Patent Application
20220243666
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Prior methods of fuel sampling have been accomplished utilizing gravity driven systems. A manual or drain valve is positioned in a low portion of the fuel tank and access to that valve is external to the fuel tank. A fuel sample is taken by placing a suitable container under the valve so that when it is opened, gravity will cause fuel to drain into the container until the valve is closed. This container is open to the atmosphere, the collected fuel must be disposed of, and the container must be cleaned after collecting the fuel sample.
In the example case of the Bell 505 helicopter, there is no drain as mentioned above, but rather, an internal (to the tank) “pick-up” hose having an opening located at a low portion (sump) of the fuel tank. An external connection to this pick-up hose can be connected to a hand pump and check valve assembly to draw out fuel by manually actuating the pump. Back and forth action of the pump handle pulls fuel from the internal sump into the pump and then discharges the fuel into a suitable container which is open to the atmosphere. This method is messy and inconvenient, inducing some people to avoid checking fuel quality and potentially leading to a safety issue.
In this disclosure, reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as the devices are depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of this disclosure, the devices, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” or other like terms to describe a spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of aspects of such components should be understood to describe a relative relationship between the components or a spatial orientation of aspects of such components, respectively, as the device described herein may be oriented in any desired direction.
This disclosure teaches a fuel sample extractor for extracting a fuel sample for analysis from an aircraft such as, but not limited to, a helicopter. The fuel sample extractor can be made using any appropriate materials without undue experimentation by a person having ordinary skill in the art. It should be appreciated that any hoses or valves should be connected such that a volume of liquid may be properly conveyed without leakage.
Referring to
Referring now to
FSE 200 is shown in detail and comprises a sample chamber 202 (such as a glass bottle) and a lid 204 configured to provide a fluid tight seal with sample chamber 202. Sample chamber 202 is used to receive the fuel sample from fuel tank 112. FSE 200 further comprises a chamber straw 206 that extends from a lower portion of the sample chamber 202, through lid 204 in a sealed manner, and terminates with a straw quick connect fitting 208 that is configured to cooperate with the sump quick connect fitting 120 to selectively provide a fluid flow path between a lower portion of fuel tank 112 and a lower portion of sample chamber 202. FSE 200 further comprises a pump system 210 that comprises an electric motor and a fluid pump configured to generate a vacuum and/or a pressure that is selectively driven by the electric motor. FSE 200 also comprises a pump line 212 connected between pump system 210 and sample chamber 202. Pump line 212 extends through lid 204 in a sealing manner so that when the motor of pump system 210 is driven in a first direction, pump system 210 removes air from an upper portion of sample chamber 202 via pump line 212, thereby reducing a pressure within sample chamber 202. In some embodiments, a valve 213 is disposed along pump line 212 to allow selective closure of pump line 212 so that an obtained pressure within sample chamber 202 can be substantially maintained without continued operation of pump system 210. Additionally, in some embodiments, a check valve 215, float ball, or other directional device configured to prevent liquid fuel from entering pump line 212 from sample chamber 202. In this embodiment, pump system 210 is powered by a power source 214 comprising a plurality of batteries and is controlled by a control switch 216 that manages delivery of direct current to the motor of pump system 210.
In operation, FSE 200 can be used to evaluate fuel quality of fuel within fuel tank 112 by first opening access door 126 to gain access to sump quick connect fitting 120. With access door 126 open, straw quick connect fitting 208 can be connected to sump quick connect fitting 120, thereby creating a fluid flow path between the lower portion of fuel tank 112 and the lower portion of sample chamber 202. Next, control switch 216 can be operated to initiate operation of the motor of pump system 210 in a direction that removes air from sample chamber 202, thereby reducing a pressure within sample chamber 202. When pressure within sample chamber 202 is sufficiently reduced, fuel can begin flowing up through sump hose 118, through fittings 120, 208, and into sample chamber 202 via chamber straw 206. One purpose of utilizing FSE 200 is to allow visual inspection of the fuel sample captured within sample chamber 202 without the sample first having to pass through a pump or other device, which could potentially contaminate the sample. When sufficient fuel is captured within sample chamber 202, pump system 210 can be deactivated and/or valve 213 can be actuated to discontinue changing pressure within sample chamber 202.
