Flexible Bladder Tank Layout for Aircraft Waste 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 obstructions, 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 is used to clean the tank interior, then cleaning coverage is improved, but the tank cannot be fully cleaned due to obstructions and hidden areas
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is segmented into multiple functional zones: a upper cleaning zone accessed by the rinse nipple, and a lower cleaning zone accessed by the extendable arm with nozzle. This segmentation allows each component to target specific areas that would otherwise be inaccessible, ensuring complete cleaning coverage including previously hidden areas near the tank bottom.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning approach transitions from a single fixed position (top of tank) to multiple spatial dimensions by introducing an extendable arm that can reach into the lower regions. This dimensional extension enables the nozzle to access areas that were previously unreachable, eliminating dead zones and ensuring thorough cleaning of the entire tank interior.
2Reliability
If the rinse nozzle is positioned as high as possible in the tank for best cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the nozzle becomes vulnerable to damage and blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is segmented between two separate nozzles: one positioned high in the tank for effective cleaning, and another positioned lower to protect the high-positioned nozzle from direct contact with waste material. This segmentation allows the high-positioned nozzle to perform its cleaning function while being protected from harmful factors like blockage and damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower-positioned nozzle acts as an intermediary that can access and clean areas near the tank bottom without requiring the high-positioned nozzle to be exposed to harmful conditions. This intermediary approach allows effective cleaning while protecting the primary high-positioned nozzle from direct contact with corrosive waste materials.
3Reliability
If stainless steel is used for tank construction to resist corrosion, then durability is improved, but the tank becomes heavy and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible bladder is introduced as a thin-film containment barrier inside the tank. This bladder can be made from corrosion-resistant material but with significantly less mass than a full stainless steel tank wall. The bladder provides the necessary corrosion protection for the waste containment function while allowing the outer tank structure to be made from lighter, less expensive materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bladder serves as an intermediary layer between the waste contents and the tank structure. This intermediate barrier provides the necessary corrosion resistance without requiring the entire tank structure to be made of heavy stainless steel. The bladder mediates the interaction between corrosive waste and the tank, protecting the structural integrity while reducing overall weight and cost.
4Weight of moving object
If a flexible bladder is used for waste containment, then material cost and weight are reduced, but cleaning access becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is segmented into multiple accessible points: a upper nozzle for cleaning the upper tank regions, and a lower extendable arm with nozzle for cleaning the lower regions. This segmentation provides multiple access points for cleaning the bladder and tank interior, overcoming the limited access problem while maintaining the weight advantages of the flexible bladder design.
Solution Approach 2:
The extendable arm is designed as a dynamic, movable component that can be extended and retracted. This dynamic mechanism allows the lower nozzle to reach into areas that would otherwise be inaccessible for cleaning, providing operational flexibility and ease of cleaning access while maintaining the lightweight bladder containment system.
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 expandable bladders with integrated level sensing.
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
Figure 1~2
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Figure 6~9
AI summary
A tank cleaning arrangement comprising a tank (200) having an inlet (220) and an outlet (130); a flexible bladder (300) located inside the tank, the bladder having a first end (300a) in fluid communication with the tank inlet and a second end (300b) 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 (250) exists around the bladder inside the tank; the arrangement further comprising a pressure port (320) 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.