Patent Application
20070257154
The present invention relates generally to in-flight refueling and associated systems and methods for providing a safe means for transferring fuel from one aircraft to another while flying in adverse weather conditions.
In-flight refueling (or air-to-air refueling) is an operation where fuel is transferred from one aircraft to another aircraft during flight. The purpose of this operation is to extend the flight of an aircraft and thus increase its operational effectiveness. In most military cases, aircraft require many refueling events to extend the distance it can cover to complete its mission. Due to current safety requirements, an aircraft's flight distance may be unnecessarily extended to circumvent adverse weather where lightning may be encountered. While aircraft are designed to withstand an in-flight lightning strike, there is a concern that a lightning strike during in-flight refueling may ignite the fuel that is spilled during the refueling process and result in fire or explosion in one or both of the aircraft performing the refueling maneuver. Therefore, in-flight refueling is typically performed many miles from weather conditions where lightning may occur to minimize the potential for a lightning strike. As a result, more fuel is used to extend the aircraft's flight distance in order to avoid these weather conditions and, therefore, more refueling operations may be required. Thus, there is a need to protect an aircraft from igniting fuel spilled during in-flight refueling operation as a result of lightning strike.
Two methods of refueling aircraft in flight are typically practiced. One method is to use a rigid boom attached to the refueling aircraft with a connector and nozzle at its distal end to connect the refueling aircraft to the receiving aircraft. A second method is to use a flexible hose trailed behind the refueling aircraft that is attached to a drogue disposed at the end to connect the refueling aircraft to the receiving aircraft. In both methods, the fuel is transported from a tank in the refueling aircraft through a duct, across a connector and nozzle and then through a receiving duct in the receiving aircraft and finally into the receiving aircraft's fuel tanks. Typically, both systems incorporate a valve mechanism in the connector, close to the junction between the two aircraft such that if an emergency disconnect is performed, the valve will close and stop fuel flow to minimize loss of fuel into the surrounding air-stream. Jet fuel is flammable when the correct proportions of fuel vapor and oxygen are present. The oxygen content required to ignite and sustain combustion of fuel may change with air pressure or temperature changes; however, it is well known that jet fuel will only ignite when the proper fuel oxygen ratio is present in the fuel-air mixture.
Therefore, there exists a need for a device to reduce the flammability of the spilled jet fuel and air mixture during an in-flight refueling operation to eliminate the potential of ignition in the event of a lightning strike.
Aspects of the invention are directed generally to fuel shielding nozzles for refueling aircraft and associated systems and methods. An airborne refueling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed from an aircraft during in-flight refueling. The deployable portion may include at least a portion of a fuel line, an inert gas line and a conductor with a connector for temporary attachment to a receiving aircraft.
In further embodiments, the system may further include an aircraft, with the fuel delivery device being carried by the aircraft and an inert gas injecting system being located with the fuel delivery device. The injecting system may, in some embodiments, be a passive system where high pressure inert gas is passed from the refueling aircraft via a refueling device to at least one location on a surface of at least one of the conductor and connector. In further embodiments the injecting system may be an active system where inert gas is generated within the refueling aircraft and then actively transported from the refueling aircraft via a refueling device to at least one location on a surface of at least one of the conductor and connector.
In further embodiments the system may include a fire suppression system being carried by the refueling aircraft. The fire suppression system may be, in some embodiments, a high pressure storage system containing an inert gas that is non-reactive to fuel and that is distributed to the conductor via a duct in the fuel delivery device. In further embodiments, the fire suppression system may be a generation system where inert gas is controllably produced and distributed to the conductor via a duct in the fuel delivery device.
A method for refueling an aircraft in accordance with another aspect of the invention may include deploying from a refueling aircraft a portion of a refueling system that includes a fuel line, a fire suppression system, and a conductor with a connector. The method may further include injecting the inert fluid adjacent to the interface of the connector and the receiving aircraft.
In further embodiments the method may further include generating an inert fluid within the tanker aircraft and injecting the inert fluid adjacent to the interface of the connector and the receiving aircraft. Other aspects and features of the present invention, as defined solely by the claims, will be come apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following non-limited detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
a and 1b show a refueling aircraft refueling a receiver aircraft in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention.
a shows a perspective view of a boom type conductor in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.
b shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a boom type conductor in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
The present invention is directed to a system, method, and aircraft for reducing the risk associated with the flammability of fuel spilled during an in-flight refueling operation. Specific details of various embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in the Figures to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. Well known structures, systems and methods often associated with in-flight refueling have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the various embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may have other embodiments and this description should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
In preferred embodiments of the invention,
In a preferred embodiment of
In an alternative preferred embodiment of
Generally, fuel is transferred from fuel tanks within the refueling aircraft through the refueling device 30 and into the receiving aircraft 20. During the fuel transfer, an inert fluid is passed from an inert gas system 60 in the refueling aircraft 10, through the fuel delivering device 30 and is injected from the conductor 40 into the external airstream adjacent to the conductor 40 and receiver 50. Alternatively, the inert fluid may be injected into the internal fuel stream being transferred from the refueling aircraft 10 to the receiving aircraft 20. Preferably, the refueling device 30,30′ provides both the fuel and the inert gas ducts or lines within a common housing such as a flexible hose or rigid tube, although in alternative embodiments the lines may be provided in separate housings.
In a further aspect of the present embodiment the inert gas system 60 may be a high pressure storage vessel containing an inert gas such as nitrogen. The system may contain a means 65, such as one or more valves, for controlling the flow of the inert gas from the storage vessel to the conductor 40. In another embodiment the inert gas system 60′ may be an inert gas generating device, such as a Air Products membrane separator to separate nitrogen from ambient air for example, that can be controllably operated to generate an inert gas. These systems are in use in many commercial and military aircraft. The system may further include valves or other means 65′ for controlling the flow of the inert gas from the on-board inert gas generating device to the conductor 40.
a and 2b generally illustrate preferred embodiments of a device for injecting a fluid adjacent to a conductor 40 and a connector 70 that are attached to a boom-type of fuel delivering device 30. The fuel delivering device 30 may include a fuel duct 75 for passing a fluid such as jet fuel and a second duct 80 for passing an inert gas, as represented by the arrows in
In another embodiment of the present invention,
A lightning protection system, method and aircraft for reducing the flammability of jet fuel during an in-flight refueling operation have been disclosed. The scope of the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and one skilled in the art will understand there are other modifications and embodiments of the invention not described, but are in the scope of the claims that follow.