Referring now to
In alternative embodiments of an FSE substantially similar to FSE 200, the chamber straw 206 may not extend to the bottom of the sample chamber. In such an embodiment, the FSE is not equipped to return the fuel sample to the fuel tank, but rather, the fuel sample can simply be disposed of.
Referring now to
In some embodiments, method 300 can additionally comprise determining whether the collected fuel sample is contaminated. More specifically, from block 310, the method can continue at block 311 by determining whether the fuel sample is contaminated. When the sample is not contaminated, the method can continue at block 312. When the sample is contaminated, the method can progress to block 313 by disconnecting the sample chamber and disposing of the contaminated fuel sample and thereafter progressing to block 316.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
In operation, FSE 600 can be utilized to draw a fuel sample from fuel tank 112 by first operating the power plant 130 to cause a negative pressure or vacuum pressure within vacuum chamber 604. This can be accomplished during or prior to drawing the fuel sample from the fuel tank 112. Next, valve 612 can be opened to connect the vacuum chamber 604 to the sample transfer valve 614. Next, the sample transfer valve 614 can be actuated to apply a negative or vacuum pressure to the sample chamber 202, thereby drawing a fuel sample into the sample chamber 202. Once the fuel sample has been introduced to the sample chamber 202, the sample transfer valve 614 can be closed to discontinue drawing fuel into the sample chamber 202. Next, the valve 612 can be closed.
To return the fuel sample to the fuel tank 112, the power plant 130 can be operated to cause a positive pressure within positive pressure chamber 602. This can be accomplished during or prior to returning the fuel sample to the fuel tank 112. Next, valve 610 can be opened to connect the positive pressure chamber 602 to the sample transfer valve 614. Next, the sample transfer valve 614 can be actuated to apply a positive pressure to the sample chamber 202, thereby pushing the fuel sample from the sample chamber 202 back into the fuel tank 112. Once the fuel sample has been returned to the fuel tank 112, the sample transfer valve 614 can be closed to discontinue pushing fluid toward the fuel tank 112. Next, the valve 610 can be closed.
In some embodiments, each of the vacuum chamber 604 and the positive pressure chamber 602 can be pressurized during operation of the power plant 130 to a degree that FSE can be used as described above even when the power plant 130 is not operating.
FSE embodiments disclosed herein allow extraction, storage and analyzation, and return of a fuel sample without exposing the liquid fuel to an open environment, thereby greatly reducing or eliminating the escape of noxious fuel fumes. Further, because only air and not the fuel passes through the pump system, the pump system need not be primed, emptied, or cleaned between uses, thereby making the entire process more time efficient and allowing a longer pump life.
At least one embodiment is disclosed, and variations, combinations, and/or modifications of the embodiment(s) and/or features of the embodiment(s) made by a person having ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of this disclosure. Alternative embodiments that result from combining, integrating, and/or omitting features of the embodiment(s) are also within the scope of this disclosure. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). For example, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit, Rl, and an upper limit, Ru, is disclosed, any number falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, the following numbers within the range are specifically disclosed: R=Rl+k*(Ru−Rl), wherein k is a variable ranging from 1 percent to 100 percent with a 1 percent increment, i.e., k is 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, . . . 50 percent, 51 percent, 52 percent, . . . , 95 percent, 96 percent, 95 percent, 98 percent, 99 percent, or 100 percent. Moreover, any numerical range defined by two R numbers as defined in the above is also specifically disclosed. Use of the term “optionally” with respect to any element of a claim means that the element is required, or alternatively, the element is not required, both alternatives being within the scope of the claim. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, and having should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, and comprised substantially of Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above but is defined by the claims that follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification and the claims are embodiment(s) of the present invention. Also, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” and “A and/or B and/or C” should each be interpreted to include only A, only B, only C, or any combination of A, B, and C.
