Flexible Bladder Tank Layout for Obstruction-Free Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tank cleaning methods, particularly in aircraft waste tanks, fail to effectively clean hard-to-reach areas due to obstruction by components, require expensive and heavy stainless steel construction, and are limited by the need for complex and vulnerable rinse nipples and level sensors.
Innovation Solution
A flexible bladder is positioned inside the tank, connected to inlet and outlet ports, with a vacuum port to control pressure, allowing the bladder to expand and contract for waste transport, cleaning, and level sensing, eliminating the need for external rinse nipples and enabling use of lighter, cheaper materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional rinse nipple with multiple nozzles and spinning head is used to clean the tank interior, then the fluid is sprayed as much as possible around the tank, but areas obstructed by components and fittings are not reached by the spray, resulting in waste material remaining and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the rinse nipple, nozzles, and spinning head from the tank interior by using a flexible bladder that expands and contracts to propel cleaning fluid. This extraction eliminates the obstructing components that blocked spray access to hard-to-reach areas, allowing complete cleaning coverage without obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bladder dynamically expands and contracts in response to pressure changes, propelling cleaning fluid through the tank interior. This dynamic motion allows the fluid to reach areas that would be inaccessible with a static rinse nipple arrangement, including behind components and fittings.
2Reliability
If the tank is made of stainless steel or other non-corroding material to resist corrosive contents, then the tank can withstand the corrosive nature of waste, but the tanks become heavy and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder acts as an intermediary barrier between the corrosive waste contents and the tank wall. This allows the tank to be constructed from lighter, less expensive materials that would otherwise be unsuitable for corrosive environments, while the bladder provides the necessary corrosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bladder is made of corrosion-resistant material that provides a protective barrier. This thin film approach allows the tank structure itself to be made from lighter materials, reducing overall weight and cost while maintaining corrosion resistance through the bladder layer.
3Area of stationary object
If a rinse device is mounted high in the tank to maximize cleaning coverage, then the fluid can reach more areas, but precision is required to assemble the rinse nozzle to the tank and there are restrictions on where the rinse nozzle can be mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the rinse nozzle and its associated mounting hardware from the tank structure. The flexible bladder is simply placed inside the tank and connected to inlet and outlet ports, eliminating the need for precise assembly and mounting restrictions while maintaining effective cleaning coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is segmented from the tank structure. The flexible bladder is a separate, removable component that can be easily installed without precise assembly, while the tank itself requires no special mounting features. This segmentation reduces assembly complexity while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the bladder is made of elastic material to enable expansion and contraction for waste transport, then the bladder can effectively contain and move waste, but the bladder material must be resistant to corrosion from waste contents
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder is made from a composite material that combines elasticity for expansion and contraction with corrosion resistance for waste exposure. This composite approach allows the bladder to perform both mechanical functions (containing and moving waste) and chemical resistance functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The bladder material is selected with specific parameters: high elasticity for volume changes during waste transport, and high corrosion resistance for exposure to waste contents. These parameter changes allow the same material to satisfy both mechanical and chemical requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures thorough cleaning without external components, reduces material costs and weight, and allows for effective waste containment and residue removal using a simpler, more reliable system.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure port extending from outside the tank into the space around the bladder via which varying pressure can be applied to the bladder
Implementation Method 2
the bladder defined an interior to receive content via the inlet and to expel content via the outlet, the bladder positioned inside the tank such that a space exists around the bladder inside the tank
Data Source
AI summary
A tank cleaning arrangement comprising a tank having an inlet and an outlet; a flexible bladder located inside the tank, the bladder having a first end in fluid communication with the tank inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the tank outlet, the bladder defining an interior to receive content via the inlet and to expel content via the outlet, the bladder positioned inside the tank such that a space exists around the bladder inside the tank; the arrangement further comprising a pressure port extending from outside the tank into the space around the bladder via which varying pressure can be applied to the space to cause varying expansion and contraction of the bladder.