of claim 6, wherein said mechanical retention feature comprises a jam nut.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The enclosure of claim 6, wherein said lower C-shaped channel further comprises a sealed end opposite to said firewall end, said sealed end forming a portion of said fluid tight boundary of said shroud.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The enclosure of claim 8, wherein said at least one drain connection further comprises a firewall drain adjacent said firewall end and a vapor barrier drain adjacent said sealed end.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The enclosure of claim 2, wherein said sealable joint is formed as a pair of clamped joints having one of a gasket and a sealing material disposed there between.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The enclosure of claim 2, wherein said sealable joint is formed as a welded joint.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising;
said shroud being formed as a single piece shell having opposed open ends;
said group of selected fluid lines being slidably disposed through one of said opposed open ends; and
a pair of end covers each forming a fluid tight boundary at one of said opposed open ends of said shroud.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The enclosure of claim 12, further comprising:
one of said pair of end covers forming a high temperature firewall;
the other of said pair of end covers forming a thin wall low temperature boundary; and
both said firewall and said thin wall low temperature boundary being weldably joined to said shroud.

### Claim 14

An aircraft leakage containment apparatus for enclosing a group of fluid lines, said apparatus comprising:
a shroud forming a fluid-tight containment boundary about said group of fluid lines;
said group of fluid lines being supported within said shroud by a plurality of elastomeric support members;
said fluid lines within said shroud being directionally changed within at least one transition region;
said shroud having a pair of drains for collecting leakage from said plurality of fluid lines for discharge outside of said segment; and
said shroud having an integral disconnect panel disposed at one end thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The shroud of claim 14, wherein at least one of said group of fluid lines comprises a flammable fluid line transporting a flammable fluid therein.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The shroud of claim 15, wherein said integral disconnect panel further comprises a firewall to isolate said flammable fluid from an aircraft combustion source.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The shroud of claim 16, wherein said fluid lines are comprised of fire-resistant material at least adjacent to said firewall.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The shroud of claim 17, further comprising:
said shroud being formed of two primary construction parts, a lower part integrating said firewall and said drains in a U-shaped channel, said U-shaped channel further housing said elastomeric support members and said fluid lines, and an upper part forming a sealing surface for said lower part;
each of said lower part and said upper part having outwardly oriented flanges; and
said flanges having one of a gasket and a sealing material disposed there between.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The shroud of claim 18, wherein said lower part further comprises a sealable end disposed opposite said firewall, said sealable end formed integrally with said lower part.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The shroud of claim 19, further comprising:
said lower part formed as a casting, said lower part casting including said firewall; and
said upper part formed as a casting, said upper part casting having a closure panel to matably seal said firewall.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The shroud of claim 20, wherein said shroud is shaped to conform to an aircraft propulsion strut segment.

### Claim 22

A method to control leakage from a fluid piping system on a mobile platform comprising the steps of:
forming a generally U-shaped channel having outwardly oriented edge flanges and one of integral and attached end plates;
disposing a pair of drain connections adjacent each end plate;
longitudinally loading a group of fluid lines within said U-shaped channel in a generally parallel orientation with said U-shaped channel;
preparing a cover plate having outwardly oriented edge flanges dimensionally alignable to said U-shaped channel edge flanges; and
joining said edge flanges of said cover plate to said edge flanges of said U-shaped channel with a seal there between such that a fluid-tight assembly results from which fluid leakage from any of said group of fluid lines discharges through said pair of drain connections.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:
forming a thin walled one of said end plates; and
extending each of said group of fluid lines through designated openings in said thin walled end plate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:
forming a thick walled one of said end plates opposite to said thin walled end plate;
positioning a group of fittings on said thick walled end plate; and
connecting each of said group of fluid lines within said U-shaped channel to a predetermined one of said group of fittings on said thick walled end plate.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:
forming said thick walled end plate from a high temperature resistant metal; and
positioning said thick walled end plate adjacent to a firewall region of an aircraft.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of selecting a fireproof material for said fluid lines within said U-shaped channel for at least a portion of said fluid lines adjacent to said thick walled end plate.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:
forming said thick walled end plate having at least a partially circumferential outwardly extending flange; and
fastening said flange of said thick walled end plate to a mating flange of said aircraft.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of joining each of a group of fire-resistant pipes within said firewall region of said aircraft to said predetermined ones of said group of fittings on said thick walled end plate.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:
forming said thin walled one of said end plates from a composite material; and
separately attaching said composite material thin walled end plate to said U-shaped channel.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of
forming said thin walled one of said end plates from a U-shaped channel material; and
welding said thin walled end plate to said U-shaped channel.

### Claim 31 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:
disposing a plurality of non-invasive attachment means to said fluid tight assembly; and
mounting said fluid tight assembly to a structure using said plurality of non-invasive attachment means.

### Claim 32

A method to control leakage from an installed fluid piping system on an aircraft comprising the steps of:
forming a generally U-shaped channel having outwardly oriented edge flanges and one of integral and attached end plates;
disposing a pair of drain connections adjacent each end plate;
positioning said U-shaped channel to support a group of fluid lines;
preparing a cover plate having outwardly oriented edge flanges dimensionally aligned to said U-shaped channel edge flanges; and
joining said edge flanges of said cover plate to said edge flanges of said U-shaped channel with a seal to form a fluid-tight assembly wherein fluid leakage from any of said group of fluid lines discharges through said pair of drain connections.