Fuel tank with water bladder
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorChristoph Haugstetter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tank assembly is provided and includes a housing which has a housing volume and which is chargeable with a volume of a first fluid, a bladder disposed within the housing and chargeable with a second fluid such that the bladder has a minimal volume in an uncharged state and a flow system. The flow system includes a portion thereof which is coupled to the bladder and which has a second volume within the housing. The flow system is configured to at least charge the bladder with a volume of the second fluid which is equal to or less than a difference between the housing volume less a sum of the minimal volume and the second volume and the volume of the first fluid.
Claims20
A tank assembly, comprising:
- a housing which has a housing volume and which is chargeable with a volume of a first fluid;
- a bladder disposed within the housing and chargeable with a second fluid such that the bladder has a minimal volume in an uncharged state;
- and
- a flow system comprising a portion thereof which is coupled to the bladder and which has a second volume within the housing,
- the flow system being configured to at least charge the bladder with a volume of the second fluid which is equal to or less than a difference between the housing volume less a sum of the minimal volume and the second volume and the volume of the first fluid.
An aircraft, comprising:
- an engine;
- a water separation component in which coolant condenses;
- a housing which has a housing volume and which is chargeable with a volume of fuel for use in the engine;
- a bladder disposed within the housing and chargeable with the coolant such that the bladder has a minimal volume in an uncharged state;
- and
- a coolant flow system comprising a portion thereof which is coupled to the bladder and which has a second volume within the housing,
- the coolant flow system being configured to at least charge the bladder with a volume of the coolant drawn from the water separation component,
- the volume of the coolant being equal to or less than a difference between the housing volume less a sum of the minimal volume and the second volume and the volume of the fuel.
A method of controlling a tank assembly of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising:
- a housing having a housing volume;
- a bladder that has a minimal volume in an uncharged state disposed within the housing;
- and
- a coolant flow system coupled to the bladder and having a coolant flow system volume within the housing,
- the method comprising:
- charging the housing with a volume of fuel;
- charging the bladder with a volume of coolant;
- and
- controlling the charging of the bladder with the volume of the coolant such that the volume of the coolant is equal to or less than a difference between the housing volume less a sum of the minimal volume and the coolant flow system volume and the volume of the fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.