Fluid-gauging systems
AssigneeSmiths Group PLC
InventorAndrew Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft fuel-gauging system has multiple gauging sensors in each tank divided into two groups. Each group of sensors connects with a respective processor. The processors are linked to provide a display in the cockpit to give an indication of fuel quantity derived from all the sensors. The two processors also provide separate, nominally-identical display indications of fuel quantity on a refuel panel on the exterior of the aircraft. The refueller can compare these two separate quantity indications with the flow meter in the fuel dispenser to confirm that the correct quantity has been dispensed.
Claims12
A fluid-gauging system comprising a plurality of gauging sensors, said sensors being operable to provide an indication of the height of fluid at a location of said sensor, and a processor arrangement operable to provide a first indication of fluid quantity from a first group of said sensors, and a second indication of fluid quantity from a second group of said sensors different from said first group.
A fuel-gauging system for an aircraft comprising a plurality of gauging sensors, said sensors being operable to provide an indication of the height of fuel at a location of said sensor, and a processor arrangement operable to provide a first indication of fuel quantity from a first group of said sensors, and a second indication of fuel quantity from a second group of said sensors different from said first group, wherein said first and second indications of fuel quantity are provided to a display of fuel quantity visible on an exterior of said aircraft.
A method of gauging the quantity of fluid in a tank comprising the steps of:
- computing the quantity of fluid from outputs of a first group of a plurality of gauging sensors, computing the quantity of fluid from outputs of a second group of gauging sensors different from said first group, displaying two separate indications of fluid quantity derived from the different groups of sensors, and comparing said two indications with one another.
A method of confirming delivery of the correct quantity of fuel to an aircraft comprising the steps of:
- computing the quantity of fuel from outputs of a first group of a plurality of fuel-gauging sensors, computing the quantity of fuel from outputs of a second group of fuel-gauging sensors different from said first group, displaying for viewing externally of said aircraft two separate indications of fuel quantity derived from said different groups of sensors, and comparing said two indications with one another to confirm delivery of the correct fuel quantity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.